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ARS Home » Midwest Area » Ames, Iowa » National Laboratory for Agriculture and The Environment » Agroecosystems Management Research » Research » Publications at this Location » Publication #405128
Research Project: Sustainable and Resilient Cropping Systems for Midwestern Landscapes

Location: Agroecosystems Management Research

Title: Oil spill soil remediation using thermal desorption: project synthesis and outcomes

Author
item O'Brien, Peter
item DESUTTER, THOMAS - North Dakota State University
item CASEY, FRANCIS - North Dakota State University
item WICK, ABBEY - North Dakota State University
item BARTSCH, ZACHARY - Stantec
item CROAT, SAMANTHA - Stealth Energy Group
item STRUFFERT, SAMANTHA - Minnesota State University

Submitted to: Agrosystems, Geosciences & Environment
Publication Type: Peer Reviewed Journal
Publication Acceptance Date: 11/22/2023
Publication Date: 3/1/2024
Citation: O'Brien, P.L., DeSutter, T.M., Casey, F.X., Wick, A.F., Bartsch, Z.J., Croat, S.J., Struffert, S. 2024. Oil spill soil remediation using thermal desorption: project synthesis and outcomes. Agrosystems, Geosciences & Environment. 7(1). https://doi.org/10.1002/agg2.20463.
DOI: https://doi.org/10.1002/agg2.20463

Interpretive Summary: Crude oil spills on agricultural land decrease crop yields with a lot of time and money being devoted to remove the oil from soil (i.e., remediation). However, most research into soil remediation strategies focus on removing crude oil, but the effects on soil health and crop production due to remediation efforts are unknown. One technique, called thermal desorption, removes oil by heating the soil up to 500 °C, but this heating can affect soil characteristics that make it less suitable for crop production. Over five years, we investigated how thermal desorption affects soil characteristics and crop growth. We found that thermal desorption decreased soil organic matter, changed how water moves through soil, harmed soil biological communities, and decreased crop production. It was also found that mixing topsoil with thermal desorption treated soil minimized all those negative effects. The findings of this research are being used by landowners and oil and gas industry in the region to guide decision making after future oil spills, and the results are relevant to government regulators when determining soil remediation guidelines.

Technical Abstract: Farmland within the Williston Basin of North Dakota (USA) was the site of the largest terrestrial oil spill to date in the United States in 2013. Over 3,200 m3 of oil was released into the topsoil and subsoil, creating a risk to soil, water, and air resources. Contaminated soils were remediated using thermal desorption (TD), a novel approach in the Williston Basin. We conducted research into the outcomes of TD on contaminant reduction, soil function, and plant productivity simultaneously with site remediation. Soil disturbance and TD decreased soil organic matter and microbial communities, resulting in decreased soil function and plant production. However, TD did not reduce soil microbial recovery four years after treatment. Blending TD-treated soil with uncontaminated topsoil appeared to minimize these negative effects and promote recovery of soil function. These findings provided critical information to stakeholders in the understanding of soil remediation and reclamation in this region.