Spatial and Temporal Evolution in the Unsaturated Zone of Pollutants Resulting from Accidental Discharges of Petroleum Products

Abstract

The exploitation and processing of oil resources are factors of regional progress and development; in this regard, the final products resulting from exploitation and subsequent refining can be accidentally spilt on the ground destabilizing the relationships between flora, fauna, water and soil, generating irreversible effects on terrestrial and aquatic ecosystems. The impact of the effects generated by petroleum products on soil and water resources is limiting nature and imposes severe measures to restrict the resources used for economic, administrative and consumption purposes. Experimental research involves the usage of geostatistical methods for modelling the unsaturated area and the usage of specialized applications for estimating the dispersion of pollutants in the studied area based on an accidental pollution scenario. The application of the method used in the areas with a significant risk of contamination (oil fields) it aims to identify the movement of the contaminant at various times and concentrations in order to choose the best measures to reduce and minimize pollution of the unsaturated (vadose) zone. The objectives of the reduction and minimization measures are to limit the transfer of contaminants in the saturated area or to the strategic drinking water reserves. The applied method supports researchers, hydrologists, hydrogeologists, environmental engineers who want to deepen the transition elements of the pollutant in the unsaturated area, the phenomenology and dispersion of pollutants in waters located in the unsaturated area and the problems caused by pollutants on the environment.