Completion Report for Well ER-20-7: Corrective Action Units 101 and 102: Central and Western Pahute Mesa
Well ER-20-7 was drilled for the U.S. Department of Energy, National Nuclear Security Administration Nevada Site Office in support of the Nevada Environmental Restoration Project at the Nevada Test Site, Nye County, Nevada. The well was drilled in June 2009 as part of the Pahute Mesa Phase II drilling program. The primary purpose of the well was to further investigate migration of radionuclides from the nearby, up-gradient TYBO and BENHAM underground nuclear tests, which originally was discovered at Well Cluster ER-20-5. This well also provided detailed hydrogeologic information in the Tertiary volcanic section that will reduce uncertainties within the Pahute Mesa-Oasis Valley hydrostratigraphic framework model. The main 44.45-centimeter hole was drilled to a depth of 681.8 meters and cased with 33.97-centimeter casing to 671.7 meters. The hole diameter was then decreased to 31.12 centimeters, and the well was drilled to total depth of 894.9 meters. The completion string, set to the depth of 890.0 meters, consists of 14.13-centimeter stainless-steel casing hanging from 19.37-centimeter carbon-steel casing. The 14.13-centimeter stainless-steel casing has one continuous slotted interval open to the Topopah Spring aquifer. Data collected during and shortly after hole construction include composite drill cuttings samples collected every 3.0 meters, sidewall core samples from 20 depth intervals, various geophysical logs, water quality (primarily tritium) measurements, and water level measurements. The well penetrated 894.9 meters of Tertiary volcanic rock, including two saturated welded-tuff aquifers. A fluid level measurement was obtained during open-hole geophysical well logging for the upper, Tiva Canyon, aquifer at the depth of 615.7 meters on June 19, 2009. The fluid level measured in the open hole on June 27, 2009,after the total depth was reached and the upper aquifer was cased off, was also at the depth of 615.7 meters. Preliminary field measurements indicated 1.5 to 4.5 million picocuries per liter of tritium in the Tiva Canyon aquifer and 20 to 61 million picocuries per liter in the underlying Topopah Spring aquifer.
- Research Organization:
- National Security Technologies, LLC (United States)
- Sponsoring Organization:
- USDOE National Nuclear Security Administration (NA)
- DOE Contract Number:
- DE-AC52-06NA25946
- OSTI ID:
- 977585
- Report Number(s):
- DOE/NV-1386; TRN: US201010%%815
- Country of Publication:
- United States
- Language:
- English
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