Geophysical Imaging for Investigating the Delivery and Distribution of Amendments in the Heterogeneous Subsurface of the F.E. Warren AFB
Abstract
Engineered in situ treatment processes, such as in situ bioremediation, are being employed at many Department of Defense (DoD) installations to remediate contaminants such as volatile organic compounds (VOC) in soil and groundwater. Many of these treatment processes involve the addition of biological and/or chemical amendments into subsurface aquifers. Several delivery techniques have been developed to facilitate and increase subsurface contact between treatment materials and contaminants, including hydraulic fracturing. Although fracture-based delivery strategies are being used to increase subsurface distribution of delivered treatment materials (i.e., amendments) within tight formations, demonstrating the actual achieved distribution using conventional borehole drilling methods can be ineffective, cost prohibitive, and accompanied by high uncertainty. In particular, emplaced fractures may lead to complicated three-dimensional (3D) geometries, which can be difficult to characterize using one-dimensional (1D) (e.g., wellbore) sampling approaches. This study focused on improving the ability to develop conceptual amendment delivery models for in situ bioremediation and is based on the premise that geophysical imaging of amendment emplacement via hydraulic fracturing can reduce uncertainty in design and performance monitoring phases, thereby increasing efficacy and cost effectiveness of the remedial treatment.
Document Details
- Document Type
- Technical Report
- Publication Date
- Nov 01, 2012
- Accession Number
- ADA599912
Entities
People
- Andrea Leeson
- Belinda Butler-veytia
- Robert Kelley
- Susan S. Hubbard
Organizations
- Environmental Security Technology Certification Program