Integrated investigation of seawater intrusion around oil storage caverns in a coastal fractured aquifer using hydrogeochemical and isotopic data

Seawater intrusion can be activated by the construction of underground caverns which act as groundwater sinks near a coastal area. In an environment complicated with such artificial structures, seawater intrusion is not simple and thus needs to be evaluated by means of multiple analytical approaches. This study uses geochemical and isotopic indicators to assess the characteristics of salinized seepage into an underground oil storage cavern in Yeosu, Korea. Cl−/Br− ratios, principal component analysis (PCA) of chemical data, and stable isotope data were used to determine the origin and the extent of salinization. Indications of seawater intrusion into the cavern through fractured bedrocks were observed; however, it was highly probable that another source may have contributed to the observed salinity. The PCA results revealed that the seepage water chemistry was predominantly affected both by seawater mixing and cement material dissolution. The maximum seawater mixing ratio in the seepage water was estimated on the basis of the Cl−–Br− mixing ratio and the Cl−–δ18O relation, with the results showing considerable variation ranging from less than 1% to as high as 14%, depending on the cavern location. The spatial variations in the chemical characteristics and in mixing ratios are believed to have resulted from the hydrogeological heterogeneity of the study site, as caused by both fractured aquifer and the cavern facilities.