Mike Gibson, Owner and PresidentMike Gibson, a chemist and industrial management graduate from Purdue University, has never been one to follow convention.
Working in refineries and petrochemical plants, including his time at Nalco Chemical Company, Nalco/Exxon Energy Chemicals and GE, Gibson observed the established waste practices used to handle hydrocarbons. Slop oils, tank bottoms and oily sludges were separated in centrifuges or handled at the Waste Water Treatment plant. The approach worked well enough for disposal, but not for in-situ remediation.
He began studying how water chemistry could break down hydrocarbons in a way that allowed the soil’s natural remediation process to take over. That exploration became the foundation for him to start his own company, Evergreen Chemical Solutions, and create an innovative solution, EverGreen 12.
EverGreen 12 is a proprietary blend of Ethoxylated Octylphenolic Surfactants, nonionic water-based liquid. A surfactant formulation that is fully miscible with water. When mixed and agitated, it breaks down hydrocarbons such as gas, diesel, crude oil and grease into microscopic droplets to form a stable microemulsion. Without added microbes or enzymes, the dispersed hydrocarbons cannot reform and become available for native soil microbes to absorb, initiating a natural biodegradation pathway. Through this process, the hydrocarbons are converted into water and carbon dioxide, leaving treated soil free of hydrocarbon residues.
This is what cradle to grave means to us. We don’t create the waste, but we make sure the hydrocarbon contamination is permanently removed from the environment.
The chemistry also limits the release of volatile organic compounds and lower explosive limit gases. Compounds such as benzene, toluene, ethylbenzene and xylenes can accumulate in tanks and confined spaces during cleaning and create hazards that are not always visible. EverGreen 12 suppresses these vapors at the source, reducing gas load and improving safety.
“Our work happens right at the back of the rig, where the waste is created,” says Gibson, owner and president. “We keep the footprint small, use no heavy equipment and avoid disrupting the site. The material moves from hazardous to non-hazardous in four to six weeks, and operators often save up to $150,000 per well because nothing has to be hauled off.”
Turning a Test Pit into a New Standard
The chemistry first proved itself during routine field work. A major operator, based in Louisiana, conducted a test at a pit in Texas that held nearly 1,500 barrels of contaminated oil-based mud cuttings. Instead of moving the waste into long-term liability, the client asked Evergreen Chemical Solutions to attempt on-site closure. Gibson’s team diluted EverGreen 12 in a water truck, then sprayed the solution over the cuttings and worked it into the perimeter soil to introduce native microbes. Within eight to 12 hours, the reaction began. By the end of week one, the surface water showed no sheen or hydrocarbon film.
Four weeks later, independent labs confirmed a drop from roughly 70,000 parts per million to less than 10,000ppm or one percent, a widely applied endpoint for bioremediated drilling waste.
The Texas project became the model Evergreen uses today. It has replicated the process across thousands of lined and unlined pits in major basins, giving operators a consistent path to eliminate the need to move hazardous loads across public roads.
Mechanical systems such as dryers and centrifuges also typically reduce hydrocarbons to four to five percent. Evergreen’s chemistry drives the number to around one percent or less, where hydrocarbons no longer exist. And the operator’s liability for handling long-term waste exposure ends.
“This is what cradle to grave means to us. We don’t create the waste, but we make sure the hydrocarbon contamination is permanently removed from the environment,” says Gibson.
The Science behind Safe Remediation
There’s a long-held belief that the more aggressive the chemistry, the better it performs in remediation. That assumption has driven operators toward high-pH products—often above 10—that may break down hydrocarbons quickly but compromise safety in the process, resulting in burned skin, dead vegetation, corroded seals and stripped paint. The damage also remains in the soil.
EverGreen 12’s formulation is built around a series of ethoxylated nonionic surfactants that separate hydrocarbons without relying on caustic or acidic reactions. When diluted in water, these surfactants form micelles—small molecular clusters that surround, lift and stabilize hydrocarbons. A defined hydrophilic-lipophilic balance allows the blend to remain stable and effective across changes in temperature, soil composition and operating conditions. A small amount of hydrotrope and solubilizing agent keeps the chemistry uniform in water, even at lower temperatures, for consistent performance in the field.
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Our work happens right at the back of the rig, where the waste is created. We keep the footprint small, use no heavy equipment and avoid disrupting the site. The material moves from hazardous to non-hazardous in four to six weeks, and operators often save up to $150,000 per well because nothing has to be hauled off.
And since the chemistry works through physical separation rather than pH shock, EverGreen 12 maintains a pH of about 8.5 and carries a triple-zero hazmat rating. Crews can work safely with minimal PPE, and the chemistry does not harm pumps, piping or painted surfaces. Equipment stays intact, eliminating corrosion-related downtime and operator exposure to the hazards commonly associated with harsh cleaning agents.
Its benefits continue downstream in wastewater treatment. In refineries and processing plants, contaminated wash water is routed through biological treatment units where microbial populations break down residual hydrocarbons. Many surfactants interfere with those systems by overwhelming the microbes, stripping cell membranes, or altering the water’s oxygen demand. EverGreen 12 eliminates those disruptions. Its nonionic structure is compatible with activated sludge and fixed-film systems, allowing microbes to function normally while the chemistry completes the separation of the hydrocarbons. Operators are able to manage effluent without upsetting the biological balance that keeps their treatment systems running.
EverGreen 12’s chemistry also protects the land it comes into contact with. In one case, crude oil had fallen across a rancher’s pasture, coating several acres. The surfactant was applied with fire piping and worked gently into the soil to promote agitation. Within days, the visible hydrocarbon sheen was gone and the soil surface no longer showed signs of free product. Vegetation in the affected area remained intact with no browning or leaf burn, indicating the chemistry did not damage grass or trees during treatment.
The Future of Eco-Friendly Remediation is Taking Root
After proving its merit across the Permian, Haynesville and Eagle Ford basins, Evergreen Chemical Solutions is now guiding its work in Africa and the Middle East, where operators face similar drilling challenges but often stricter timelines for environmental restoration. Recent pilots in Mozambique and Oman show that the same chemistry and biology that drive results in U.S. soils can perform just as reliably in new geologic and climatic conditions.
During a two-well exploration campaign in northern Mozambique, an operator encountered hole instability and bit balling, necessitating a switch from water-based to oil-based mud. The shift stabilized drilling but left the team with contaminated waste that needed to be managed in line with the National Environmental Management Plan. Evergreen Chemical Solutions was brought in to apply its on-site treatment option.
The operations manager overseeing the program described the chemistry as “benign and environmentally neutral” and verified that the treatment delivered identical results on both wells. He also recommended the method as a biodegradable solution for drill waste and surface spills, citing its consistent performance under varied field conditions.
“What I’m really doing is changing the charge on the hydrocarbon,” Gibson explains. “I give it the same charge as the water around it, so they repel each other. Once that happens, the oil can’t reform. That principle holds steady across the varying soil composition, moisture levels and climate conditions during a project.”
Repeatability is what positions Evergreen Chemical Solutions for broader adoption as global remediation standards evolve. Operators across established and emerging markets are looking for technologies that shorten closure timelines, reduce transport exposure and align with stricter environmental expectations. Evergreen’s method supports that shift by treating hydrocarbons at the point of generation, limiting haul-off and delivering consistent outcomes without adding microbes or relying on high-energy mechanical systems. As buyers place greater weight on safety, liability reduction and ESG performance, the ability to apply one proven approach across different soils, climates and drilling conditions becomes a distinct advantage.
Closing the loop at the wellsite is how the next generation of operators will take control of their environmental footprint. Evergreen Chemical Solutions is helping lead that transition.
