The physical behaviour of oil interacting with soils subjected to seasonal frost or permafrost was investigated. An experimental programme was carried out to investigate the transportation and spreading of oil on a frozen surface, and transportation and accumulation of oil into freezing or frozen soils. The results show that spreading of oil at the surface at air temperatures below freezing depends on oil composition, soil temperature, and the type of mineral surface. It was observed that an ice surface has the least spreading and the greatest wetting angle of the surfaces studied. The oil penetration into frozen soils depends on soil and oil composition and temperature conditions. It was observed, as expected, that oil accumulation in frozen soils decreases with increasing ice content in the pores. However, penetration of oil components is observed even in completely ice-saturated soils. Freezing of oil-saturated soils causes a redistribution of the oil components. In sandy soils, the oil concentrates in a thawed zone in front of the freezing front; in clay soils, the oil can accumulate in the frozen zone under certain temperature conditions. A summary of the influence of various factors affecting oil behaviour in frozen and freezing soils is presented based on the experimental data and published data from other authors.

Experience with using permafrost for disposal of various toxic industrial waste products and for storage of oils and petroleum products shows that underground disposal is preferable in terms of ecology and economy. However, account must be taken of possible interaction (heat, mechanical, chemical, and physico-chemical) of the buried material with the cryogenic environment and the associated specific processes. A study of the main types of interaction of water-soluble and water-insoluble materials with frozen soil and ice permits tentative recommendations for safe storage of these materials in the Arctic.