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The AAPG/Datapages Combined Publications Database
Houston Geological Society Bulletin
Abstract
Abstract: Mapping Aquifer Sensitivity by Combining 3-D
Geologic Analysis and Groundwater
Hydrology
—
An Application of GIS for Preemptive Protection of
Groundwater Underlying Oil Production and
Processing Facilities
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By
OMNI Laboratories, Inc.
Houston, TX
If groundwater resources underlying areas of petroleum
production and processing are “preemptively“ protected, the
high costs of remediation could be avoided or significantly
reduced. This talk describes two case studies that tested aquifer
sensitivity maps produced by combining
stack-unit geologic mapping with groundwater
hydrology
. These maps can be used to
locate hazardous facilities in less vulnerable
areas or help direct assessment and
remediation efforts in the event of a spill.
One case study compared aquifer sensitivity
maps with documented plumes of the
contaminant tetrachloroethylene (PCE)
found at the Department of Energy’s
(DOE’s) Savannah River (SRS) site, SC. In
this study, deconstruction of the sensitivity
map combined with the groundwater
hydrology
explain the placement and
geometries of the PCE plumes as they
progress from the ground surface through
multiple aquifers and confining units of the study area at SRS.
In the second study at the Marine Corps Air Station (MCAS)
in Beaufort, SC, the analysis determined aquifer sensitivity
throughout the 22 km2 airbase using a GIS-based stack-unit
mapping methodology that integrated historic hydrogeology
data, new high-resolution reflection seismic profiles, core analysis
from over 40 boreholes and wells, and hydrologic models based
on multi-seasonal water level monitoring. The resulting
combined hydrologic and geologic models show that within the
study area at MCAS, including areas overlying low permeability
strata, contaminants released on the ground surface could reach
critical underlying aquifers within tens of years due to rapid
groundwater flow. These studies demonstrate that both geologic
mapping and groundwater modeling are necessary to accurately
delineate areas of high and low aquifer
sensitivity. The studies also demonstrate an
effective tool for avoiding costly groundwater
contamination and cleanup.
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