Environmental soil and groundwater survey Asphalt Lake

The Asphalt Lake on Curaçao represents an environmentally unfriendly legacy of the Second World War. During the war years the Curaçao refinery produced large quantities of gasoline and aviation fuel for the Allied forces. The heavy ‘asphalt’ residue was left behind in the form of the Asphalt Lake. In 2011, excavation works and asphalt processing have been started. The final goal is to give the area a different destination. Following the intended development of the site, an indicative soil survey was carried out by CEGE on an already excavated part of the lake. The soil structure of the pit bottom was described and soil and groundwater samples were analyzed for oil components. Based on the research findings, the extent of the residual contamination and its risks were determined and the advice was given regarding remediation options.