Water-quality monitoring at the Hoe Creek test site: review and preliminary conclusions

Conference · Sat Apr 16 04:00:00 EST 1983

OSTI ID:6362814

Wang, F T; Mead, S W; Stuermer, D H

It has been shown that underground coal gasification (UCG) may introduce a broad range of residual gasification products into the groundwater of a coal aquifer. Sorption of many contaminants by the coal itself is an important factor in restricting the migration of these contaminants in the groundwater. However, our field studies at the Lawrence Livermore National Laboratory (LLNL) Hoe Creek site in northeastern Wyoming have shown that sorption of organic compounds by coal is not as effective as expected, perhaps because the coal surface area is limited. Furthermore, if severe roof collapse has taken place during gasification, non-coal aquifers located above the gasified coal seam may be interconnected with the coal aquifer. Contaminants may enter these non-coal aquifers, in which sorption is even less effective. The Hoe Creek II and III experiments have enabled us to study the contamination of a sand aquifer located above a gasified coal seam in a hydrological recharge area. Our preliminary results indicate that the water in the overlying sand aquifer is much less contaminated with organic compounds than that in the gasified coal aquifer. In conducting these field investigations, we have also learned valuable lessons concerning a strategy for groundwater monitoring. 21 figures.

• Research Organization: Lawrence Livermore National Lab., CA (USA)
• DOE Contract Number: W-7405-ENG-48
• OSTI ID: 6362814
• Report Number(s): UCRL-87650-Rev.1; CONF-820610-7-Rev.1; ON: DE83012049
• Country of Publication: United States
• Language: English

Related Subjects

01 COAL, LIGNITE, AND PEAT
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AMMONIUM COMPOUNDS
AQUIFERS
AROMATICS
CHEMICAL COMPOSITION
COAL GASIFICATION
CONTAMINATION
CYANIDES
DATA
ENVIRONMENTAL IMPACTS
ENVIRONMENTAL QUALITY
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HYDROGEN COMPOUNDS
HYDROXY COMPOUNDS
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MONITORING
NORTH AMERICA
NUMERICAL DATA
ORGANIC COMPOUNDS
OXYGEN COMPOUNDS
PHENOLS
PROCESSING
THERMOCHEMICAL PROCESSES
USA
WATER
WATER QUALITY
WYOMING