Interpretation of in-situ pressure and flow measurements of the Salado Formation at the Waste Isolation Pilot Plant

Conference · Tue Jan 01 04:00:00 EST 1991

OSTI ID:6218060

Howarth, S M; Peterson, E W; Lagus, P L; Lie, K; Finley, S J; Nowak, E J

This paper describes preliminary interpretation of in-situ pressure and flow measurements of the Salado Formation at the Waste Isolation Pilot Plant (WIPP). The WIPP facility is located 660 m underground in the Salado, a bedded salt deposit. Shut-in pressure tests were conducted prior to, and subsequent to, the mining of a circular drift in order to evaluate excavation effects on pore pressure, permeability, and host rock heterogeneity. Borehole deformation was measured during these tests and used to correct for changes in the test region volume due to salt creep effects. Preliminary pre-excavation results indicate that the flow properties of this layered host rock are heterogeneous. Resulting pore pressures range from 1 to 14 MPa and permeabilities range from below measurable to about 1 nanodarcy. Normalized borehole diameter change rates were between {minus}4 and 63 microstrains/day. Shut-in pressures and borehole diameters in all test boreholes were affected by the excavation of Room Q coincident with the advances of the boring machine. Preliminary results from post-excavation test results show decreased pore pressures compared to pre-excavation values.

• Research Organization: Sandia National Labs., Albuquerque, NM (USA)
• Sponsoring Organization: DOE/DP
• DOE Contract Number: AC04-76DP00789
• OSTI ID: 6218060
• Report Number(s): SAND-90-2334C; SPE--21840; CONF-9104121--2; ON: DE91005309
• Country of Publication: United States
• Language: English

Related Subjects

052002* -- Nuclear Fuels-- Waste Disposal & Storage
12 MANAGEMENT OF RADIOACTIVE AND NON-RADIOACTIVE WASTES FROM NUCLEAR FACILITIES
58 GEOSCIENCES
580000 -- Geosciences
ALPHA-BEARING WASTES
BOREHOLES
CAVITIES
CREEP
DEFORMATION
DRILLING
FUNCTIONAL MODELS
GEOLOGIC DEPOSITS
MANAGEMENT
MATERIALS
MECHANICAL PROPERTIES
MECHANICS
NATIONAL ORGANIZATIONS
NUCLEAR FACILITIES
PERMEABILITY
PILOT PLANTS
PORE PRESSURE
RADIOACTIVE MATERIALS
RADIOACTIVE WASTE FACILITIES
RADIOACTIVE WASTE STORAGE
RADIOACTIVE WASTES
RESERVOIR PRESSURE
RESERVOIR ROCK
ROCK DRILLING
ROCK MECHANICS
SALT DEPOSITS
SITE CHARACTERIZATION
STORAGE
UNDERGROUND FACILITIES
UNDERGROUND STORAGE
US DOE
US ORGANIZATIONS
WASTE MANAGEMENT
WASTE STORAGE
WASTES
WIPP