Title: Lithofacies Mapping at the Hanford Site - Data Management, Analysis, and Visualization -
1Lithofacies Mappingat the Hanford Site- Data
Management, Analysis, and Visualization -
- George V. Last, Presenter
- Christopher J. Murray
- Mark L. Rockhold
- Paul D. Thorne
- Bruce N. Bjornstad
- Robert D. Mackley
- Michael J. Truex
- Mart Oostrom
- April 30, 2005
2Key Points
- Lithofacies mapping is a valuable tool for
estimating the spatial distribution of physical
and chemical transport properties in support of
long-term performance assessments. - Progress is being made to advance access to and
interpretation of subsurface geologic data to
define the spatial distribution of lithofacies. - Progress is also being made to improve
understanding of the petrophysical and
geochemical properties within these lithofacies
to support groundwater flow and transport
simulations.
3Contaminant Transport in ClasticSediments is
Highly Controlled by the Physical and Chemical
Properties of the Sediments
- Particle Size/Pore Size
- Sedimentary Fabric/Structures
- Mineralogy
- Secondary Mineralization (Cementation)
- Compaction/Lithification
- Secondary Structures (Bioturbation, Jointing,
Fracturing)
Hanford formation (Gravel-dominated facies
association)
These are the same properties controlled by the
depositional environment and geologic history
4Sequence Stratigraphic Architecture and
Lithofacies Relationships Beneath the Hanford Site
5Elements of Lithofacies Mappingto Constrain
Spatial Distributionof Transport Parameters
- Raw Field Data and Samples
- Borehole Data
- Trench Excavation Studies
- Outcrop Studies
- Field Testing
- Infiltration Tests
- Tracer Tests
- Physical and Geochemical Testing
- Borehole Data
- Trench Excavation Studies
- Outcrop Studies
- Flow and Transport
- Parameter Distributions
- Laboratory Results
- Upscaling
- Facies Modeling
- Borehole Interpretation (1-D)
- Cross-Hole 2-D Interpretation
- 3-D Integration and Interpretation
- Paleogeography/Basin Modeling
Geostatistical Quantification of Spatial
Distribution
6Hanford Borehole GeologicInformation System
(HBGIS )
- A secure online web application supported by
Microsoft SQL Server? as a back end database. - Uses a user friendly GUI (graphical user
interface) to provide the Hanford Community with
a comprehensive information management system for
archival, retrieval, and interpretation of
borehole geologic data.
7The Integrated Borehole GeologicInformation
System Approach
8Synergistic Analysis of Borehole Data
9Spatial Modelingof the Geologic Framework
10Assignment of Hydraulic Properties
Mean Lithofacies Specific Hydraulic Conductivity
Curves (After Last et. al. 2004)
11Dissolved Aqueous Concentrations of Carbon
Tetrachloride (g/L) in the Ringold E Unit in 1993
12Geostatistical Simulations ofLithofacies
Distributions
Simulation of the Median Values of the 100
Simulations
One of 100 Simulations
Courtesy of Debbie A. Bush
13Summary
- Uncertainty in flow and transport parameters are
among the primary contributors to overall
uncertainty in performance assessment results. - Flow and transport parameters are a function of
the geologic framework, thus, lithofacies mapping
provides a valuable mechanism for constraining
the spatial distribution of these parameters. - Work is ongoing to identify and map a number of
lithofacies beneath the Hanford site and to
delineate the physical and geochemical parameter
distributions for these lithofacies. - Data management and integration are key to the
success and defensibility of estimating the
spatial distribution of transport properties.
14Acknowledgements
- This work is being conducted as part of the
Groundwater Remediation Project managed by Fluor
Hanford, Inc. in support of the US Department of
Energy