Pollution of fresh groundwater from damaged oil wells, North Kuwait

Groundwater in North Kuwait was polluted by hydrocarbons from destroyed oil wells during the 1991 Gulf War, and by salts derived from seawater used for fighting oil fires. The results of eight rounds of monitoring the groundwater chemistry over the years 2012–2015 have been assessed, based mainly on the presence of organic matter derived from petroleum hydrocarbons and on the total dissolved solids content of groundwater. Good correlations between these two parameters suggest that there is simultaneous movement of hydrocarbons and salts that are leached from the surface soil by the infiltration of surface runoff. It has been concluded that although these parameters have shown some periodical fluctuations in their values, there has been no significant change in the overall extent and severity of groundwater contamination over the period of the study. The fluctuations observed are possibly the results of seasonal addition of pollutants that are carried downwards by the infiltration of rainfall; the effects of biogeochemical reactions within the aquifer; and the movement of pollutants with groundwater flow and dilution by mixing with unpolluted groundwater within the aquifer. The removal of the sources of pollution (oil lakes, oil pits and polluted surface soil) from the study area has been recommended before the adoption of any remedial measures to avoid seasonal addition of pollutants to the treated groundwater.