Groundwater contamination near the Hoe Creek UCG experiments
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, conducted at Lawrence Livermore National Laboratory's Hoe Creek site, 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, and contaminants may enter these non-coal aquifers, in which sorption is even less effective. The Hoe Creek II and III experiments have provided us with opportunities 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 the water in the gasified coal aquifer. In conducting these field investigations, we have also learned valuable lessons concerning groundwater monitoring. A suggested monitoring strategy will be discussed.
- Research Organization:
- Lawrence Livermore National Lab., CA (USA)
- DOE Contract Number:
- W-7405-ENG-48
- OSTI ID:
- 6420048
- Report Number(s):
- UCRL-85880; CONF-810923-3; ON: DE81026113
- Country of Publication:
- United States
- Language:
- English
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Water-quality monitoring at the Hoe Creek test site: review and preliminary conclusions
Water quality monitoring at the Hoe Creek test site: review and preliminary conclusions
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Aquatic-- Chemicals Monitoring & Transport-- (-1989)
54 ENVIRONMENTAL SCIENCES
AQUIFERS
CARBONACEOUS MATERIALS
COAL
COAL GASIFICATION
DATA
ENERGY SOURCES
ENVIRONMENTAL EFFECTS
ENVIRONMENTAL QUALITY
ENVIRONMENTAL TRANSPORT
EXPERIMENTAL DATA
FOSSIL FUELS
FUELS
GASIFICATION
GROUND WATER
HYDROGEN COMPOUNDS
IN-SITU GASIFICATION
IN-SITU PROCESSING
INFORMATION
MASS TRANSFER
MATERIALS
MONITORING
NUMERICAL DATA
ORGANIC COMPOUNDS
OXYGEN COMPOUNDS
POLLUTION
PROCESSING
PYROLYSIS PRODUCTS
SAND
SORPTION
SORPTIVE PROPERTIES
SURFACE PROPERTIES
THERMOCHEMICAL PROCESSES
WATER
WATER POLLUTION
WATER QUALITY