ABSTRACT
Many industrial and commercial operations and activities depend on the use of petroleum and its products. Petroleum and its products enter into soil and groundwater primarily through a few operations and through accidents. The presence of petroleum and its products in soil may or may not pose a risk, depending on the extent of exposure to humans and biota. In cases where unacceptable levels of exposure to soil containing petroleum or its products exist, remediation of the problem is necessary. Treatment technologies degrade or immobilize petroleum or its products, and usually require the removal and processing of soil. Petroleum possesses a specific gravity or bulk density that is less than that of water; as a result, it will behave in a different manner than petroleum products with specific gravities greater than that of water. Migrating masses of bulk quantities of a petroleum product with specific gravities greater than that of water are sometimes known as dense hydrocarbons or dense product.
