Study of Current Underground Injection Control Regulations and Practices in Illinois

In 1984, the Illinois Department of Energy and Natural Resources was required to assess the regulations and practices of the Illinois Underground Injection Control (UIC) program as it relates to Class I hazardous waste disposal wells. Nine injection wells, including two standbys (one inactive), are currently in operation at seven sites in the state. These wells range in depth from 1540 to 5524 feet (470 to 1683m; most inject wastes into porous carbonate formations (two wells inject into a thick sandstone). In 1984, approximately 300 million gallons (1.1 billion liters) of industrial wastes were disposed of in these wells. Acids were the most common waste disposed of, although water made up 70 to 95 percent of the wastes by volume. Illinois has been granted primacy in operating this program.
The geologic environment, consisting of the unit accepting the waste and confining units lying above and below, has the capacity to accept the waste, to retain it, and to protect all underground sources of drinking water (USDW) from contamination by its injection. The geology of Illinois is relatively simple and includes disposal zones and associated confining units suitable for deep-well injection across the central two-thirds of the state.
The regulatory structure for Class I injection wells is generally adequate in concept and scope to ensure containment of injected wastes and to safeguard underground sources of drinking water in Illinois. There is a need to update and strengthen selected portions of the regulatory practices in the areas of waste sampling protocol, chemical analysis of collected waste samples, and evaluation of injection well testing and monitoring data.
A number of technologies exist that can treat and dispose of most hazardous and non-hazardous waste streams. Each of these technologies has associated with it economic, environmental and societal impacts.     

Analytical model of well leakage pressure perturbations in a closed aquifer system

Deep saline aquifers are commonly used for disposal and storage of various surface fluids. The target injection zone must be hydraulically isolated from overlying zones in order to ensure containment of the injected fluids. Improperly plugged nonoperational abandoned wells that penetrate the injection zone are the main potential leakage pathways. Leakage through such wells may cause an observable pressure signal in a zone overlying the injection zone; such a signal can be used to detect the leakage. In this paper we develop an analytical model to evaluate the pressure change induced by leakage through a well in a multilayer system. Unlike previous analytical models on the topic, our model uses a closed system, which may significantly affect the strength and behavior of the pressure signal induced by leakage. The analytical model is first presented for a two-layer system centered at the leaky well location. We evaluate the leakage-induced pressure change using the Laplace transform of Duhamel’s superposition integral, yielding the solution in the Laplace domain. We then derive a late-time asymptotic solution using the final value theorem, which suggests that the leakage rate becomes constant after sufficient time. We then obtain the multilayer solution by extending the two-layer solution and presenting it in matrix form in the Laplace domain. We apply the solution to three examples. In the first example, we apply the analytical model to a two-layer system, investigating its behavior and comparing the results with a numerical solution. In order to demonstrate behavior and potential applications of the multilayer analytical model, we present two multilayer examples: one with identical layers and another, replicating a CO₂ storage site, with dissimilar layers. The leakage-induced pressure change does not necessarily decrease as the distance increases from the injection zone toward the surface.     

High-resolution shallow seismic and ground penetrating radar investigations revealing the evolution of the Uemachi Fault system, Osaka, Japan

Abstract Ground penetrating radar (GPR) and high‐resolution shallow reflection seismic surveying were carried out to investigate the subsurface geology in and around the Uemachi Fault zone in the Yamato River area, Osaka, Japan. Shallow drilling in the area showed a major displacement event during the middle Pleistocene. The main Uemachi Fault plane could be clearly imaged on the seismic section, except for the most shallow 200 m. Several shallow normal fault planes with less displacement could be detected on both sides of the fault plane. GPR profiles confirmed the presence of several shallow normal faults within the area near the fault zone. These shallow faults could be followed in all of the GPR profiles crossing the fault zone. The integration of seismic section, GPR profiles and drilling data led to a conceptual model that explains the evolution of the Uemachi Fault system. The proposed model suggests the occurrence of several cycles of small vertical displacement along the deep part of the fault plane caused by the regional east–west compressional stress. The ductile nature of the shallow sedimentary cover and the absence of confining pressure in the shallow part allow for a considerable amount of plastic bending before failing in the shallow sedimentary layers. This bending generates stretching force within the shallow sedimentary cover, which in time, along with gravitational force, gives rise to the formation of the swarm of normal faults within the shallow layers near the fault zone. Some of the detected faults extend to a depth of less than 3 m below the ground surface, suggesting that the last tectonic activity along the fault plane may have occurred recently.     

Investigation of Possible Contamination of Shallow Ground Water by Deeply Injected Liquid Industrial Wastes

The objective of this study was to assess the possible impact of deep well disposal operations, conducted between 1958 and 1974, on the ground water quality in a shallow fresh water aquifer beneath Sarnia, Ontario, Canada. Because of the breakout of formation fluids in Sarnia and Port Huron, Michigan, in the early 1970s, it had been hypothesized that liquid waste from the disposal zone in bedrock had leaked through numerous abandoned oil, gas, and salt wells in the area up to the shallow fresh water aquifer and from there to the surface.
A monitoring well network of 29 5cm (2 inch) diameter piezometers was established in the thin sand and shale aquifer system, which exists between 30 and 70m (100 and 230 feet) below ground surface. In addition, a 300m (1000 foot) deep borehole was drilled and instrumented with a Westbay multilevel casing, which permitted sampling of the disposal zone.
Ground water samples from the shallow monitoring wells and the Westbay multilevel casing were analyzed for volatiles by GC/MS. Those volatile aromatics that were conspicuously present in the deep disposal zone, e.g., ethyl toluenes and trimethyl benzene, were not detected in the shallow monitoring wells. Thus, if contaminants from the disposal zone did indeed migrate to the shallow aquifer, contamination was not widespread and probably consisted mostly of displaced chloride-rich formation waters.     

Hydrogeologic Controls on Induced Seismicity in Crystalline Basement Rocks Due to Fluid Injection into Basal Reservoirs

A series of M_b 3.8–5.5 induced seismic events in the midcontinent region, United States, resulted from injection of fluid either into a basal sedimentary reservoir with no underlying confining unit or directly into the underlying crystalline basement complex. The earthquakes probably occurred along faults that were likely critically stressed within the crystalline basement. These faults were located at a considerable distance (up to 10 km) from the injection wells and head increases at the hypocenters were likely relatively small (～70–150 m). We present a suite of simulations that use a simple hydrogeologic‐geomechanical model to assess what hydrogeologic conditions promote or deter induced seismic events within the crystalline basement across the midcontinent. The presence of a confining unit beneath the injection reservoir horizon had the single largest effect in preventing induced seismicity within the underlying crystalline basement. For a crystalline basement having a permeability of 2 × 10^?17 m² and specific storage coefficient of 10^?7/m, injection at a rate of 5455 m³/d into the basal aquifer with no underlying basal seal over 10 years resulted in probable brittle failure to depths of about 0.6 km below the injection reservoir. Including a permeable (k_z = 10^?13 m²) Precambrian normal fault, located 20 m from the injection well, increased the depth of the failure region below the reservoir to 3 km. For a large permeability contrast between a Precambrian thrust fault (10^?12 m²) and the surrounding crystalline basement (10^?18 m²), the failure region can extend laterally 10 km away from the injection well.     

Commingled Fluids in Abandoned Boreholes: Proximity Analysis of a Hidden Liability

The interactions between old abandoned wellbores of suspect well integrity with hydraulic fracturing (HF), enhanced oil recovery (EOR), or salt water disposal (SWD) operations can result in upward leakage of deep aqueous liquids into overlying aquifers. This potential for upward fluid migration is largely unquantified as monitoring abandoned wells is rarely done, and leakage may go unnoticed especially when in deeper aquifers. This study performs a proximity analysis between old abandoned wells and HF, EOR, and SWD wells, and identifies commingled old abandoned wellbores, which are those wells where groundwater may flow from one aquifer to one or more other aquifers, to identify the locations with the greatest potential for upward aqueous fluid migration at three study sites in the Western Canadian Sedimentary Basin. Our analysis indicates that at all three study sites there are several locations where HF, EOR, or SWD operations are located in close proximity to a given old abandoned well. Much of this overlap occurs in formations above typically produced hydrocarbon reservoirs but below exploited potable aquifers, otherwise known as the intermediate zone, which is often connected between abandonment plugs in old abandoned wells. Information on the intermediate zone is often lacking, and this study suggests that unanticipated alterations to groundwater flow systems within the intermediate zone may be occurring. Results indicate the need for more field-based research on the intermediate zone.     

Potential Contaminant Pathways from Hydraulically Fractured Shale to Aquifers

Hydraulic fracturing of deep shale beds to develop natural gas has caused concern regarding the potential for various forms of water pollution. Two potential pathways—advective transport through bulk media and preferential flow through fractures—could allow the transport of contaminants from the fractured shale to aquifers. There is substantial geologic evidence that natural vertical flow drives contaminants, mostly brine, to near the surface from deep evaporite sources. Interpretative modeling shows that advective transport could require up to tens of thousands of years to move contaminants to the surface, but also that fracking the shale could reduce that transport time to tens or hundreds of years. Conductive faults or fracture zones, as found throughout the Marcellus shale region, could reduce the travel time further. Injection of up to 15,000,000 L of fluid into the shale generates high pressure at the well, which decreases with distance from the well and with time after injection as the fluid advects through the shale. The advection displaces native fluids, mostly brine, and fractures the bulk media widening existing fractures. Simulated pressure returns to pre‐injection levels in about 300 d. The overall system requires from 3 to 6 years to reach a new equilibrium reflecting the significant changes caused by fracking the shale, which could allow advective transport to aquifers in less than 10 years. The rapid expansion of hydraulic fracturing requires that monitoring systems be employed to track the movement of contaminants and that gas wells have a reasonable offset from faults.     

剪切破裂与粘滑——浅源强震发震机制的研究

周口店花岗闪长岩的高温高压三轴实验和理论分析表明,剪切破裂和摩擦滑移具有类似的孕育过程和发生机制。剪切破裂贯通强度就是一种摩擦强度。剪切破裂和摩擦滑移各自都有渐进式和突发式之分。突发式摩擦滑移是已有断层的粘滑滑移。突发式剪切破裂则是完整岩石的初始粘滑滑移。考虑到地壳温度随深度增加,完整岩石剪裂强震要求较高的围压,因此,多数浅源强震的发震方式很可能是已有断层的粘滑     

Groundwater monitoring strategies for variable contaminant migration boundaries

Abstract

Detection efficiencies of alternative groundwater monitoring networks were evaluated in relation to distance to a buffer zone (contaminant migration) boundary. This boundary establishes a distance limit within which contaminant plumes should pass through monitoring wells, located on curvilinear segments (monitoring loci) near a waste storage facility. Alternative strategies allocated monitoring wells to loci at specified distances, measured parallel to groundwater flow, from the downgradient boundaries of a landfill. One approach constrained wells to equal spacing, measured perpendicular to groundwater flow. Compressing well locations 10% closer to the downgradient corner of the landfill rendered alternative monitoring configurations. Computations by a monitoring efficiency model indicated: (a) networks largely maintained detection efficiency for different contaminant migration boundaries; (b) one network most efficiently attained a target detection capability for all contaminant migration boundaries; and (c) compressed networks slightly outperformed equal-spaced counterparts. Compressed networks with more wells along closer monitoring loci best maintained the detection efficiency when shifting the contaminant migration boundary closer to the landfill. Procedures described in this paper may be useful for examining trade-offs between monitoring efficiency and distance limits of contaminant travel at landfills posing potential hazards to underlying groundwater.     

Injection of Zero‐Valent Iron into an Unconfined Aquifer Using Shear‐Thinning Fluids

Approximately 190 kg of 2 μm‐diameter zero‐valent iron (ZVI) particles were injected into a test zone in the top 2 m of an unconfined aquifer within a trichloroethene (TCE) source area. A shear‐thinning fluid was used to enhance ZVI delivery in the subsurface to a radial distance of up to 4 m from a single injection well. The ZVI particles were mixed in‐line with the injection water, shear‐thinning fluid, and a low concentration of surfactant. ZVI was observed at each of the seven monitoring wells within the targeted radius of influence during injection. Additionally, all wells within the targeted zone showed low TCE concentrations and primarily dechlorination products present 44 d after injection. These results suggest that ZVI can be directly injected into an aquifer with shear‐thinning fluids to induce dechlorination and extends the applicability of ZVI to situations where other emplacement methods may not be viable.     

Pressure Buildup and Brine Migration During CO2 Storage in Multilayered Aquifers

Carbon dioxide injection into deep saline formations may induce large‐scale pressure increases and migration of native fluid. Local high‐conductivity features, such as improperly abandoned wells or conductive faults, could act as conduits for focused leakage of brine into shallow groundwater resources. Pressurized brine can also be pushed into overlying/underlying formations because of diffuse leakage through low‐permeability aquitards, which occur over large areas and may allow for effective pressure bleed‐off in the storage reservoirs. This study presents the application of a recently developed analytical solution for pressure buildup and leakage rates in a multilayered aquifer‐aquitard system with focused and diffuse brine leakage. The accuracy of this single‐phase analytical solution for estimating far‐field flow processes is verified by comparison with a numerical simulation study that considers the details of two‐phase flow. We then present several example applications for a hypothetical CO₂ injection scenario (without consideration of two‐phase flow) to demonstrate that the new solution is an efficient tool for analyzing regional pressure buildup in a multilayered system, as well as for gaining insights into the leakage processes of flow through aquitards, leaky wells, and/or leaky faults. This solution may be particularly useful when a large number of calculations needs to be performed, that is, for uncertainty quantification, for parameter estimation, or for the optimization of pressure‐management schemes.     

Influence of Hydraulic Fracturing on Overlying Aquifers in the Presence of Leaky Abandoned Wells

The association between hydrocarbon‐rich reservoirs and organic‐rich source rocks means unconventional oil and gas plays usually occur in mature sedimentary basins—where large‐scale conventional development has already taken place. Abandoned wells in proximity to hydraulic fracturing could be affected by increased fluid pressures and corresponding newly generated fractures that directly connect (frac hit) to an abandoned well or to existing fractures intersecting an abandoned well. If contaminants migrate to a pathway hydraulically connected to an abandoned well, upward leakage may occur. Potential effects of hydraulic fracturing on upward flow through a particular type of leaky abandoned well—abandoned oil and gas wells converted into water wells were investigated using numerical modeling. Several factors that affect flow to leaky wells were considered including proximity of a leaky well to hydraulic fracturing, flowback, production, and leaky well abandonment methods. The numerical model used historical records and available industry data for the Eagle Ford Shale play in south Texas. Numerical simulations indicate that upward contaminant migration could occur through leaky converted wells if certain spatial and hydraulic conditions exist. Upward flow through leaky converted wells increased with proximity to hydraulic fracturing, but decreased when flowback and production occurred. Volumetric flow rates ranged between 0 and 0.086 m³/d for hydraulic‐fracturing scenarios. Potential groundwater impacts should be paired with plausible transport mechanisms, and upward flow through leaky abandoned wells could be unrelated to hydraulic fracturing. The results also underscore the need to evaluate historical activities.     

相邻两井对大地震的不同水力响应模型研究——页岩影响分析

大地震引起了左家庄和宝坻(相距～50km)两井中截然不同的同震水位响应.我们用水位的气压和潮汐响应来分析解释此现象.结果表明,宝坻井的观测含水层中存在页岩,且此井受裂隙影响很大,储水效应较差.页岩的复杂裂隙或者各向异性可能会导致此井观测含水层处于半封闭状态,从而导致垂直向排水的发生.通过多方计算分析后,我们将这两口井划分为两种模型—1.水平流动模型;2.水平流动+垂直流动的混合流动模型.由于裂隙影响,宝坻井的观测含水层介质与外界的水力沟通性在震前就较强(震前渗透率就比较大),所以宝坻井观测含水层与外界的孔隙压差异较小,导致同震渗透率上升较小甚至没有变化,这些因素是导致该井同震水位变化幅度总是非常微小的原因.     

沁水盆地南部煤层气储层压裂过程数值模拟研究

储层改造是煤层气井提高产能的重要措施,水力压裂是煤层气储层改造的重要方法.为研究煤层气储层压裂过程及其天然裂缝对煤储层压裂时破裂压力的影响,本文以山西沁水盆地南部高煤级煤矿区为研究区,运用有限元数值模拟方法,计算不同地应力条件下、裂缝处于不同位置时煤储层的破裂压力.结果表明:(1)不同类型地应力场对破裂压力的影响不同.对于均匀应力场,破裂压力随着围压的增大而增大,其增幅约为围压的两倍;对于非均匀应力场,当一个水平主应力不变时,破裂压力会随着水平主应力差的增加而减少;(2)如果地应力条件不变,煤储层破裂压力随着天然裂缝与最大水平主应力方向夹角的增加而增加,水平主应力差越大煤储层破裂压力增幅也越大;(3)在有天然裂隙的地层中进行压裂,当天然裂缝的方位不同时压裂裂缝既可能是沿着天然裂缝扩展的裂缝,也可能是压裂过程中产生的新裂缝,因此天然裂缝的方位对破裂压力具有一定的影响.     

流体-地质力学耦合建模表征水力压裂诱发地震:以加拿大Fox Creek地区为例

随着水力压裂技术在页岩气开发中的广泛应用,加拿大西部盆地的诱发地震活动显著增加.目前对于诱发地震的综合表征方法还不成熟.本文采用一种综合地质、岩石力学及流体力学的研究方法,对Fox Creek地区2015年2月8日发生的M3.0诱发地震事件进行了综合表征.首先,利用高分辨率三维反射地震资料,采用蚂蚁体追踪技术识别潜在断...     

A Method to Represent a Well in a Three-Dimensional Discrete Fracture Network Model

In discrete fracture network (DFN) modeling, fractures are randomly generated and placed in the model domain. The rock matrix is considered impermeable. Small fractures and isolated fractures are often ignored to reduce computational expense. As a result, the rock matrix between fractures could be large and intersections may not be found between a well introduced in the model and the hydraulically connected fracture networks (fracture backbones). To overcome this issue, this study developed a method to conceptualize a well in a three-dimensional (3D) DFN using two orthogonal rectangular fractures oriented along the well's axis. Six parameters were introduced to parameterize the well screen and skin zone, and to control the connectivity between the well and the fracture backbones. The two orthogonal fractures were discretized using a high-resolution mesh to improve the quality of flow and transport simulations around and along the well. The method was successfully implemented within dfnWorks 2.0 (Hyman et al. 2015) to incorporate a well in a 3D DFN and to track particles leaving an injection well and migrating to a pumping well. Verification of the method against MODFLOW/MODPATH found a perfect match in simulated hydraulic head and particle tracking. Using three examples, the study showed that the method ensured the connectivity between wells and fracture backbones, and honored the physical processes of flow and transport along and around wells in DFNs. Recommendations are given for estimating the values of the six introduced well parameters in a real-world case study.     

Chemical Fate of Injected Wastes

The chemical fate of wastes put into disposal wells can be determined using standard chemical engineering techniques. The concentration of hazardous constituents is typically reduced by reactions within the waste itself or by reactions with the injection zone material, thus reducing any potential impact on the environment. Such reactions include neutralization, hydrolysis, ion exchange, adsorption, precipitation, co-precipitation and microbial degradation.
Extensive research was done to quantify these phenomena, so they could be used in a predictive model.
Neutralization, hydrolysis and precipitation were modeled using data from the open literature: reaction rates and equilibrium constants for the dominant reactions were incorporated into a sophisticated computer simulation that calculates solid-liquid equilibria of aqueous electrolyte solutions.
The model predicted the fate of two waste streams: (1) high-pH, cyanide-containing waste injected into sandstone is made less hazardous by hydrolysis and sand dissolution, and (2) FeCl₃-FeCl₂ HCl-H₂ O waste is made non-hazardous by reaction with dolomite. Experiments are planned to confirm certain model predictions. Further development and public access of the model are planned.     

Spatial Risk Analysis of Hydraulic Fracturing near Abandoned and Converted Oil and Gas Wells

Interaction between hydraulically generated fractures and existing wells (frac hits) could represent a potential risk to groundwater. In particular, frac hits on abandoned oil and gas wells could lead to upward leakage into overlying aquifers, provided migration pathways are present along the abandoned well. However, potential risk to groundwater is relatively unknown because few studies have investigated the probability of frac hits on abandoned wells. In this study, actual numbers of frac hits were not determined. Rather, the probability for abandoned wells to intersect hypothetical stimulated reservoir sizes of horizontal wells was investigated. Well data were compiled and analyzed for location and reservoir information, and sensitivity analyses were conducted by varying assumed sizes of stimulated reservoirs. This study used public and industry data for the Eagle Ford Shale play in south Texas, with specific attention paid to abandoned oil and gas wells converted into water wells (converted wells). In counties with Eagle Ford Shale activity, well‐data analysis identified 55,720 abandoned wells with a median age of 1983, and 2400 converted wells with a median age of 1954. The most aggressive scenario resulted in 823 abandoned wells and 184 converted wells intersecting the largest assumed stimulated reservoir size. Analysis showed abandoned wells have the potential to be intersected by multiple stimulated reservoirs, and risks for intersection would increase if currently permitted horizontal wells in the Eagle Ford Shale are actually completed. Results underscore the need to evaluate historical oil and gas activities in areas with modern unconventional oil and gas activities.     

注聚合物井井下温度分布数值模拟研究

本文提出了一种计算注聚合物井井下温度分布的方法,该方法视井筒内的聚合物溶液为非牛顿幂律流体,考虑注入流体在井筒中同一截面上的速度变化,根据聚合物溶液在多孔介质中的流变性,依据广义达西定律求取渗流速度,基于能量守恒方程建立柱坐标系下注聚合物井井筒内流体、注入层及围岩的二维温度场模型.通过合理的边界条件,将三部分模型耦合起来,采用交替方向半隐式有限差分法求解建立的井下温度场模型.考查了注入量、注入时间、幂律指数和稠度系数、注入液温度等因素对井下温度场分布的影响,结果表明,当注入的聚合物溶液温度低于注入层的原始温度时,随注入量和注入时间的增大以及粘度的减小,注入层的温度降低;注入聚合物溶液温度与注入层原始温度差越大,注入层处的温度剖面异常越明显.本文数值计算结果可用于指导注聚合物井的井温测井应用.     

Thermal coupling may control mechanical stability of geothermal reservoirs during cold water injection

Hydraulic stimulation and geothermal reservoir operation may compromise the rock mechanical stability and trigger microseismic events. The mechanisms leading to this induced seismicity are still not completely understood. It is clear that injection causes an overpressure that reduces the effective stress, bringing the system closer to failure conditions. However, rock instability may not result only from hydraulic effects, but also from thermal effects. In fact, hydro-mechanical (i.e., isothermal) models often fail to reproduce field observations because the injection of cold water into a hot reservoir induces thermal stresses due to rock contraction. Thus, rock instability is likely to result from the superposition of hydraulic and thermal effects. Here, we perform coupled thermo-hydro-mechanical and hydro-mechanical simulations to investigate the effects of cold water injection in a fracture zone-intact rock system. Results show that thermal effects induce a significant perturbation on the stress in the intact rock affected by the temperature drop. This perturbation is likely to trigger induced seismicity in the surroundings of critically oriented fractures near the injection well. Hydro-mechanical simulations show that the behavior depends on the orientation of the faults and on the initial stress tensor. In the direction of the fractures, where the strains are more constrained, total stress increases with increasing pressure; thus, deviatoric stress increases or decreases depending on the initial stress state. The comparison between hydraulic and thermal effects shows that, when the largest confining stress acts perpendicular to the fractures, thermoelastic effects dominate and could trigger induced seismicity.