Premium
Hydraulically Controlled Discrete Sampling from Open Boreholes
Author(s) -
Harte Philip T.
Publication year - 2013
Publication title -
groundwater
Language(s) - English
Resource type - Journals
SCImago Journal Rank - 0.84
H-Index - 94
eISSN - 1745-6584
pISSN - 0017-467X
DOI - 10.1111/gwat.12120
Subject(s) - borehole , geology , aquifer , sampling (signal processing) , containment (computer programming) , groundwater flow , geotechnical engineering , petroleum engineering , groundwater , flow (mathematics) , engineering , mechanics , physics , electrical engineering , filter (signal processing) , computer science , programming language
Groundwater sampling from open boreholes in fractured‐rock aquifers is particularly challenging because of mixing and dilution of fluid within the borehole from multiple fractures. This note presents an alternative to traditional sampling in open boreholes with packer assemblies. The alternative system called ZONFLO (zonal flow) is based on hydraulic control of borehole flow conditions. Fluid from discrete fractures zones are hydraulically isolated allowing for the collection of representative samples. In rough‐faced open boreholes and formations with less competent rock, hydraulic containment may offer an attractive alternative to physical containment with packers. Preliminary test results indicate a discrete zone can be effectively hydraulically isolated from other zones within a borehole for the purpose of groundwater sampling using this new method.