Geologic data for borehole ERDA-6, Eddy County, New Mexico

Technical Report · Thu Jan 01 04:00:00 EST 1981

OSTI ID:6444084

Jones, C L

ERDA-6 is an exploratory test hole drilled in eastern Eddy County, New Mexico, to evaluate a candidate site for a nuclear waste repository which was subsequently rejected on the basis of geologic data. The rocks penetrated include surficial deposits of Quaternary age; the Santa Rosa Sandstone of Triassic age; and the Dewey Lake Red Beds, the Rustler Formation, the Salado Formation, and part of the Castile Formation, all of Permian age. The pre-Quaternary rocks are sharply deformed into an anticline that has a faulted core of salt and anhydrite containing a reservoir of geopressured brine carrying H/sub 2/S, CO/sub 2/, in solution. The structure of the rocks and the geopressured brine are severe geologic impediments to the design, construction, and operation of a nuclear waste repository at the candidate site.

• Research Organization: Geological Survey, Denver, CO (USA)
• DOE Contract Number: AC08-76NV00038
• OSTI ID: 6444084
• Report Number(s): USGS-OFR-81-468
• Country of Publication: United States
• Language: English

Related Subjects

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580100 -- Geology & Hydrology-- (-1989)
BOREHOLES
BRINES
CAVITIES
CHEMICAL ANALYSIS
DRILL CORES
ENERGY SYSTEMS
GEOLOGIC DEPOSITS
GEOLOGY
GEOPRESSURED SYSTEMS
LITHOLOGY
MANAGEMENT
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NORTH AMERICA
RADIOACTIVE WASTE DISPOSAL
SALT DEPOSITS
SITE SELECTION
SOUTHWEST REGION
STRATIGRAPHY
USA
WASTE DISPOSAL
WASTE MANAGEMENT