Biochemical monitoring of soils in the area of development of subsurface energy resources

Abstract

It was found that the sites of the drilling rigs are the most transformed and polluted areas of soils on the territory of the gas-condensate field. It was established that the soils of some of the sites of development of the gas-condensate field showed increased contents of oil products, lead, zinc, nickel and chromium exceeding background values and health standards. On the territory of the Nyuchakan base and of some boreholes of the gas-condensate field there occurred a change in the soil water composition, and chloride and sulfate salinization of soils was observed. Characteristic areas of technogenic soils formed 15 and 25 year after the accidents: ejection of highly mineralized oil-field pressure brine (natural brine) to the surface in the area of the valley of the Orlingskaya Nyucha (the Kovykta gas-condensate field), and oil spill in the vicinity of the village of Tyret (the Krasnoyarsk-Irkutsk pipeline). They show high contents of oil products, heavy metals and organic matter as well as the shift of the reaction of the medium toward the neutral and alkaline side. The study revealed an increase in the sum of exchange bases, salinization, a heavier granulometric composition, and enhancement in gleying, and a decline in biological activity of soils.