Periodic Aquifer Testing at Three Locations: Savannah River Site (Hydraulic Testing),WIPP (Hydraulic & Pneumatic Testing),

and Bemidji (Slug Testing)

Todd C. Rasmussen, PhDUniversity of Georgia, Athens

hydrology.uga.edu

Savannah River Site, SC

WIPP Hydraulic Testing

Periodic Pneumatic Test at WIPP site, New Mexico

Locations of the 1979 crude oil pipeline release point, migration pathways on the land surface, and three oil bodies in contact with shallow groundwater.

National Crude Oil Spill Fate and Natural Attenuation Research Site near Bemidji, MN.

5271005

5271015

5271025

5271035

5271045

5271055

5271065

5271075

5271085

342725 342735 342745 342755 342765 342775 342785 342795 342805 342815 342825 342835 342845 342855 342865

UTM

Y 1

983N

AD, m

eter

s

UTM X 1983NAD, meters

USGS Wells

2010 Coreholes

Soil Gas MWs

1998 Geoprobes

Pipeline Source

2011 Coreholes

2011 TarGOST Points

Former Recovery Wells

Pump Test Wells

Pipeline and August 1979 Release Point

Approximate 2012 LNAPL Footprint Area

GP-37d GP-36d

GP-39c

GP-40c

GP-41c

GP-42c

507

303

C-1051

C-1056

C1009

C-1008

520

532A

518A

9205A

531A531B

531C

533D

533A317

522

805

521

534A420A420B423

9014

301A

302422 306

421A421B

319

411

607

9620

9017

9016

315

604A

9621913

Base Map with Well, Coring, and LIF Sounding Locations, and the Approx-imate Position of the Leading Edge of the North Pool Footprint, June 2012.

C-1102

C-1108 TG1110

TG1116

TG1118

TG1125

TG110

TG1101TG1104

TG1103C-1103

C-1109C-1112

TG1109

TG1120TG1113

TG1117

TG1122 TG1126

TG1114 TG1121TG1111

TG1112

??

TG1115

TG1119

TG1123

TG1124

TG1107

TG1106TG110

Full Extent of Oil Bodyis Currently Undefined

TG110

RW-2N

RW-1N

9205B

Trial Test Area for theOscillating Slug Tester

0501

0505

0506

0507

USGS Pumping Test Area

?

Locations of the U.S. Geologic Survey aquifer tests and Don Lundy’s oscillating slug tests relative to the approximate boundaries of the north pool oil body.

Photograph of Don Lundy’s periodic slug test system set up to begin an aquifer test at a control well.

Wire Cable

Guide Wheel Rotating Arm Arm Wheel

Solid Slug

Control Well

Rising / Falling Water Level

qA

BC

Df

Sketch of selected components of Don Lundy’s periodic slug test equipment

July 10, 2010

0 2 4 6 8 10 12 14 16 18 20-1.0

-0.5

0.0

0.5

1.0

1.5

Elapsed Time, minutes

Chan

ge in

Wat

er Le

vel,

feet

Water-level response to multiple slug oscillations at control well 534A, including shutdown/recovery periods at approximately 6.9 and 16.8 min of elapsed time.

0.0 0.5 1.0 1.5 2.0 2.5 3.0-6

-4

-2

0

2

4

6

Observed Response

Top of Slug

Bottom of Slug

Pumping Rate

Elapsed Time, minutes

Inje

ction

(-) o

r Ext

racti

on (+

) Rat

es,

gal/

min

, o

r fee

t

Modeled slug movement, observed water-level response, and calculated pumping rates for the first three slug oscillations in control well 531A

Comparison of aquifer hydraulic properties between the periodic slug test and a conventional aquifer test in the Glacial Aquifer at the National Crude Oil Spill Fate and Natural Attenuation Research Site, Bemidji, MN, USA.

Periodic Slug Tests at 531A

  Theis (1935)

Well ID T (m2/day) S Kh/Kz

9205A 5,784 0.00204 980

9205B 3,247 0.00107 495

       

  Dougherty and Babu (1984)

Well ID T (m2/day) S Kh/Kz

9205A 3,180 0.00067 14

9205B 1,807 0.00011 10

       

USGS Aquifer Test at 501

  (Neuman, 1972)

Well ID T (m2/day) S Kh/Kz

505 3,756 0.00217 31

506 3,957 0.00272 33

507 4,229 0.00096 61