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Assessing Hydrofracing Success from Earth Tide and Barometric Response
Author(s) -
Burbey Thomas J.,
Zhang Meijing
Publication year - 2010
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/j.1745-6584.2010.00704.x
Subject(s) - aquifer , geology , borehole , fracture (geology) , fault (geology) , casing , water well , water level , atmospheric pressure , sea level , groundwater , hydrology (agriculture) , geotechnical engineering , seismology , petroleum engineering , oceanography , cartography , geography
Identifying fracture pathways and connectivity between adjacent wells is vital for understanding flow characteristics, transport properties, and fracture characteristics. In this investigation, a simple, straightforward methodology is presented for assessing hydrofracing success and identifying possible fracture connectivity between neighboring boreholes, using water‐level barometric response and tide signatures of individual fractures in a crystalline‐rock setting. Water levels and barometric pressure heads were collected at two wells 27 m apart both prior to, and after, hydrofracing one of the wells at the fractured‐rock research site in Floyd County, Virginia. Vastly different barometric and tidal signatures existed at the two wells prior to hydrofracing as well EX‐1 had no discernable fractures, while W‐03 was connected to an identified fault‐zone aquifer and produced a notable water‐level earth tide and barometric signatures. After hydrofracing EX‐1, new fractures were induced and the resulting water‐level tidal signature and barometric efficiencies were nearly identical to the W‐03 well. Aquifer testing conducted from both wells verified this connectivity along the fault‐zone aquifer. The small phase difference between the tidal responses in the two wells can be accounted for by the calculated differences in transmissivity and casing diameter.