scholarly journals Enhancing geological and hydrogeological understanding of the Precipice Sandstone aquifer of the Surat Basin, Great Artesian Basin, Australia, through model inversion of managed aquifer recharge datasets

2019 ◽  
Vol 28 (1) ◽  
pp. 175-192
Author(s):  
Phil Hayes ◽  
Chris Nicol ◽  
Andrew D. La Croix ◽  
Julie Pearce ◽  
Sebastian Gonzalez ◽  
...  
Keyword(s):  
Oil And Gas ◽  
Groundwater Resources ◽  
Regional Scale ◽  
Managed Aquifer Recharge ◽  
Gas Production ◽  
Aquifer Recharge ◽  
Model Inversion ◽  
Artesian Basin ◽  
Geological Interpretation ◽  
Great Artesian Basin

AbstractThe Precipice Sandstone is a major Great Artesian Basin aquifer in the Surat Basin, Queensland, Australia, which is used for water supply and production of oil and gas. This report describes use of observed groundwater pressure responses to managed aquifer recharge (MAR) at a regional scale to test recent geological descriptions of Precipice Sandstone extent, and to inform its hydrogeological conceptualisation. Since 2015, two MAR schemes have injected over 20 GL of treated water from coal seam gas production into the Precipice Sandstone, with pressure responses rapidly propagating over 100 km, indicating high aquifer diffusivity. Groundwater modelling of injection and inversion of pressure signals using PEST software shows the spatial variability of aquifer properties, and indicates that basin in-situ stresses and faulting exert control on permeability. Extremely high permeability, up to 200 m/day, occurs in heavily fractured regions with a dual-porosity flow regime. The broader-scale estimates of permeability approach an order of magnitude higher than previous studies, which has implications for the management of water resources in the Precipice Sandstone. Results also show the Precipice Sandstone to have broadly isotropic permeability. The results also support a recent geological interpretation of the Precipice Sandstone as having more limited lateral extent than initially considered. The study shows the effective use of MAR injection data to improve geological and hydrogeological understanding through groundwater model inversion. It also demonstrates the utility of combining hydrogeological and reservoir-engineer datasets in areas explored and developed for both groundwater resources and oil and gas resources.

scholarly journals High-resolution inversion of methane emissions in the Southeast US using SEAC<sup>4</sup>RS aircraft observations of atmospheric methane: anthropogenic and wetland sources

2018 ◽  
Vol 18 (9) ◽  
pp. 6483-6491 ◽  
Author(s):  
Jian-Xiong Sheng ◽  
Daniel J. Jacob ◽  
Alexander J. Turner ◽  
Joannes D. Maasakkers ◽  
Melissa P. Sulprizio ◽  
...  
Keyword(s):  
Oil And Gas ◽  
Source Region ◽  
Regional Scale ◽  
Methane Emissions ◽  
Gas Production ◽  
Anthropogenic Sources ◽  
Oil And Gas Production ◽  
Error Characterization ◽  
The Mean ◽  
Southeast Us

Abstract. We use observations of boundary layer methane from the SEAC4RS aircraft campaign over the Southeast US in August–September 2013 to estimate methane emissions in that region through an inverse analysis with up to 0.25∘×0.3125∘ (25×25 km2) resolution and with full error characterization. The Southeast US is a major source region for methane including large contributions from oil and gas production and wetlands. Our inversion uses state-of-the-art emission inventories as prior estimates, including a gridded version of the anthropogenic EPA Greenhouse Gas Inventory and the mean of the WetCHARTs ensemble for wetlands. Inversion results are independently verified by comparison with surface (NOAA∕ESRL) and column (TCCON) methane observations. Our posterior estimates for the Southeast US are 12.8±0.9 Tg a−1 for anthropogenic sources (no significant change from the gridded EPA inventory) and 9.4±0.8 Tg a−1 for wetlands (27 % decrease from the mean in the WetCHARTs ensemble). The largest source of error in the WetCHARTs wetlands ensemble is the land cover map specification of wetland areal extent. Our results support the accuracy of the EPA anthropogenic inventory on a regional scale but there are significant local discrepancies for oil and gas production fields, suggesting that emission factors are more variable than assumed in the EPA inventory.

Monitoring managed aquifer recharge with electrical resistivity probes

2014 ◽  
Vol 2 (4) ◽  
pp. T155-T166 ◽  
Author(s):  
Vanessa Nenna ◽  
Adam Pidlisecky ◽  
Rosemary Knight
Keyword(s):  
Electrical Resistivity ◽  
Pore Pressure ◽  
Water Saturation ◽  
Groundwater Resources ◽  
Early Time ◽  
Time Lapse ◽  
Managed Aquifer Recharge ◽  
Limited Information ◽  
Aquifer Recharge ◽  
Hydraulic Gradients

The use of managed aquifer recharge (MAR) to supplement groundwater resources can mitigate the risks to an aquifer in overdraft. However, limited information on subsurface properties and processes that control groundwater flow may lead to low levels of recapture of infiltrated water, reducing the efficacy of MAR operations. We used long 1D electrical resistivity probes to monitor the subsurface response over one diversion season at five locations beneath an operating recharge pond in northern California. The experiment demonstrated the benefits of integrating geophysical and standard hydrologic measurements. The water table response interpreted from time-lapse electrical resistivity images was in good agreement with traditional pore-pressure transducer measurements at coincident locations. Moreover, the electrical resistivity measurements were able to identify vertical variations in water saturation that would not have appeared in pore-pressure data alone. Changes in saturation estimated from electrical resistivity models indicated large hydraulic gradients at early time and suggested the presence of highly permeable conduits and baffles between the surface and the screened interval of recovery wells. The interpreted structure of these conduits and baffles would contribute to the movement of a large amount of infiltrated water beyond the capture zone of recovery wells before pumping begins, accounting in part for the low recovery rates.

Estimating current and historical groundwater abstraction from the Great Artesian Basin and other regional-scale aquifers in Queensland, Australia

2019 ◽  
Vol 28 (1) ◽  
pp. 393-412 ◽  
Author(s):  
Claire R. Kent ◽  
Sanjeev Pandey ◽  
Nathan Turner ◽  
Chris G. Dickinson ◽  
Michael Jamieson
Keyword(s):  
Regional Scale ◽  
Groundwater Abstraction ◽  
Artesian Basin ◽  
Great Artesian Basin

scholarly journals Analysis of the spatio-temporal variability of terrestrial water storage in the Great Artesian Basin, Australia

2016 ◽  
Vol 17 (2) ◽  
pp. 324-341 ◽  
Author(s):  
Jiabao Yan ◽  
Shaofeng Jia ◽  
Aifeng Lv ◽  
Rashid Mahmood ◽  
Wenbin Zhu
Keyword(s):  
Groundwater Resources ◽  
Water Storage ◽  
Terrestrial Water Storage ◽  
Sea Level Changes ◽  
Satellite Gravity ◽  
Artesian Basin ◽  
Great Artesian Basin ◽  
Terrestrial Water ◽  
Spatio Temporal

The Great Artesian Basin (GAB) in Australia, the largest artesian basin in the world, is rich in groundwater resources. This study analyzed the spatio-temporal characteristics of terrestrial water storage (TWS) in the GAB for 2003–2014 using satellite (Gravity Recovery and Climate Experiment, GRACE) data, hydrological models’ outputs, and in situ data. A slight increase in TWS was observed for the study period. However, there was a rapid increase in TWS in 2010 and 2011 due to two strong La Nina events. Long-term mean monthly TWS changes showed remarkable agreements with net precipitation. Both GRACE derived and in situ groundwater disclosed similar trend patterns. Groundwater estimated from the PCR-GLOBWB model contributes 26.8% (26.4% from GRACE) to the total TWS variation in the entire basin and even more than 50% in the northern regions. Surface water contributes only 3% to the whole basin but more than 60% to Lake Eyre and the Cooper River. Groundwater, especially deeper than 50 meters, was insensitive to climate factors (i.e., rainfall). Similarly, the groundwater in the northern Cape York Peninsula was influenced by some other factors rather than precipitation. The time-lagged correlation analysis between sea surface height and groundwater storage indicated certain correlations between groundwater and sea level changes.

scholarly journals Changes in deep groundwater flow patterns related to oil and gas

2021 ◽  
Author(s):  
Keegan Jellicoe ◽  
Jennifer McIntosh ◽  
Grant Ferguson
Keyword(s):  
Groundwater Flow ◽  
Oil Recovery ◽  
Oil And Gas ◽  
Regional Scale ◽  
Sedimentary Basins ◽  
Flow Patterns ◽  
Gas Production ◽  
Deep Groundwater ◽  
Injection Wells ◽  
Basin Scale

Large volumes of saline formation water are both produced from and injected into sedimentary basins as a by-product of oil and gas production. Despite this, the location of production and injection wells has not been studied in detail at the regional scale and the effects on deep groundwater flow patterns (i.e. below the base of groundwater protection) possibly driving fluid flow towards shallow aquifers remain uncertain. Even where injection and production volumes are equal at the basin scale, local changes in hydraulic head can occur due to the distribution of production and injection wells. In the Canadian portion of the Williston Basin, over 4.6 x 109 m3 of water has been co-produced with 5.4 x 108 m3 of oil, and over 5.5 x 109 m3 of water has been injected into the subsurface for saltwater disposal or enhanced oil recovery (EOR). Despite approximately equal values of produced and injected fluids at the sedimentary basin scale over the history of development, cumulative fluid deficits and surpluses per unit area in excess of a few 100 mm are present at scales of a few 100 km2. Fluid fluxes associated with oil and gas activities since 1950 likely exceed background groundwater fluxes in these areas. Modelled pressures capable of creating upward hydraulic gradients are predicted for the Midale Member and Mannville Group, two of the strata with the highest amounts of injection in the study area. This could lead to upward leakage of fluids if permeable pathways, such as leaky wells, are present.

The hydrocarbon potential of the 2016 proposed Offshore Acreage Release Areas for petroleum exploration

2016 ◽  
Vol 56 (1) ◽  
pp. 451
Author(s):  
Thomas Bernecker ◽  
Aaron Heugh ◽  
Karen Higgins ◽  
Ryan Owens
Keyword(s):  
Oil And Gas ◽  
Regional Scale ◽  
Gas Production ◽  
Petroleum Exploration ◽  
Australian Government ◽  
Oil And Gas Production ◽  
Strong Focus ◽  
New Findings ◽  
Geological Information ◽  
Geochemical Studies

The Australian Government usually releases new offshore exploration acreage once a year. The proposed 2016 Release Areas are located across various offshore hydrocarbon provinces and include mature basins with ongoing oil and gas production as well as exploration frontiers. In support of the annual acreage release, Geoscience Australia provides a variety of geological information with an emphasis on basin evolution, stratigraphic frameworks, and overviews of hydrocarbon prospectivity. Geoscience Australia’s petroleum geological studies are aimed at the evolution of hydrocarbon-bearing basins at a regional scale, and include a review of source rock occurrences, their distribution and geochemical characters. Following the recent oil discovery in the Roebuck Basin, a strong focus of Geoscience Australia’s work is being placed on the Triassic period, and any new findings will directly underpin the release of new exploration acreage. Recent updates to stratigraphic frameworks and new results from geochemical studies are regularly published, and are used by Geoscience Australia for prospectivity assessments. Furthermore, the Australian Government continues to assist offshore exploration activities by providing ready access to a wealth of geological and geophysical data.

scholarly journals Analysis of Potential Risks Associated with Urban Stormwater Quality for Managed Aquifer Recharge

2019 ◽  
Vol 16 (17) ◽  
pp. 3121 ◽  
Author(s):  
Song ◽  
Du ◽  
Ye
Keyword(s):  
Groundwater Resources ◽  
Oxygen Demand ◽  
Water Shortage ◽  
Managed Aquifer Recharge ◽  
Aquifer Recharge ◽  
High Concentration ◽  
Sand Column ◽  
Sustainable Resources ◽  
Contamination Risk ◽  
Urban Stormwater Quality

Managed aquifer recharge (MAR) can be used to increase storage and availability of groundwater resources, but water resources available for recharge are constrained due to a surface water shortage. Alternative resources, like stormwater, are receiving increasing attention as sustainable resources for reuse in MAR. However, pollutants in stormwater can impact groundwater quality, and cause clogging of the infiltration system. Based on the stormwater data in the literature, the physicochemical stormwater properties of data were analyzed. The results showed that concentrations of pollutants from different underlying surfaces varied widely. The main pollutants of stormwater were as follows: Total suspended particles (TSSs), organic matter represented by the chemical oxygen demand (COD), nutrients (total nitrogen, TN; total phosphorus, TP; and NH3–N), and metals (Zn, Pb, Cu, Cd, Fe, and Mn). Based on the simulation of TOUGHREACT, the contamination risk of pollutants for each type of stormwater was assessed. The risk of contamination was divided into four categories due to the different migration times of ions through the sand column. The iron ion has the highest risk of contamination, followed by Zn and Mn, and the contamination risk of nutrients and other metals (Pb, Cu, and Cd) are relatively low. Besides, the physical, biological, and chemical clogging risk were evaluated. The physical clogging potential of all types of stormwater is very high because of the high concentration of TSS. According to the concentration of TN that can spur the growth of bacteria and algae, the relative risk of biological clogging for stormwater is greenbelt stormwater < road stormwater < roof stormwater. However, only road stormwater has high chemical clogging due to the existence of iron, which can generate precipitation that blocks the pore volume.

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