Energy

Energy Market

Kleinfelder is a national leader in providing high quality professional consulting services to the energy market. We have the national coverage and the resources to handle the most demanding jobs with the utmost of ingenuity, integrity, and attention to client service. Our unique application of expertise, depth of service, experience and solutions-orientated philosophy makes Kleinfelder exceptionally suited to serve the energy market in the areas of oil and gas, generation and transmission, alternative energy/renewable fuels, and nuclear energy. From environmental cleanup at older facilities, to the planning, design, permitting and ongoing operation of new facilities, we maintain a proven record of providing exceptional client service with diligent attention to regulatory and facility requirements.

Oil and Gas

Kleinfelder prides itself in the ability to provide a wide range of services to the oil and gas market. Our diverse service offerings and experience promotes efficiencies of communication, accountability and administration that streamline even the largest and most complex of projects.

Kleinfelder has met the challenges of numerous petroleum industry clients, including more than 2,000 active and passive remedial approaches at retail, distribution and refinery operations. Our range of services and logistical versatility are a major benefit to our clients, offering a one-stop shop with rapid deployment of resources in support of any oil and gas challenge, anywhere in the US.

Generation and Transmission

Permitting, siting, design, construction and rehabilitation of power generation facilities requires specialized experience developed from years of exposure to projects within the industry.

As part of our generation and transmission client’s design team, Kleinfelder works with project partners to provide focused services that seek innovative solutions to meet our client’s goals, adding value at every stage.

Able to take a project from its early phases of feasibility, we provide the right direction to ensure a project’s success from the start. The sum of the experience Kleinfelder offers provides project mitigation that is cost effective and gets results. Our strong relationships and knowledge of permitting and compliance agencies, local utilities, and other architecture and engineering firms provide additional opportunity to serve our clients as their trusted advisor to meet their power generation plant or linear transmission goals.

Alternative Energy/Renewable Fuels

Kleinfelder’s commitment to serve the alternative/renewable energy industry is demonstrated by our involvement in wind energy, solar energy, geothermal, ethanol, and biodiesel fuels projects across the country. Kleinfelder is committed to providing premium environmental assessment and permitting services, supporting designers and constructors selected to execute construction of new alternative/ renewable energy projects through our geotechnical and construction materials engineering and consulting services, and assisting these clients with continued environmental compliance. Kleinfelder is actively involved with local, state and national associations and strives to stay abreast of alternative/renewable energy technology advancements and regulation changes. Kleinfelder is experienced with solving the various needs of the alternative/renewable energy industry and can provide professional services throughout the numerous stages of complex projects.

Nuclear

As the demand for electrical power heightens, the resurgence of nuclear energy is a reality. We have positioned ourselves to provide a variety of professional services to the nuclear industry as well as the Federal nuclear market through the Department of Energy. Kleinfelder has been intimately involved with site characterization and geo-seismic evaluation of new nuclear facilities at the nation’s most prominent research and production facilities. Additionally, our quality assurance programs have been audited and certified to meet the most stringent requirements, including nuclear quality assurance (NQA-1 2000).

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Client Testimonials and Project Samples:

“As a critical part of the permitting and construction process, MEPI is please to be teamed with such a reputable and environmentally conscious firm as Kleinfelder. Their vast knowledge and experience in the industry shows a commitment to their customers, the communities in which they work, and to the environment.”

— Kurt Bravo, Midwest Ethanol Producers, Inc.

East Kansas Agri-Energy Ethanol Production Plant – Garnett, Kansas
The project consisted of construction of a new 35 million gallon ethanol plant with associated railroad spurs and road improvements built in the Golden Prairie Industrial Park located in Garnett, Kansas. During design of the project, Kleinfelder completed a program of subsurface investigation for the project and the subsequent geotechnical report. During construction, Kleinfelder provided on-site construction materials testing, observation and inspection services. The primary geotechnical challenge for the project was the presence of hard limestone bedrock at a relatively shallow depth of two to six feet below the ground surface. This shallow, hard bedrock made grading of the site difficult and created a shortage of high-quality fill materials on the site. Kleinfelder helped the client reduce construction costs by providing specific guidance on how and where the excavated rock could be used as fill, eliminating the expense of disposing of the rock material and importing other fill material.

Emerald Bay Cable Replacement – Lake Tahoe, Nevada
Replacing an antiquated powerline and an inadequate telephone cable in an environmentally sensitive, mountain recreation area required more resources than either Sierra Pacific Power (SPP) or SBC had: large budgets, complex permitting, and attention to a myriad of other issues, including wildlife concerns, environmental restoration, Lake Tahoe water quality protection, visual impacts, and preservation of recreational use. When Kleinfelder’s Environmental Planning and Permitting Manager, Steven Siegel, approached representatives of the utilities with a plan for partnering on the Emerald Bay Cable, his plan was enthusiastically received by both parties.

Partnering reduces permitting costs because the two projects may be permitted as one. Construction costs may be significantly reduced because the projects can use the same trench and they can share contractors. Additionally, by partnering the utilities reduced impacts on the environment and on recreational use of the construction site, shortened construction time, and minimized disturbance of wildlife.

“Kleinfelder’s involvement has made it possible for SPP and SBC to proceed with permitting, and by pooling our resources we will save money and reduce impacts to the environment.”

— Eric Weldon, Environmental Scientist for Sierra Pacific Power.

Emergency Response, Gasoline Retail Station – Confidential Major Oil & Gas Company Client, Maryland
Kleinfelder was contracted to oversee assessment and recovery efforts in response to a gasoline release within a residential community in early 2006. The release occurred near a topographic divide, with assessment and recovery activities concentrated along two directions in a fractured bedrock environment. The assessment and remediation was very difficult at the site due to the complexity of the geology. The local residents near the site use groundwater through mostly potable wells located on their property; therefore a quick response and mitigation was paramount for this project.

Kleinfelder personnel were onsite within an hour of the client’s request, and provided around-the-clock assessment and remediation activities in response to that release. In less than 24 hours, approximately 45 people from Kleinfelder and its subcontractors were onsite to respond to the situation. At the height of the activity, there were more than 100 people a day working at the site.

Kleinfelder ensured that the monitoring and recovery activities and subsequent reporting and permitting in support of ongoing remedial activities were completed successfully under intense internal and external scrutiny, reducing the client’s risk after an unfortunate incident.