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Abstract

Summary

This work presents novel evidence concerning the well-known contaminated site in Trecate, NW Italy, which was affected in February 1994 by crude oil contamination as a consequence of an oil-well blowout. In the Trecate area, between 2009 and 2012, an extensive geophysical survey, combining electrical resistivity tomography (ERT), frequency-domain electromagnetic (FDEM) mapping, and ground-penetrating radar (GPR), was conducted to assess the contamination distribution of hydrocarbon in the shallow subsurface. In March 2025, a follow-up survey was performed to verify changes in the contamination and extend the site characterization. New ERT and GPR measurements, alongside deeper FDEM surveys, were conducted to evaluate the effect of bioattenuation and persistence of contamination. The results showed minimal variation compared to the previous surveys, with the contaminated zone continuing to exhibit significantly higher electrical conductivity and lower range of oscillation in soil moisture in the smear zone layer. The study underscores the effectiveness of geophysical methods, especially FDEM for large-scale contamination mapping and ERT for detailed detection, in monitoring long-term contamination processes.

© EAGE Publications BV
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/content/papers/10.3997/2214-4609.202520216
2025-09-07
2026-02-15

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/content/papers/10.3997/2214-4609.202520216
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New Geophysical Survey for the Estimation of Spatial Extent of Mature Hydrocarbon Contamination in Trecate Area
Conference Proceedings 2025, 1 (2025); https://doi.org/10.3997/2214-4609.202520216
/content/papers/10.3997/2214-4609.202520216
/content/papers/10.3997/2214-4609.202520216
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