Assessment of hazardous soils contamination and remediation actions in Burgan oil field-Kuwait

Abstract

The environment in Kuwait had suffered a massive damage by the Iraqi tropes during the 1990 - 1991 military invasion. 734 oil wells were damages and burned causing huge amount of oil spill on the soil surface and sub-surface. The majority of the soil around the oil fields were effected by hazardous contamination. This study was conducted to measure the extent of contaminated soil and to determine the contaminant composition, then choose a suitable remediation action for rehabilitation of Kuwait’s desert environment and ecosystem. Site soil samples taken from five well heads located in Burgan’s field were investigated to measure the depth level and compositions of the contaminated soil. The results showed that the contaminated soil was identified, and well head number three had the deepest contamination of 4.3 meter and the lowest depth was in the well head pit number one of 1.2 meter. The amount of the petroleum hydrocarbons resided in the soil can cause a series health risk. The necessary remediation actions were made using different quantities and mixing of nutrients. Furthermore Epidemiology studies are needed to monitor the long term positive impacts of remediation actions of the pollutants on the ecology, environment and human health.