Abstract

The long-term seepage of hydrocarbons, either as macro-seepage or micro-seepage, can set up nearsurface oxidation reduction zones that favor the development of a diverse array of chemical and mineralogical changes. The bacterial oxidation of light hydrocarbons can directly or indirectly brings about significant changes in the values of pH and Eh of the surrounding environment, thereby also changing the stability fields of the different mineral species present in that environment. The paper define the role of hydrocarbon micro-seepage in surface alterations of trace metal concentrations. In this study trace metal alterations were mapped that appear to be associated with hydrocarbon micro-seepage in the oil/ gas fields. Trace metals, such as scandium, vanadium, chromium, cobalt, nickel copper zinc barium and strontium in soil samples were analyzed using inductively coupled plasma-OES.