AEGL Acquires PMI

Posted on February 8, 2012 by aegl44 Leave a comment

Last October, American Environmental Group Ltd (AEGL) completed the acquisition of Goleta, California-based energy services company Power Management, Inc. Carl Apicella, President of AEGL, stated, “The merger of the PMI and AEGL teams creates a powerful force in the specialty environmental and energy services markets. Adding PMI’s southern and northern California operations centers also improves AEGL geographical coverage, and at the same time creates a national platform to deliver PMI’s services to power generation markets.”

AEGL continues its strategic growth plans that include diversification into complementary product and service offerings as well as geographic expansion, not only to broaden AEGL’s client base, but also to allow for more immediate response and enhanced client support. The PMI team joins American Environmental following the AEGL’s other recent acquisitions of the geosynthetics installation division of GSE (Houston, Texas) and Mid-American Lining Company (Union City, Tennessee).

“I am excited about combining PMI’s resources with AEGL, which will allow our energy services division to grow by capitalizing on the ongoing expansion of smaller power production facilities nationwide,” says Randy Chapman, PMI’s President and one of its founders. “Our west coast US operations will be expanded to serve clients’ projects east of the Mississippi, plus we intend to leverage our expansion within the broad AEGL client base. Our group of professionals are joining a team known for their dedication to providing consistent, quality services, and a firm that is financially strong and growing.”

PMI will continue to operate out of its home office in Goleta, California as the Power Management Division of AEGL.

ABOUT AEGL

Founded in 2002, American Environmental Group, Ltd. is a diversified environmental and energy services company, operating both nationally and internationally from a platform of operations centers throughout the US. With approximately 500 employees, AEGL delivers comprehensive services to its target markets including:

  • Specialty landfill gas (LFG) construction and drilling, operation and maintenance of LFG and leachate control systems for open and closed landfill sites.
  • Geosynthetic material supply, installation, and maintenance for solid and hazardous waste landfills, mining, environmental, and industrial clients.
  • Operations and maintenance of power generation facilities and engines fueled by natural gas and gasses collected from landfills, sewage treatment plants, and anaerobic digesters.
Company, Power Management , , , , , , ,

Geosynthetics Veteran Van Houten Joins American Environmental Group

Posted on January 1, 2012 by aegl44 Leave a comment

American Environmental Group Ltd. (AEG) announces the hiring of Chuck Van Houten to AEG’s Geosynthetic Project Management group. An industry veteran, Chuck adds another 16 years of geosynthetics experience to AEG’s core expert staff. Chuck will be working out of AEG’s Houston office location.

“I am excited to become part of the AEG team of professionals,” Van Houten says. “Their reputation of integrity, commitment to quality and customer satisfaction is a program I’m very proud to be a part of.”

Most recently, Chuck served as the Fabrication Manager at GSE Lining Technology, LLC. Prior to that, Chuck was a Project Manager managing the mining and West Coast operations for GSE. He started his geosynthetics career with CW Neal and has also worked for National Seal and Serrot International.

ABOUT AEG

American Environmental Group, Ltd provides specialty construction and construction management services to select landfill, solid waste, mining, environmental, and industrial clients. AEG has a national presence in its target markets, including geosynthetic material supply and installation, construction of landfill gas (LFG) collection and control systems, and LFG systems operations and maintenance for open and closed landfill sites. www.aegl.net

 

Geosynthetics , , , , ,

AEG Assists in Brownfield Solar Transformation

Posted on June 16, 2011 by aegl44 Leave a comment
Solar Panels on Brownfield

Solar Panels on Brownfield Site

AEG Helps Convert Brownfield to Solar-Energy Field

Though the sun remained hidden during the solar field’s official unveiling, it has successfully supported the facility for months. During the past couple years, many engineers, contractors and other construction and regulation professionals have read about the interaction between thin-film photovoltaic cells and exposed geomembrane caps on closed waste cells. American Environmental Group Ltd. (AEG) has been proud to be part of these unique new designs in waste management; but they are certainly not the only solar energy-generating designs in which geosynthetics are being used.
Geomembranes are also being used to provide essential containment and soil/groundwater protection for sites that utilize rigid solar panels, such as arrays installed on brownfield sites.

 

In Northwood, Ohio, the flat glass producer Pilkington North America has unveiled a 3,200+ panel array of rigid solar panels capable of producing roughly 250 kw, which is equivalent to almost 12% of the company’s research-department power needs. The installation, located adjacent to the company’s facility, includes a base liner manufactured by Firestone and that has been installed by AEG’s Geosynthetics Division (an IAGI Approved Installation Contractor). The geomembrane is a TPO product, chosen largely for its durability characteristics and excellent dimensional stability, limiting expansion and contraction.
Excellent communication and cooperation between all involved parties (Pilkington, AEG, Firestone, and designer Hull & Associates) has ensured productive, accident-free, quality work.

Though a fairly small installation, the site is significant in that it is the largest solar array installed by a private company for its own use in Ohio. Considering the increased availability of state environmental grants, recent EPA initiatives for brownfield development, and green engineering tax credits, and with solar energy design becoming ever more affordable, efficient and powerful, more installations of this nature are anticipated.

For more information on AEG’s Geosynthetics Division, visit www.aegl.net or contact:
Chris Eichelberger – (330) 659-5930 ext 262
ceichelberger@aegl.net

*article from Geosynthetica.net

Case Studies, Company, Geosynthetics

American Environmental Group Ltd. Helps Protect Mississippi’s Levees

Posted on May 16, 2011 by aegl44 Leave a comment
Protecting Mississippi's Levees - AEGL installs geomembrane as part of the emergency response team
Aerial Photo of Yazoo Levee Protection using Geomembranes

16 May 2011 – The floods affecting American waterways in 2011 have been, for many communities, historic, as have the engineering solutions being utilized. American Environmental Group, Ltd. (AEGL) has been part of a first-of-its-kind emergency levee protection effort in Mississippi that has used impermeable geomembrane liner to help secure the backside of the Yazoo River Backwater Levee. This emergency strategy, directed by the United States Army Corps of Engineers (USACE), is designed to prevent catastrophic erosion and failure of the levee in the event the flood water overtopped the levee.

“Everyone attended a strategy meeting on Friday, May 6th, where the USACE outlined the urgency, severity, and required resources for the project,” says Mike Joslin, AEGL Senior Operations Manager. “It was amazing and a credit to the firms involved, that Houston-based GSE was able to deliver the HDPE geomembrane rolls and that work was able to begin with a full workforce within 24 hours of that meeting.”

Near Vicksburg, MS, the water has been rising at a rate of nearly 1 foot per day as the swollen Mississippi and Yazoo Rivers converge. Five crews from AEGL worked with USACE to install approximately 3 million sq. ft. of textured 30 and 40-mil high-density polyethylene (HDPE) geomembrane. The 4-mile-long installation involved more than 150 workers managing constant traffic atop the narrow levee road and enduring high heat conditions, along with the pressure of the river closing in each day.

“If a job this size was constructed under ‘normal’ circumstances,” says Jon Edens, the on-site Project Manager for AEGL, “you’d expect 15 or 20 people working in various stages over a 9 or 10 week period. Here, through constant communication and a teamwork approach  between the USACE, AEGL, and Fordice Construction  goals were kept aligned and enabled the team to complete the project in less than 5 days.”

Updates on the Mississippi levee work will be published soon. Visit www.aegl.net.

ABOUT AEGL

American Environmental Group, LTD. provides specialty construction and construction management services to select landfill, solid waste, mining, environmental, and industrial clients. AEGL has a national presence in its target markets, including geosynthetic material supply and installation, construction of landfill gas (LFG) collection and control systems, and LFG systems operations and maintenance for open and closed landfill sites. www.aegl.net

Case Studies, Company, Geosynthetics

Advances in Barrier Geosynthetics – CE News Article.

Posted on May 10, 2011 by aegl44 Leave a comment

The May 2011 issue of CE News includes a Progressive Engineering column on “Advances in Barrier Geosynthetics” by Geosynthetica’s editor Chris Kelsey. The article takes a look at the direct shear results guide from ASTM Committee D35 on Geosynthetics; the important role ethylene vinyl alcohol (EVOH) can play in gas barrier performance; and the new utilization of trenchless, anchored, exposed geomembrane caps. Insights from Kuraray, American Environmental Group Ltd., Raven, TRI and CETCO are included. Read the article…

Company, Geosynthetics

American Environmental Group Ltd. Opens New Location in Houston, Texas

Posted on May 3, 2011 by aegl44 Leave a comment

3 May 2011 – American Environmental Group, LTD. (www.agel.net) has announced the opening of a new office in Houston, Texas. The office, headed up by industry veteran Ron Zunker, offers specialization for all three major AEGL divisions: geosynthetic materials installation, comprehensive construction of landfill gas (LFG) collection and control systems, and LFG system operation and maintenance services. Located near Bush International Airport, it is strategically located to provide top-quality support to AEGL’s work in the South, Southwest and Southeast.

AEGL’s employee network now extends to more than 400 people across the United States. In addition to the Houston location, the company maintains primary offices in Arlington (Texas), Scottsdale (Arizona), Chicago and the corporate headquarters in Richfield, Ohio.

“Having the Houston office gives us greater response and support to our clients in the middle of the country as well as providing a permanent home for the employees that recently joined us through our GSE acquisition last July,” says Carl Apicella, President of AEGL

While the Houston office has already been at work with a number of select clients, an open house was held in April to officially recognize the location’s work and introduce many new and prospective partners to the key people working from AEGL’s Houston base.

To contact the Houston office, please contact Ron Zunker at 14850 Woodham Drive, Suite B-135, Houston, TX 77073, rzunker@aegl.net, +1 281 645 4190. Visit www.aegl.net for more information about the company’s nationally provided services.

ABOUT AEGL

American Environmental Group, LTD. provides specialty construction and construction management services to select landfill, solid waste, mining, environmental, and industrial clients. AEGL has a national presence in its target markets, including geosynthetic material supply and installation, construction of landfill gas (LFG) collection and control systems, and LFG systems operations and maintenance for open and closed landfill sites. www.aegl.net.

 

Company

Safer Collection and Production

Posted on April 13, 2011 by aegl44 Comments Off

For an active municipal solid waste (MSW) landfill, American Environmental Group’s Landfill Gas (LFG) Systems Division has been involved in the site’s continuing development. The facility owner controls more than 2,000 acres of land, with more than 750 acres reserved for landfill cells. In recent years, the site has utilized gas collection systems connected to a conversion facility capable of producing enough power for 15,000 area homes.

AEGL’s most recent work has included the installation of approximately 500 linear feet of pipe ranging in size from 18” – 36”, including a 36” diameter, four-sectioned manifold system. Prior to tying into this field-fabricated manifold, AEGL’s team installed a 36” x 48” dual-contained leachate removal sump at a depth of 25 ft. The aboveground pipe was then placed on field-fit pipe stands that maintained positive drainage back to the manifold system before tying into the existing pipeline, which runs to a co-generation facility located near the flare area.

This area was then bypassed and piped to a new flare, as well as to an existing flare to act as a backup should the plant need to shut down. These measures ensure both optimal performance of the gas and leachate collection system and optimal safety.

Case Studies, Landfill Gas Construction

Perdido Powers Up

Posted on April 11, 2011 by aegl44 Comments Off

For the Phase I expansion of the Perdido Landfill in Escambia County, Florida, American Environmental Group’s Landfill Gas (LFG) Systems Division facilitated the successful implementation of the site’s gas collection and control system. The LFG team’s work included the drilling of 38 wells (more than 2,300 vertical feet of drilling) and extensive and diverse LFG piping provision and installation. The project was significant not only for its role in ensuring environmental protection and site safety but for the beneficial generation of renewable power. The Perdido Landfill’s gas generation is being converted into power that can be utilized by the local energy grid.

The site’s primary collection of landfill gas involved more than 8,000 linear feet in pipes ranging in diameter from 4 to 24 in. The construction of the condensate management system involved the installation of 8,000 LF of 2-in. air pipeline and 11,100 LF of forcemain pipeline. The site’s main transmission pipeline for the landfill gas to energy (LFGTE) system involved roughly 2,400 LF of 20-in. pipe.

Additionally, AEG directed the installation and completion of a blower/flare station.

Case Studies, Landfill Gas Construction

Harnessing LFG Energy

Posted on April 11, 2011 by aegl44 Comments Off

For a gas compression and conditioning facility, American Environmental Group LTD’s (AEGL) Operations & Maintenance (O&M) Division has played a key role the development of a landfill gas to energy project (LFGTE) that recovers LFG from an area landfill and sells it to a major, regional gas company. The facility compresses the recovered LFG and conditions the gas to a pipeline-grade product. The conditioned gas is blended into the gas company’s gas distribution system and sold to the general public.

AEGL has been contracted by the compression and conditioning facility to perform gas conditioning filter change outs—a critical stage in this type of LFGTE system.

The facility has two stages of gas filtration. The first stage removes siloxanes from the gas stream. The second stage removes hydrogen sulfide. There are four filtration vessels on the gas conditioning skid. Two of the vessels filter out siloxanes, utilizing approximately 30,000 pounds of specialized carbon-based media per vessel (20 feet high by 10 feet in diameter). The other two vessels filter out hydrogen sulfide, utilizing approximately 60,000 pounds of specialized carbon-based media per vessel (40 feet high by 8 feet in diameter).

As part of AEGL’s responsibilities, O&M personnel coordinate, manage, and oversee a water-blasting and vacuum truck company that removes the spent media from these vessels. AEGL inspects the vessels for cleanliness, damage, and wear and performs repairs where applicable. After the filtration vessels are cleaned and inspected, AEGL fills the vessels with new media delivered to the site in 2,000-pound bulk bags. For the shorter vessels, a 10,000-pound extendable forklift is utilized to hoist the bulk bags to the top of the vessel. A 22-ton crane is used to hoist the bulk bags to the top of the large vessels. The vessels are then sealed, closed, and returned to service.

Additionally, AEGL performs waste characterization sampling of the spent media for TCLP analysis and prepares all laboratory arrangements. The nature of this work is as-needed and is often required with little advance notice. Change out events for the siloxane vessels average one vessel change out per quarter and change outs for the hydrogen sulfide vessels average approximately three change outs per year.

Case Studies, Operations & Maintenance

MSW Landfill Closure

Posted on April 11, 2011 by aegl44 Comments Off

Since 2004, American Environmental Group LTD’s (AEGL) Operations & Maintenance (O&M) Division has provided routine, non-routine, and non-routine emergency operations, maintenance, monitoring, and data management services for a closed municipal solid waste (MSW) landfill in Ohio. This site exemplifies the range of O&M services provided by this key AEGL Division. It is also significant that after years of successful site management AEGL is now working with the facility owner to develop a landfill gas to energy (LFGTE) system.

The main focus of the O&M activities involves the landfill gas (LFG) and condensate collection systems. The site has existing active collection systems that include 58 LFG extraction wells, one LFG blower/flare skid, and one condensate removal pumping system. Also, the site has a geosynthetic cap and surface water control devices, for which AEGL’s O&M Division performs site and cap inspections, explosive gas monitoring in permanent LFG monitoring probes, surface emissions monitoring, and preventative maintenance at the site. (AEGL also has a division specifically dedicated to the supply and installation of geosynthetics, such as for caps of this nature.)

The frequencies of these routine services vary from weekly to annually, depending on permit requirements and client requests.

The non-routine urgent response services available for the site from the O&M group include, but are not limited to, down flare response, LFG system troubleshooting and repairs, blower/flare troubleshooting and repairs, pipe camera investigations, pipe repairs, geosynthetic cap repairs, general site and grounds maintenance, and condensate pump troubleshooting and repairs.

The LFGTE project is in the early stages. To date, AEGL has performed the necessary system assessments and recommendations to make the system ready for an energy project.

Case Studies, Operations & Maintenance