Comparative Analysis of Hydrocarbon Spills Assessment

Assignment Task

You are to prepare a report based on a comparative analysis of the following two hydrocarbon spill scenarios.

1. Scenario 1 – Petrol Station

   The local residents have reported a notable smell of hydrocarbons in the basements of their houses. A fuel inventory from the nearby petrol station indicates considerable losses of petrol stored in the underground tank over the past 3 years.

   The petrol station area has a gentle gradient sloping down from west to east. The site generally comprises made ground overlying glacial drift deposits (material deposited by a glacier long time ago). The drift deposits are underlain by thick sandstone. The sandstone is classified as a secondary aquifer with the following specification: “Fractured or potentially fractured rock, which does not have a high primary permeability. Although not producing large quantities of water for abstraction, it might be important for local supplies, and for supplying base flow for rivers. In certain circumstances it can be highly vulnerable to pollution.”

   Scenario 2 – Construction Site

   Developer of the site has reported a recent spill of Gas Oil Class A2 (often termed red diesel) in an unbunded fuel storage area (storage area without a spillage containment measures) on their construction site. The site is flat, but fuel storage area appears to be generally higher than its surroundings.

   The construction site is situated on a layer of man-made ground (fill material). The fill material, composed mainly of sand, gravel and disturbed layers of clays, is considered to be permeable, but with a potential for the formation of perched water. The man-made ground is underlain by deep (up to 3 meters), permeable coarse textured soils and a minor aquifer. The base of the aquifer is defined by impermeable layer of clay.

   You are tasked with assessing how the hydrocarbon properties and characteristics of the environment, to which it has been released, affect its environmental fate.

   How to complete the assessment?

   1. Take time and consider the differences between the two spilled hydrocarbons. What are their properties? What do these properties suggest about their behaviour in general?
   2. Consider the characteristics of the environment within which the spill occurred. How are these environments going to affect the behaviour of hydrocarbons?
   3. Visualise this information and design annotated diagrams describing both scenarios (one diagram per scenario). Be innovative and creative. The use of software is preferable, but no grades will be deducted for scanned hand drawings.
   4. Critically compare the two scenarios. Which scenario causes a bigger environmental concern and why? Justify your answer in a short report. The report should be structured (Introduction, Results (diagrams), Discussion, Conclusions) up to five (5) pages long (including the annotated diagrams, but excluding the references). Include a short Executive Summary that can be interpreted by a non-expert.

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