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Subsurface Scenarios: What are We Trying to Model?
Citation:
Kraemer, S. Subsurface Scenarios: What are We Trying to Model? Presented at HF Technical Workshop: Follow-up Discussion on Subsurface Modeling, Arlington, VA, June 04, 2013.
Impact/Purpose:
The results of this project will help inform the research question "Can subsurface migration of fluids to drinking water resources occur, and what local geologic or man-made features might allow this?" from EPA's HF Study Plan.
Description:
In collaboration with the Lawrence Berkeley National Lab (George Moridis and team),and after a thorough review of the scientific literature and data and interviews with a selection of experts on the topic, a finite number of plausible scenarios were selected for more quantitative assessment. These scenarios included two major possible pathways: (1) wells, either the production well itself or offset wells such as abandoned oil and gas wells; and (2) geologic features such as faults and fracture zones. The investigation is ongoing in two concurrent tracks. The first track is investigating the geophysical factors involved in establishing a pathway connecting the tight gas reservoir to the drinking water aquifer. Because the possibility of a pathway or combination of pathways cannot be ruled out, a separate track of research is investigating the factors influencing fluid migration, whether of methane gas, displaced native brines, or introduced frac fluids