Abstract
Currently, the primary source of pollution is crude oil production. Crude oil production has dramatic consequences for farmlands, communities, and in terms of the construction materials required for earthworks. The main aims of the present study were to reduce the level of pollution caused by oil production in the Khurmala soil and then reuse it as a construction material. Soil remediation using the solidification/stabilization method was applied in the field using Portland limestone cement (CEM II). The performance of using CEM II in the remediation process was then investigated in the laboratory by taking the natural, contaminated, and treated soils from the Khurmala site. Furthermore, the results of the soils were compared with their corresponding soil samples using ordinary Portland cement (OPC). The comparison was performed by investigating the physical, chemical, and mechanical properties of the soils. The discussion was supported using the scanning electron microscopy (SEM) results. Chemical and SEM results revealed that there were fourfold and tenfold decreases in the percentage of oil and grease using OPC and CEM II, respectively, confirming the higher performance of using CEM II over OPC. The values of the coefficient of permeability, shear strength parameters, and California bearing ratio of the treated soils were significantly improved, compared to those of the contaminated soils.
Highlights
CEM II is available in the local market and used in the field
The disposal of crude oil resulted in soil contamination at the Khurmala oil field
Compaction characteristics and California bearing ratio (CBR) values deteriorated with the presence of crude oil content
Summary
Academic Editor: Paulo José da Venda Oliveira. Publisher’s Note: MDPI stays neutral with regard to jurisdictional claims in published maps and institutional affiliations. Kurdistan is an autonomous region rich in natural resources in the northern part of Iraq, including crude oil. In the Republic of Iraq, there are several oil fields, some of which are located in the Kurdistan Region. The area has 13 petroleum fields, one of which is the Khurmala oil field. It is located in the southwest of Erbil City, where 64 crude oil wells are operated. The oil sector is a crucial contributor to the Iraqi Kurdish economy
Talk to us
Join us for a 30 min session where you can share your feedback and ask us any queries you have