Applicability of petroleum horizontal drilling technology to hazardous waste site characterization and remediation
Horizontal wells have the potential to become an important tool for use in characterization, remediation and monitoring operations at hazardous waste disposal, chemical manufacturing, refining and other sites where subsurface pollution may develop from operations or spills. Subsurface pollution of groundwater aquifers can occur at these sites by leakage of surface disposal ponds, surface storage tanks, underground storage tanks (UST), subsurface pipelines or leakage from surface operations. Characterization and remediation of aquifers at or near these sites requires drilling operations that are typically shallow, less than 500-feet in depth. Due to the shallow nature of polluted aquifers, waste site subsurface geologic formations frequently consist of unconsolidated materials. Fractured, jointed and/or layered high compressive strength formations or compacted caliche type formations can also be encountered. Some formations are unsaturated and have pore spaces that are only partially filled with water. Completely saturated underpressured aquifers may be encountered in areas where the static ground water levels are well below the ground surface. Each of these subsurface conditions can complicate the drilling and completion of wells needed for monitoring, characterization and remediation activities. This report describes some of the equipment that is available from petroleum drilling operations that has direct application to groundwater characterization and remediation activities. A brief discussion of petroleum directional and horizontal well drilling methodologies is given to allow the reader to gain an understanding of the equipment needed to drill and complete horizontal wells. Equipment used in river crossing drilling technology is also discussed. The final portion of this report is a description of the drilling equipment available and how it can be applied to groundwater characterization and remediation activities.
- Research Organization:
- Lawrence Berkeley National Lab. (LBNL), Berkeley, CA (United States)
- Sponsoring Organization:
- USDOE; USDOE, Washington, DC (United States)
- DOE Contract Number:
- AC03-76SF00098
- OSTI ID:
- 6240330
- Report Number(s):
- LBL-33957; ON: DE93015270
- Country of Publication:
- United States
- Language:
- English
Similar Records
Case study: Construction and performance of a total fluids extraction system utilizing horizontal wells installed using a bore and jack technique
Groundwater characterization and monitoring at a complex industrial waste site using electrical resistivity imaging
Related Subjects
47 OTHER INSTRUMENTATION
DIRECTIONAL DRILLING
TECHNOLOGY ASSESSMENT
LAND POLLUTION
REMEDIAL ACTION
SITE CHARACTERIZATION
AQUIFERS
DRILLING EQUIPMENT
GROUND WATER
HAZARDOUS MATERIALS
PETROLEUM
SAMPLING
UNDERGROUND STORAGE
WASTE DISPOSAL
WELL DRILLING
DRILLING
ENERGY SOURCES
EQUIPMENT
FOSSIL FUELS
FUELS
HYDROGEN COMPOUNDS
MANAGEMENT
MATERIALS
OXYGEN COMPOUNDS
POLLUTION
STORAGE
WASTE MANAGEMENT
WATER
540250* - Environment
Terrestrial- Site Resource & Use Studies- (1990-)
440400 - Well Logging Instrumentation