The application of air-sparging, soil vapor extraction and pump and treat for remediation of a diesel-contaminated fractured formation

The present study addresses the efficiency of an integrated air sparging, soil vapor extraction, and pump and treat system in the remediation of a diesel contaminated site in Oman. Cleanup efforts have targeted groundwater and soil in fractured formations. Site hydrogeological characterization was conducted including sampling and analysis of water and soil. Within seven months of the start of the treatment system, benzene gas in the unsaturated zone fell from an initial range of 15-60 ppm to below detection level, while total petroleum hydrocarbon in the groundwater dropped from 25-50 ppm to less than 0.5 ppm. Treatment processes have ceased while groundwater and soil are being monitored. Thus far, benzene gas has been undetected for the past 18 months, but total petroleum hydrocarbon in groundwater has rebounded to 1.2 ppm during the last four months.