Detection of groundwater contamination with hydrocarbons

The task was to detect the groundwater contamination with hydrocarbons (gasoline, kerosene, diesel fuel) without drilling special boreholes, by means of NMR geotomography. Near the town of Abakan (Khakasia, RF), experimental measurements were carried out at a gas station where gasoline leakage is possible and the contamination of groundwaters was monitored through observation wells. In the immediate vicinity of the source of pollution, signals with essentially different times of relaxation were rather distinct: Short signals came from hydrogen protons of water, and much longer signals, from hydrogen protons of gasoline.