Citation:

Weaver, J W. INTERNET COURSE ON MODELING SUBSURFACE TRANSPORT OF PETROLEUM HYDROCARBONS. Presented at 16th National Underground Storage Tank Conference, New Orleans, LA, March 1-3, 2004.

Impact/Purpose:

To assist decision-making by improving approaches to subsurface contaminant transport modeling based on evaluation of field observations and subsequent development of appropriate modeling approaches and tools.

Description:

Assessment of leaks from underground storage tanks relies on knowledge of contaminant fate and transport, hydrology and in some cases modeling. EPA is developing an interactive, on-line training course to provide states with a low-cost training opportunity for these areas. Two of a planned total of about 20 modules have been completed and are available for use on the EPA web site at http://www.epa.gov/athens/learn2model. The first gives an introduction to the course and illustrates the contaminant fate and transport with examples from field sites. The second uses two sets of flow visualization experiments to illustrate multiphase fluid distribution in the pore space. The next modules to be added will cover ground water flow, contaminant retardation, dispersion and biodegradation. Each module contains an introduction, set of objectives, twenty to thirty web pages, and a quiz. Interactive features are included through use of the EPA OnSite on-line calculators, that are available separately for use at http://www.epa.gov/athens/onsite. When a score of 85% or higher is achieved a certificate can be printed as a record of completion. The course is available free-of-charge to anyone and is expected to be useful for regulators and consultants alike.

Record Details: