Dissolved benzene was detected in the shallow unconfined Liwa aquifer, UAE, which represents the main freshwater source for the nearby residence Bu Hasa camp area. The main source of this contamination is believed to be the rejected water released from Bu Hasa liquid recovery plant. In this paper, a finite element model (METABIOTRANS) is used to simulate the fate and transport of the dissolved benzene plume in Liwa aquifer. Different remediation scenarios were simulated in which the slow-release oxygen source (SOS) technique is utilized to minimize benzene concentrations at the nearest camp supply wells downstream of the contamination zone. Results of the remediation scenarios show that the highest biodegradation rates occur when the oxygen source is placed near the plume center; where higher benzene concentrations exist. The nearest oxygen release source to the contamination zone caused higher stimulation to bacterial growth than further down-gradient oxygen sources. It also exhibited longer resident time of oxygen in the aquifer; and therefore, yielded higher reductions in benzene concentrations. However, using one central SOS proved to be insufficient as contaminant escaped laterally. Additional four transverse oxygen sources were necessary to capture benzene that laterally spread away from the contamination zone. These lateral SOSs were essential to reduce benzene concentrations at the supply wells that are located at the plume fringes. Finally, it was found that increasing oxygen release from one source did not always improve remediation; and that using several SOSs with lower release rates could be a more practical approach to enhance benzene biodegradation in the aquifer.

Dissolved benzene was detected in the shallow unconfined Liwa aquifer (UAE). This aquifer represents the main freshwater source for a nearby residence camp area. A finite element model is used to simulate the fate, transport, and attenuation of the dissolved benzene plume to help decision makers assess natural attenuation as a viable remediation option. Sensitivity of benzene attenuation to uncertainties in the estimation of some of the kinetic and transport parameters is studied. It was found that natural attenuation is more sensitive to microbial growth rate and half saturation coefficients of both benzene and oxygen than initial biomass concentration and dispersivity coefficients. Increasing microbial growth rate by fourfold increased natural attenuation effectiveness after 40 years by 10%; while decreasing it by fourfold decreased natural attenuation effectiveness by 77%. On the other hand, increasing half saturation coefficient by fourfold decreased natural attenuation effectiveness by 46% in 40 years. Decreasing the same parameter fourfold caused natural attenuation effectiveness to increase by 9%.