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LOCATION OF ABANDONED WELLS WITH GEOPHYSICAL METHODS
Citation:
Frischknecht, F. AND P. Raab. LOCATION OF ABANDONED WELLS WITH GEOPHYSICAL METHODS. U.S. Environmental Protection Agency, Washington, D.C., EPA/600/4-84/085 (NTIS PB85122638).
Description:
Abandoned wells are sometimes an important element in the contamination of fresh underground water supplies. If a well is not properly plugged and the casing is leaky, it may serve as a conduit for brines or other pollutants to reach a fresh water aquifer. This study was made to determine the feasibility of using geophysical methods to locate abandoned wells which contain steel casing. Preliminary considerations indicated that magnetic and, perhaps, electrical methods should be useful. Electrical methods which were tested were the dipole-dipole resistivity/induced polarization (IP), self-potential, and loop-loop electromagnetic methods.