Simulation of surfactant-enhanced aquifer remediation

Surfactant‐enhanced aquifer remediation (SEAR) is currently under active investigation as one of the most promising alternatives to conventional pump‐and‐treat remediation for aquifers contaminated by dense nonaqueous phase organic liquids. An existing three‐dimensional finite‐difference enhanced oil recovery simulator is adapted to model the SEAR process. This simulator incorporates the complex chemistry and multiphase transport behavior of surfactant/water/organic mixtures in permeable media. Model governing equations and parameter requirements are discussed, and simulations are employed to illustrate some important issues potentially affecting SEAR performance at the field scale. Simulations suggest that the total time for remediation could be reduced by more than an order of magnitude over conventional remediation approaches by employing SEAR. The assumptions, approximations, and conditions required to achieve such a favorable result are identified, and the importance of modeling as a quantitative tool for the assessment of SEAR is highlighted.