Audits and Assessments
OKC Office
1015 N. Broadway, Ste. 300
Oklahoma City, OK 73102
Ph: 405-842-1066
Fax: 405-843-4687
Norman Office
3226 Bart Conner Drive
Norman, OK 73072
Ph: 405-366-8541
Fax: 405-366-8540
Attention to detail and thoroughness in review.
Since its inception, Cardinal has helped clients with property acquisitions
and diverse assessments–from tracts of land for the Oklahoma City
Metropolitan Area Projects (MAPS) to complex industrial facilities and
waste disposal sites. Cardinal’s Phase I assessments follow ASTM
protocols and typically
include reviews of aerial photographs, database
searches for environmental liabilities and risks, interviews with knowledgeable
persons, and site investigations. Some assessments require more in-depth
study to meet the client’s needs, including soil borings, groundwater
investigations, asbestos sampling, and lead investigations.
Cardinal’s technical team routinely completes these tasks and other site investigative research. Although a normal turnaround for a site assessment is ten to fifteen working days, Cardinal makes a commitment to meet the client's schedule–every time. Cardinal’s experience and expertise are unmatched: 250 assessments all over the United States in the last three years.
In addition to Phase I site assessments, Cardinal also assists companies in the purchase and acquisition of other businesses through reviews of environmental documentation, permits, and visits to the location as necessary.
ASTM-compliant assessments are normally required by financial institutions and legal counsel. By choosing a firm which correctly applies ASTM practices, a client demonstrates due diligence and inquiry.
Challenge: One site assessment was particularly difficult due to the lack of historical sources. The current owner of a site was concerned his property had been utilized as a tank battery site for oil wells in the area and that costly remediation would be required to clean up the property. Cardinal was retained to complete a Phase I assessment. It was visually apparent some sort of oil field activity had taken place at the site due to the presence of some oil-stained areas, but determining the kind of activity was our challenge.
Solution: Old aerial photographs revealed several large cylindrical tanks on the property, suggesting a tank battery site; but due to the small scale of the photographs, it was difficult to determine the exact nature of the tanks. After many failed attempts to contact previous owners with any knowledge about the site, Cardinal tracked down and reviewed oil and gas well maps showing tank batteries and water flood locations. The maps identified our site as the point of origin of a water flood. After this discovery, Cardinal located an abandoned water well, some partially exposed pipe and the area where the tanks were located. We determined the stained soil had minimal environmental damage and extensive remediation efforts would not be required.
Challenge: A client interested in purchasing additional petroleum processing facilities needed an audit of the properties and the current environmental management practices done prior to the closing date.
Solution: Cardinal reviewed the environmental histories, remediation files, and groundwater information on file in Oklahoma City to determine the environmental liability of such acquisitions. Through this review process, Cardinal saved the client money by making a trip to each property site unnecessary. Cardinal identified unusual groundwater testing results and attempted to determine the cause and potential liability associated with any groundwater contamination. Cardinal reviewed emission inventories, performance testing results, and correspondence with the Texas Natural Resource Conservation Commission with regard to exemption status of each location from air permitting requirements. As a result of the inquiry, the client included language in the closing documents stipulating violations which occurred previous to closing would be the responsibility of the previous owner and that ongoing remediation efforts would be approved by the Texas Railroad Commission prior to cessation of cleanup by the previous owner.
A Cardinal Plus: A Registered Professional Engineer reviews and signs all Cardinal site assessments... a value-added service not common in the industry.