Environmental Site Assessment of Al-Daura Refinery - Evaluation of Soil Pollution with Petroleum Products

Abstract

The environmental site assessment (ESA) of Al-Duara refinery in Baghdad, Iraq. The hydrocarbon content of the soil around this site was measured to evaluate the extent of the organic pollution depending on selected parameters of potential pollution. Soil samples were collected at various depths from almost all locations including: production units, storage tanks, the landfill lagoons at the outside boarder of the refinery and the residence location. For the evaluation of the nature of soil layers, a monitoring well was drilled in the vicinity of a wide dumping area for heavy untreatable materials. Some field tests were carried out to evaluate the hydrocarbonin-soil (Turbidimetric); Laboratory analysis for the soil extracts and types of hydrocarbon pollutants. The soil texture was evaluated using the standard methods to assess any future remediation efforts. It appeared that storage tanks location is among the serious polluting sources via leakage or overflow of the drainage collection channels. The pollution sometimes extended deep in the soil, 80-100 cm. The maintenance and rehabilitation operations contribute much pollution by heavy sludge containing hydrocarbons, mud and inorganic matter. Most of the pollution load is directed towards the wastewater treatment plant. The dumping location and over more than 30 years resulted in deep penetration of hydrocarbons so that the location is considered the most effective source of pollution. Finally, the fall out is a major means of pollution of remote area within the site by heavy hydrocarbons.Recommendations for remediation of the most polluted locations in the site were listed at the end of this study. However, the company is continuously doing actions to remove polluted soil and replace it with clean soil.