Abstract
Over 270 single-hole [Guzman et al., 1996] and 44 cross-hole pneumatic injection tests [Illman et al., 1998; Illman, 1999] have been conducted at the Apache Leap Research Site (ALRS) near Superior, Arizona. In this paper, we describe a geostatistical analysis of the single-hole data and type-curve as well as numerical inverse interpretations of one cross-hole test, PP4. Our geostatistical analysis yields information about the spatial structure of air permeabilities measured on a nominal scale of 1 m, as well as of other variables such as fracture density. Our type-curve and inverse interpretations of cross-hole test PP4 yield information about pneumatic connections, directional air permeabilities, and airfilled porosities on scales ranging from a few meters to a few tens of meters. The numerical model can be applied simultaneously to pressure data from multiple borehole intervals (and multiple cross-hole tests), which amounts to "pneumatic tomography" of the rock. Our analyses suggest that (a) pneumatic pressure behavior of unsaturated fractured tuffs at the ALRS can be interpreted by treating the rock as a continuum on scales ranging from meters to tens of meters; (b) this continuum is representative primarily of interconnected fractures; (c) its pneumatic properties nevertheless correlate poorly with fracture density; and (d) air permeability exhibits multiscale random variations in space.
| Original language | English (US) |
|---|---|
| Title of host publication | Dynamics of Fluids in Fractured Rock, 2000 |
| Publisher | Blackwell Publishing Ltd |
| Pages | 73-98 |
| Number of pages | 26 |
| Volume | 122 |
| ISBN (Electronic) | 9781118669662 |
| ISBN (Print) | 9780875909806 |
| DOIs | |
| State | Published - Jan 1 2000 |
Publication series
| Name | Geophysical Monograph Series |
|---|---|
| Volume | 122 |
| ISSN (Print) | 0065-8448 |
| ISSN (Electronic) | 2328-8779 |
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ASJC Scopus subject areas
- Geophysics
Cite this
Geostatistical, type-curve, and inverse analyses of pneumatic injection tests in unsaturated fractured tuffs at the apache leap research site near superior, Arizona. / Chen, Guoliang; Illman, Walter A.; Thompson, Dick L.; Vesselinov, Velimir V.; Neuman, Shlomo P.
Dynamics of Fluids in Fractured Rock, 2000. Vol. 122 Blackwell Publishing Ltd, 2000. p. 73-98 (Geophysical Monograph Series; Vol. 122).Research output: Chapter in Book/Report/Conference proceeding › Chapter
}
TY - CHAP
T1 - Geostatistical, type-curve, and inverse analyses of pneumatic injection tests in unsaturated fractured tuffs at the apache leap research site near superior, Arizona
AU - Chen, Guoliang
AU - Illman, Walter A.
AU - Thompson, Dick L.
AU - Vesselinov, Velimir V.
AU - Neuman, Shlomo P
PY - 2000/1/1
Y1 - 2000/1/1
N2 - Over 270 single-hole [Guzman et al., 1996] and 44 cross-hole pneumatic injection tests [Illman et al., 1998; Illman, 1999] have been conducted at the Apache Leap Research Site (ALRS) near Superior, Arizona. In this paper, we describe a geostatistical analysis of the single-hole data and type-curve as well as numerical inverse interpretations of one cross-hole test, PP4. Our geostatistical analysis yields information about the spatial structure of air permeabilities measured on a nominal scale of 1 m, as well as of other variables such as fracture density. Our type-curve and inverse interpretations of cross-hole test PP4 yield information about pneumatic connections, directional air permeabilities, and airfilled porosities on scales ranging from a few meters to a few tens of meters. The numerical model can be applied simultaneously to pressure data from multiple borehole intervals (and multiple cross-hole tests), which amounts to "pneumatic tomography" of the rock. Our analyses suggest that (a) pneumatic pressure behavior of unsaturated fractured tuffs at the ALRS can be interpreted by treating the rock as a continuum on scales ranging from meters to tens of meters; (b) this continuum is representative primarily of interconnected fractures; (c) its pneumatic properties nevertheless correlate poorly with fracture density; and (d) air permeability exhibits multiscale random variations in space.
AB - Over 270 single-hole [Guzman et al., 1996] and 44 cross-hole pneumatic injection tests [Illman et al., 1998; Illman, 1999] have been conducted at the Apache Leap Research Site (ALRS) near Superior, Arizona. In this paper, we describe a geostatistical analysis of the single-hole data and type-curve as well as numerical inverse interpretations of one cross-hole test, PP4. Our geostatistical analysis yields information about the spatial structure of air permeabilities measured on a nominal scale of 1 m, as well as of other variables such as fracture density. Our type-curve and inverse interpretations of cross-hole test PP4 yield information about pneumatic connections, directional air permeabilities, and airfilled porosities on scales ranging from a few meters to a few tens of meters. The numerical model can be applied simultaneously to pressure data from multiple borehole intervals (and multiple cross-hole tests), which amounts to "pneumatic tomography" of the rock. Our analyses suggest that (a) pneumatic pressure behavior of unsaturated fractured tuffs at the ALRS can be interpreted by treating the rock as a continuum on scales ranging from meters to tens of meters; (b) this continuum is representative primarily of interconnected fractures; (c) its pneumatic properties nevertheless correlate poorly with fracture density; and (d) air permeability exhibits multiscale random variations in space.
UR - http://www.scopus.com/inward/record.url?scp=85007241724&partnerID=8YFLogxK
UR - http://www.scopus.com/inward/citedby.url?scp=85007241724&partnerID=8YFLogxK
U2 - 10.1029/GM122p0073
DO - 10.1029/GM122p0073
M3 - Chapter
SN - 9780875909806
VL - 122
T3 - Geophysical Monograph Series
SP - 73
EP - 98
BT - Dynamics of Fluids in Fractured Rock, 2000
PB - Blackwell Publishing Ltd
ER -