Hole-to-surface resistivity measurements at Salt Valley, Utah

Technical Report · Tue Jan 01 00:00:00 EST 1980

OSTI ID:7055140

Daniels, J J; Scott, J H

Evaporites are an important potential medium for the storage of radioactive wastes. In order to ascertain the viability of a proposed waste isolation site, it is necessary to study its geology without extensive drilling that might destroy its structural integrity. Hole-to-surface and hole-to-hole geophysical measurements can be useful in supplementing geologic data obtained from a few drill holes and can be used to aid the interpretation of surface geophysical measurements. This study tested the feasibility of using hole-to-surface direct-current resistivity measurements to detect geologic inhomogeneities in evaporites show the following: (1) It is feasible to make hole-to-surface resistivity measurements over evaporites. However, near-surface steel casing can make it difficult to quantitatively analyze the field data with present interpretaion techniques. Future investigations should include theoretical studies to solve interpretation problems when steel casing is in the hole and the mud is a high-conductivity brine. (2) A comparison of measurements made from the three different source drill holes shows that the halite acts as an electrical insulator and most of the current emitted from the source is contained in the caprock. (3) A comparison of measurements made parallel and perpendicular to the valley walls shows that there are more variations in the halite-caprock interface perpendicular than parallel to the axis of the Salt Valley anticline. Structurally complex interbeds within the salt may cause differences in the current distribution measured at the surface from current sources buried at different depths. (5) Total field mapping would be more useful than the single-component data that were collected in this study.

• Research Organization: Geological Survey, Washington, DC (USA)
• OSTI ID: 7055140
• Report Number(s): USGS-OFR-80-981; TRN: 81-000505
• Country of Publication: United States
• Language: English

Related Subjects

58 GEOSCIENCES
12 MANAGEMENT OF RADIOACTIVE AND NON-RADIOACTIVE WASTES FROM NUCLEAR FACILITIES
54 ENVIRONMENTAL SCIENCES
BOREHOLES
RESISTIVITY LOGGING
UTAH
COVERINGS
DIRECT CURRENT
ELECTRIC CONDUCTIVITY
GEOPHYSICAL SURVEYS
MEASURING METHODS
RADIOACTIVE WASTE DISPOSAL
SALT DEPOSITS
SITE SELECTION
STEELS
UNDERGROUND DISPOSAL
ALLOYS
CAVITIES
CURRENTS
ELECTRIC CURRENTS
ELECTRIC LOGGING
ELECTRICAL PROPERTIES
GEOLOGIC DEPOSITS
IRON ALLOYS
IRON BASE ALLOYS
MANAGEMENT
NORTH AMERICA
PHYSICAL PROPERTIES
ROCKY MOUNTAIN REGION
SURVEYS
USA
WASTE DISPOSAL
WASTE MANAGEMENT
WELL LOGGING
580203* - Geophysics- Geophysical Survey Methods- (1980-1989)
052002 - Nuclear Fuels- Waste Disposal & Storage
510500 - Environment
Terrestrial- Site Resource & Use Studies- (-1989)