Physical properties of Mesozoic sedimentary rocks from the Perth Basin,Western Australia

The Perth Basin (PB) hosts important aquifers within the Yarragadee Formation and adjacent geological formations with potential for economic exploitation by both geothermal energy and carbon capture and sequestration. Published studies on the reservoir quality of the sedimentary units of the PB are very few. This study reports some petrophysical and lithological characteristics of the sedimentary units of interest for geothermal and geosequestration scenarios and help interpolation toward non-sampled intervals. A new fluvial-dominated lithofacies scheme was developed for the Mesozoic stratigraphy from four wells drilled in the central PB (Pinjarra-1, Cockburn-1, Gingin-1 and Gingin-2) based on grainsize, sorting, sedimentary structures and colour that relate to the environment of deposition. Systematic laboratory measurements of permeability, porosity, and thermal conductivity were conducted on core samples to investigate a variety of lithofacies and depths from these wells. Empirical correlations are established among the different physical properties, indicating encouraging relationships for full PB basin interpolation such as between porosity and permeability, when the samples are grouped into ‘hydraulic units’ defined by a ‘flow zone indicator’ parameter. The common principal controls on the PB thermal conductivity are the pore space arrangement and mineralogical content, which are strongly lithofacies-specific. Therefore, the lithofacies type could be a good first-order discriminator for describing spatial variations of thermal conductivity and then estimate their flow zone indicator.     

Impact of groundwater withdrawals on the interaction of multi-layered aquifers in the Viterbo geothermal area (central Italy)

The impact of groundwater withdrawals on the interaction between multi-layered aquifers with different water qualities in the Viterbo geothermal area (central Italy) was studied. In this area, deep thermal waters are used to supply thermal spas and public pools. A shallow overlying aquifer carries cold and fresh water, used for irrigation and the local drinking-water supply. Starting with a conceptual hydrogeological model, two simplified numerical models were implemented: a steady-state flow model of the entire groundwater system, and a steady-state flow and heat transport model of a representative area, which included complex interactions between the aquifers. The impact of increased withdrawals associated with potential future development of the thermal aquifer must be considered in terms of the water temperature of the existing thermal sources. However, withdrawals from the shallow aquifer might also influence the discharge of thermal sources and quality of the water withdrawn from the shallow wells. The exploitation of the two aquifers is dependent on the hydraulic conductivity and thickness of the intervening aquitard, which maintains the delicate hydrogeological equilibrium. Effective methods to control this equilibrium include monitoring the vertical gradient between the two aquifers and the residual discharge of natural thermal springs.     

Regional groundwater flow and geochemical evolution in the Amacuzac River Basin,Mexico

An approach is presented to investigate the regional evolution of groundwater in the basin of the Amacuzac River in Central Mexico. The approach is based on groundwater flow cross-sectional modeling in combination with major ion chemistry and geochemical modeling, complemented with principal component and cluster analyses. The hydrogeologic units composing the basin, which combine aquifers and aquitards both in granular, fractured and karstic rocks, were represented in sections parallel to the regional groundwater flow. Steady-state cross-section numerical simulations aided in the conceptualization of the groundwater flow system through the basin and permitted estimation of bulk hydraulic conductivity values, recharge rates and residence times. Forty-five water locations (springs, groundwater wells and rivers) were sampled throughout the basin for chemical analysis of major ions. The modeled gravity-driven groundwater flow system satisfactorily reproduced field observations, whereas the main geochemical processes of groundwater in the basin are associated to the order and reactions in which the igneous and sedimentary rocks are encountered along the groundwater flow. Recharge water in the volcanic and volcano-sedimentary aquifers increases the concentration of HCO₃ ^–, Mg²⁺ and Ca²⁺ from dissolution of plagioclase and olivine. Deeper groundwater flow encounters carbonate rocks, under closed CO₂ conditions, and dissolves calcite and dolomite. When groundwater encounters gypsum lenses in the shallow Balsas Group or the deeper Huitzuco anhydrite, gypsum dissolution produces proportional increased concentration of Ca²⁺ and SO₄ ^2–; two samples reflected the influence of hydrothermal fluids and probably halite dissolution. These geochemical trends are consistent with the principal component and cluster analyses.     

Review: Moisture loading—the hidden information in groundwater observation well records

Changes of total moisture mass above an aquifer such as snow accumulation, soil moisture, and storage at the water table, represent changes of mechanical load acting on the aquifer. The resulting moisture-loading effects occur in all observation well records for confined aquifers. Deep observation wells therefore act as large-scale geological weighing lysimeters, referred to as “geolysimeters”. Barometric pressure effects on groundwater levels are a similar response to surface loading and are familiar to every hydrogeologist dealing with the “barometric efficiency” of observation wells. Moisture-loading effects are small and generally not recognized because they are obscured by hydraulic head fluctuations due to other causes, primarily barometric pressure changes. For semiconfined aquifers, long-term moisture-loading effects may be dissipated and obscured by transient flow through overlying aquitards. Removal of barometric and earth tide effects from observation well records allows identification of moisture loading and comparison with hydrological observations, and also comparison with the results of numerical models that can account for transient groundwater flow.     

Numerical analysis of the hydrogeologic controls in a layered coastal aquifer system, Oahu, Hawaii, USA

 The coastal aquifer system of southern Oahu, Hawaii, USA, consists of highly permeable volcanic aquifers overlain by weathered volcanic rocks and interbedded marine and terrestrial sediments of both high and low permeability. The weathered volcanic rocks and sediments are collectively known as caprock, because they impede the free discharge of groundwater from the underlying volcanic aquifers. A cross-sectional groundwater flow and transport model was used to evaluate the hydrogeologic controls on the regional flow system in southwestern Oahu. Controls considered were: (a) overall caprock hydraulic conductivity; and (b) stratigraphic variations of hydraulic conductivity in the caprock. Within the caprock, variations in hydraulic conductivity, caused by stratigraphy or discontinuities of the stratigraphic units, are a major control on the direction of groundwater flow and the distribution of water levels and salinity. Results of cross-sectional modeling confirm the general groundwater flow pattern that would be expected in a layered coastal system. Groundwater flow is: (a) predominantly upward in the low-permeability sedimentary units; and (b) predominantly horizontal in the high-permeability sedimentary units. Received, October 1996 Revised, August 1997 Accepted, September 1997     

Influence of Hydraulic Conductivity and Wellbore Design in the Fate and Transport of Nitrate in Multi-aquifer Systems

Nitrate concentrations in multi-aquifer systems are heavily affected by the presence of wellbores (active or abandoned) that are screened in several aquifers. The spatial variability of hydraulic conductivity in the confining layers has also an important impact on the concentrations. A synthetic three-dimensional flow and transport exercise was carried in a multi-aquifer system consisting of two aquifers separated by an aquitard in which 100 vertical wellbores had been drilled. To model the wellbores and the flow and transport connection between aquifers that they may induce, we assign a high vertical hydraulic conductivity and a low effective porosity to the cell blocks including the wells. With these parameters, a solute will travel quickly from one aquifer to the other without being stored in the well itself. The wellbores will act as preferential pathways, and the solute will move quickly between aquifers according to the hydrodynamic conditions. Not considering these preferential pathways could induce erroneous interpretations of the solute distribution in an aquifer. We also noted that when there are vertical wellbores that connect aquifers in a multi-aquifer system, low conductivity in the aquitard enhances the flow of solute through the wellbores. Time-varying pumping rates induce important fluctuations in nitrate concentrations; therefore, any estimate of the water quality of the aquifer will depend on the moment when the data has been recorded. Consequently, concentration maps obtained by interpolation of point samples are seldom a good indicator of the chemical status of groundwater bodies; alternatively, we recommend complementing the usual interpolated maps with numerical models to gain a true understanding of the spatial distribution of the solute concentration.     

Effects of human-induced alteration of groundwater flow on concentrations of naturally-occurring trace elements at water-supply wells

The effects of human-induced alteration of groundwater flow patterns on concentrations of naturally-occurring trace elements were examined in five hydrologically distinct aquifer systems in the USA. Although naturally occurring, these trace elements can exceed concentrations that are considered harmful to human health. The results show that pumping-induced hydraulic gradient changes and artificial connection of aquifers by well screens can mix chemically distinct groundwater. Chemical reactions between these mixed groundwaters and solid aquifer materials can result in the mobilization of trace elements such as U, As and Ra, with subsequent transport to water-supply wells. For example, in the High Plains aquifer near York, Nebraska, mixing of shallow, oxygenated, lower-pH water from an unconfined aquifer with deeper, confined, anoxic, higher-pH water is facilitated by wells screened across both aquifers. The resulting higher-O₂, lower-pH mixed groundwater facilitated the mobilization of U from solid aquifer materials, and dissolved U concentrations were observed to increase significantly in nearby supply wells. Similar instances of trace element mobilization due to human-induced mixing of groundwaters were documented in: (1) the Floridan aquifer system near Tampa, Florida (As and U), (2) Paleozoic sedimentary aquifers in eastern Wisconsin (As), (3) the basin-fill aquifer underlying the California Central Valley near Modesto (U), and (4) Coastal Plain aquifers of New Jersey (Ra). Adverse water-quality impacts attributed to human activities are commonly assumed to be related solely to the release of the various anthropogenic contaminants to the environment. The results show that human activities including various land uses, well drilling, and pumping rates and volumes can adversely impact the quality of water in supply wells, when associated with naturally-occurring trace elements in aquifer materials. This occurs by causing subtle but significant changes in geochemistry and associated trace element mobilization as well as enhancing advective transport processes.     

Hydrogeological model of the Baltic Artesian Basin

The Baltic Artesian Basin (BAB) is a complex multi-layered hydrogeological system in the south-eastern Baltic covering about 480,000 km². The aim of this study is to develop a closed hydrogeological mathematical model for the BAB. Heterogeneous geological data from different sources were used to build the geometry of the model, i.e. geological maps and stratigraphic information from around 20,000 boreholes. The finite element method was used for the calculation of the steady-state three-dimensional (3D) flow of unconfined groundwater. The 24-layer model was divided into about 1,000,000 finite elements. A simple recharge model was applied to describe the rate of infiltration, and the discharge was set at the water-supply wells. Variable hydraulic conductivities were used for the upper (Quaternary) deposits, while constant hydraulic conductivity values were assumed for the deeper layers. The model was calibrated on the statistically weighted borehole water-level measurements, applying L-BFGS-B (automatic parameter optimization method) for the hydraulic conductivities of each layer. The principal flows inside the BAB and the integral flow parameters were analyzed. The modeling results suggest that deeper aquifers are characterized by strong southeast–northwest groundwater flow, which is altered by the local topography in the upper, active water-exchange aquifers.     

Directional effects on convergent flow tracer tests

Convergent flow tracer tests constitute a convenient way of characterizing hydraulic parameters in an aquifer. Interpretation of tracer breakthrough curves from convergent flow tests normally is made under the assumption of radial symmetry. Nevertheless, these curves may display directional dependence; that is when tracers are injected at several points located at the same distance, both arrival times and estimated dispersivities may be significantly different. This result is why some authors attribute a tensorial nature to porosity or, equivalently, talk about directional porosity when trying to explain the variations in computed porosity depending on the relative orientation of pumping and injection wells. Our main ponit is that this directional effect is nothing but an artifact of an inappropriate selection of a conceptual model, where anisotropy (local of statistical) in hydraulic conductivity is not properly characterized. To illustrate this point, we first consider the situation of a simple homogeneous and anisotropic model of the medium. We prove analytically that this model leads to arrival time being proportional to the square root of directional hydraulic conductivity. Using a stochastic approach, we determine the same directional behavior of arrival time for a locally isotropic hydraulic conductivity field with statistical anisotropy caused by an anisotropic correlation structure. A statistical anisotropic covariance model for hydraulic conductivity is consistent with field evidence.     

Investigating the role of hydromechanical coupling on flow and transport in shallow fractured-rock aquifers

Fractured-rock aquifers display spatially and temporally variable hydraulic conductivity generally attributed to variable fracture intensity and connectivity. Empirical evidence suggests fracture aperture and hydraulic conductivity are sensitive to in situ stress. This study investigates the sensitivity of fractured-rock hydraulic conductivity, groundwater flow paths, and advection-dominated transport to variable shear and normal fracture stiffness magnitudes for a range of deviatoric stress states. Fracture aperture and hydraulic conductivity are solved for analytically using empirical hydromechanical coupling equations; groundwater flow paths and ages are then solved for numerically using groundwater flow and advection-dispersion equations in a traditional Toth basin. Results suggest hydraulic conductivity alteration is dominated by fracture normal closure, resulting in decreasing hydraulic conductivity and increasing groundwater age with depth, and decreased depth of long flow paths with decreasing normal stiffness. Shear dilation has minimal effect on hydraulic conductivity alteration for stress states investigated here. Results are interpreted to suggest that fracture normal stiffness influences hydraulic conductivity of hydraulically active fractures and, thus, affects flow and transport in shallow (<1 km) fractured-rock aquifers. It is suggested that observed depth-dependent hydraulic conductivity trends in fractured-rock aquifers throughout the world may be partly a manifestation of hydromechanical phenomena.     

Influence of lithology and fluid flow on the temperature distribution in a sedimentary basin: A case study from the Cold Lake area, Alberta, Canada

A detailed study of the groundwater and terrestrial heat flow was carried out over an area of 23,700 km² west of Cold Lake, Alberta, which is part of the western Canada sedimentary basin. The information for the study was provided from data from 3100 wells drilled in the area. The screening and processing of thousands of stratigraphic picks, drillstem test data, bottom hole temperatures and formation water chemistry data was performed mainly using a specially designed software package. As a result, every stratigraphic unit is characterized by appropriate hydraulic and thermal parameters.

A sequence of aquifers, aquitards and aquicludes was differentiated. The groundwater flow in the Paleozoic aquifers is regional in nature and mainly horizontal. The flow in the Cretaceous aquifers is of intermediate type, mainly downward oriented. In general, the permeability of the Cretaceous and Paleozoic strata has such low values that the fluid velocity is less than 1 cm/yr.

The convective heat transport in the hydrostratigraphic sequence is negligible with respect to the conductive heat transfer, as shown by the Peclet number of the fluid and heat flow in porous media. The flow of the terrestrial heat flux from the Precambrian basement of the sedimentary basin to the atmosphere is controlled by the variability in the thermal properties of the formations in the basin.

The geothermal gradients were computed by hydrostratigraphic unit using a linear regression fit to the temperature data. As expected, they show higher values for the less conductive layers, and lower values for the more conductive ones. The weighted average, or the integral geothermal gradient of the whole sedimentary column, was computed by considering the difference between the temperature measured at the Precambrian basement and the annual average temperature at the surface. The areal distribution of the integral geothermal gradient (with an average of 22.0 mK/m) shows a strong correlation with the lithology.

The areal temperature distribution for each hydrostratigraphic unit was analyzed by mapping the deviation of the measured value from the computed geothermal gradient. The lateral heat flow from warmer to colder areas is one order of magnitude smaller than the vertical heat flow. In the more homogeneous units, the lateral heat flow presents a trend that seems to reflect the geometry and lithology.     

Tracer tests and the structure of permeability in the Corallian limestone aquifer of northern England, UK

The Corallian limestone of northern England (UK) is widely exploited for water supplies and exhibits the karstic phenomena of sinking rivers, conduit development and groundwater velocities of several kilometres per day. To test a number of model-derived source protection zones and elucidate contaminant transport mechanisms in the aquifer, three tracer tests were conducted from a set of swallow-holes draining the River Derwent toward public water supply wells in the eastern part of the aquifer. Tracers used included: Enterobacter cloacae (bacteriophage), Photine C (optical brightener), sodium fluorescein (fluorescent dye) and sulphur hexafluoride (dissolved gas), the varying properties of which make them suitable analogues for different types of potential contaminant. Observed tracer transport times and arrival patterns indicate that tracer transport occurs through karstic channels embedded in a network of primary fissures which exert control over tracer concentrations once initial tracer plumes have passed. A dipole flow system is observed between the swallow-holes and the closest abstraction well, whilst previously modelled source protection zones do not accurately reflect either groundwater velocity or those areas of the aquifer supplying the wells. These findings imply that managing such aquifers for potential contamination should rely upon empirical tracer evidence for source-protection zone modelling.     

Groundwater modeling applied to production well management in a contaminated aquifer

A study was conducted to evaluate production strategies for a well field system near a source of groundwater contamination. Numerical modeling of groundwater flow was employed to generate hydraulic head configurations for different production scenarios. For a given scenario, an evaluation of contamination susceptibility was made by comparing head distributions in two aquifer units to the positions of the contaminant source and discharging water supply wells. The results of this study suggest that groundwater flow modeling can be a useful technique for planning the production of water supply wells in aquifers at risk of contamination from anthropogenic pollution sources.     

Evidence for deep groundwater flow and convective heat transport in mountainous terrain, Delta County, Colorado, USA

The Tongue Creek watershed lies on the south flank of Grand Mesa in western Colorado, USA and is a site with 1.5 km of topographic relief, heat flow of 100 mW/m², thermal conductivity of 3.3 W m^–1 °C^–1, hydraulic conductivity of 10^-8 m/s, a water table that closely follows surface topography, and groundwater temperatures 3–15°C above mean surface temperatures. These data suggest that convective heat transport by groundwater flow has modified the thermal regime of the site. Steady state three-dimensional numerical simulations of heat flow, groundwater flow, and convective transport were used to model these thermal and hydrological data. The simulations provided estimates for the scale of hydraulic conductivity and bedrock base flow discharge within the watershed. The numerical models show that (1) complex three-dimensional flow systems develop with a range of scales from tens of meters to tens of kilometers; (2) mapped springs are frequently found at locations where contours of hydraulic head indicate strong vertical flow at the water table, and; (3) the distribution of groundwater temperatures in water wells as a function of surface elevation is predicted by the model.     

基于EnKF综合水头和浓度观测数据推估地下水流模型参数

地下水反应运移模型具有参数个数众多,观测数据类型多样的特点。为了探究不同类型观测数据在反应运移模拟数据同化中的数据价值,构建了三氯乙烯降解反应运移模型的理想算例,基于水头和浓度两种类型观测数据,采用集合卡尔曼滤波方法推估渗透系数和贮水系数的非均质空间分布,讨论了影响同化结果的因素。结果表明:与仅同化水头数据的结果相比,联合同化水头和浓度观测数据推估渗透系数场和贮水系数场时具有更高的精度,在观测数据拟合和模型预测方面也有更好的表现。与目前溶质运移模型、非饱和流模型等地下水模型中的研究结果相似,数据同化结果受样本数量,观测井的数量和位置的影响,合理优化布置监测井和选择样本数量可有效改善数据同化效果并提高计算效率。     

Controls on the deep thermal field: implications from 3-D numerical simulations for the geothermal research site Groß Schönebeck

The deep thermal field in sedimentary basins can be affected by convection, conduction or both resulting from the structural inventory, physical properties of geological layers and physical processes taking place therein. For geothermal energy extraction, the controlling factors of the deep thermal field need to be understood to delineate favorable drill sites and exploitation compartments. We use geologically based 3-D finite element simulations to figure out the geologic controls on the thermal field of the geothermal research site Groß Schönebeck located in the E part of the North German Basin. Its target reservoir consists of Permian Rotliegend clastics that compose the lower part of a succession of Late Carboniferous to Cenozoic sediments, subdivided into several aquifers and aquicludes. The sedimentary succession includes a layer of mobilized Upper Permian Zechstein salt which plays a special role for the thermal field due to its high thermal conductivity. Furthermore, the salt is impermeable and due to its rheology decouples the fault systems in the suprasalt units from subsalt layers. Conductive and coupled fluid and heat transport simulations are carried out to assess the relative impact of different heat transfer mechanisms on the temperature distribution. The measured temperatures in 7 wells are used for model validation and show a better fit with models considering fluid and heat transport than with a purely conductive model. Our results suggest that advective and convective heat transport are important heat transfer processes in the suprasalt sediments. In contrast, thermal conduction mainly controls the subsalt layers. With a third simulation, we investigate the influence of a major permeable and of three impermeable faults dissecting the subsalt target reservoir and compare the results to the coupled model where no faults are integrated. The permeable fault may have a local, strong impact on the thermal, pressure and velocity fields whereas the impermeable faults only cause deviations of the pressure field.     

87Sr/86Sr ratio: a natural tracer to monitor groundwater flow paths during artificial recharge in the Bangkok area, Thailand

The aquifer system in the Thon Buri sedimentary basin below the deltaic flood plain of the Chao Phraya River, central Thailand, has been exploited for public water supply for the capital Bangkok since the early 1920s. Groundwater withdrawal, currently 1.4 million m³/d, has resulted in a maximum decline in hydraulic head of up to 40 m. This has induced land subsidence of as much as 1.7 m (1940–1992) in the eastern suburbs of the metropolis. Artificial injection of purified water within an area-wide network of recharge wells could constitute a remedy to slow the water level depression within the sedimentary basin, and thus the subsidence. This requires a prior shutdown of water withdrawal. The flow paths of the injected water can be traced by changes in the ⁸⁷Sr/⁸⁶Sr ratio of the groundwater and injected water mixture within the three main aquifers in the basin that are used for public supply. The ratios, monitored at five monitoring stations within the cone of depression, have been constant over 3 years. Injection of the calculated cone volume of 5.2?×?10⁹ m³ would take at least 10 years, depending on the injection pressure and the number and position of wells.     

Ambient vertical flow in long-screen wells: a case study in the Fontainebleau Sands Aquifer (France)

A tritium (³H) profile was constructed in a long-screened well (LSW) of the Fontainebleau Sands Aquifer (France), and the data were combined with temperature logs to gain insight into the potential effects of the ambient vertical flow (AVF) of water through the well on the natural aquifer stratification. AVF is commonly taken into account in wells located in fracture aquifers or intercepting two different aquifers with distinct hydraulic heads. However, due to the vertical hydraulic gradient of the flow lines intercepted by wells, AVF of groundwater is a common process within any type of aquifer. The detection of ³H in the deeper parts of the studied well (approximate depth 50 m), where ³H-free groundwater is expected, indicates that shallow young water is being transported downwards through the well itself. The temperature logs show a nearly zero gradient with depth, far below the mean geothermal gradient in sedimentary basins. The results show that the age distribution of groundwater samples might be biased in relation to the age distribution in the surroundings of the well. The use of environmental tracers to investigate aquifer properties, particularly in LSWs, is then limited by the effects of the AVF of water that naturally occurs through the well.     

Determination of the distance of the fresh water–salt water interface extending into coastal confined aquifers

In a coastal zone an understanding of the distance of the fresh water–salt water interface and its extension inland is important for prevention of sea water intrusion. In this article estimating methods are described for calculating the distance of a fresh water–salt water interface in a coastal confined aquifer based on the submarine fresh groundwater discharge. This groundwater discharge is controlled not only by the aquifer properties and hydraulic head difference, but also by the position of the fresh water–salt water interface in the coastal zone. A homogeneous and isotropic coastal confined aquifer is considered and fresh groundwater flow in the confined aquifer is thought to be at a steady state. Two observation wells at different distances in a profile perpendicular to the coastline are required in calculation of the distance of the interface toe in the coastal zone. Four coastal confined aquifers with horizontal and sloping confining beds and with varying thickness are also considered. Reasonable results are obtained when examples are used to illustrate the application of the methods. The methods require hydraulic head data at the two wells and thickness of the confined aquifers, but the hydraulic conductivity and fresh groundwater flow rate of the confined aquifers are not needed.     

Aquifer architecture analysis using ground-penetrating radar: Triassic and Quaternary examples (S. Germany)

 Applying the concept of "analogue studies" long used in reservoir characterization, outcrop analogues in two aquifer units of Southern Germany have been investigated: Upper Triassic (Keuper) alluvial sandstones (Stubensandstein) and Quaternary glaciofluvial gravels. Architectural element analysis of the outcrops is combined with ground-penetrating radar profiles derived a few meters behind the outcrop walls. Such calibration is used to better understand the three-dimensional sedimentary architecture. Many sedimentary units at the same time represent hydraulic flow units and are characterized by specific radar signatures. This approach leads to promising results, not only in unconsolidated aquifers but also in fully consolidated sedimentary rocks. Our studies will lead to a database with which more realistic predictions of the hydraulic behaviour of sedimentary aquifers systems, needed for numerical hydrogeological simulations, will be possible. Received: 17 June 1996 · Accepted: 12 August 1996