Scholarly record

ECOLOGICAL ASSESSMENT OF ARTESIAN WATER FROM WELL NEAR VILLAGE OF RASOVO (NW BULGARIA)

Mila Trayanova

Abstract

Oil and gas exploration in Bulgaria has been mainly conducted in Northern Bulgaria. Up to 2500 boreholes have been drilled on the territory of the country so far with a depth of several hundred meters to more than 6000 m. During drilling, groundwater with different hydrochemical properties, often with high total dissolved solids (TDS) and contents of a number of elements, have been registered. After the completion of the drillings, many of them have not been liquidated, as in some of the boreholes artesian water occured. This is the case of a borehole near the Village of Rasovo, where TDS is higher than 23,6 mg/l and the temperature is 36 oC. The artesian water forms a pond with high concentration of iodine, bromine and other components. The aim of the present study is to evaluate the range of this leakage, if there is a risk of contamination of the soils, surface and shallow groundwater around the borehole, and to estimate the changes of its quality and quantity characteristics. The obtained results allow us to make an assessment of the impact of the artesian water on the environment. It is concluded that it is necessary either to prevent the leakage from the borehole or to start exploitation of the water.

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