Groundwater flow and the <sup>4</sup>He distribution in the Great Artesian Basin of Australia

Bethke, Craig M.; Zhao, Xiang; Torgersen, T.

doi:10.1029/1999jb900085

Cited by 75 publications

(58 citation statements)

References 33 publications

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“…However, modern groundwater (>10 years) can also exhibit high concentrations of helium which originate from previously trapped reservoirs in the subsurface (Solomon et al 1996). Helium enrichment in palaeo groundwater is reported in the literature at up to six orders of magnitude higher than expected due to solubility equilibrium with the atmosphere (Andrews and Lee 1979;Castro et al 1998;Bethke et al 1999). Terrigenic 3,4 He is also significant in deep circulating fluids (Griesshaber et al 1992;Stute et al 1992;Ballentine and Burnard 2002;Castro 2004 He isotope ratio is often used to distinguish between helium of crustal or mantle origin (Oxburgh et al 1986;Sano et al 1986;Kulongoski et al 2003Kulongoski et al , 2005.…”

Section: Introductionmentioning

confidence: 99%

“…Dissolved noble gases and stable isotopes are particularly useful in studies of aquifer systems that contain pre-Holocene 'palaeo' groundwater (e.g. Vaikmäe et al 2001) or fluids that have a deep crustal origin such as those observed in the Great Artesian Basin in Australia (Torgersen andClarke 1985, 1987;Bethke et al 1999), the Paris Basin in France (Marty et al 1993(Marty et al , 2003Castro et al 1998;Lavastre et al 2010) and the Witwatersrand Basin in South Africa (Lippmann et al 2003;Lippmann-Pipke et al 2011). Dissolved helium has been used extensively for estimating groundwater residence times and tracing the origin of crustal fluids (Torgersen et al 1992;Gardner et al 2012).…”

Section: Introductionmentioning

confidence: 99%

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Dissolved noble gases and stable isotopes as tracers of preferential fluid flow along faults in the Lower Rhine Embayment, Germany

et al. 2015

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Groundwater in shallow unconsolidated sedimentary aquifers close to the Bornheim fault in the Lower Rhine Embayment (LRE), Germany, has relatively low δ 2 H and δ 18O values in comparison to regional modern groundwater recharge, and 4 He concentrations up to 1.7×10 −4 cm 3 (STP) g -1 ±2.2 % which is approximately four orders of magnitude higher than expected due to solubility equilibrium with the atmosphere. Groundwater age dating based on estimated in situ production and terrigenic flux of helium provides a groundwater residence time of ∼10 7 years. Although fluid exchange between the deep basal aquifer system and the upper aquifer layers is generally impeded by confining clay layers and lignite, this study's geochemical data suggest, for the first time, that deep circulating fluids penetrate shallow aquifers in the locality of fault zones, implying that sub-vertical fluid flow occurs along faults in the LRE. However, large hydraulic-head gradients observed across many faults suggest that they act as barriers to lateral groundwater flow. Therefore, the geochemical data reported here also substantiate a conduitbarrier model of fault-zone hydrogeology in unconsolidated sedimentary deposits, as well as corroborating the concept that faults in unconsolidated aquifer systems can act as loci for hydraulic connectivity between deep and shallow aquifers. The implications of fluid flow along faults in sedimentary basins worldwide are far reaching and of particular concern for carbon capture and storage (CCS) programmes, impacts of deep shale gas recovery for shallow groundwater aquifers, and nuclear waste storage sites where fault zones could act as potential leakage pathways for hazardous fluids.

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Section: Introductionmentioning

confidence: 99%

Section: Introductionmentioning

confidence: 99%

Dissolved noble gases and stable isotopes as tracers of preferential fluid flow along faults in the Lower Rhine Embayment, Germany

et al. 2015

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“…For example, chloride and d 2 H in the Coonamble Embayment of the GAB vary between 10 and 90 mg L 21 and 246 and 237& VSMOW, respectively [Radke et al, 2000], similar to that found in some of the deeper piezometers. While there is limited information for the Pilliga Sandstone, elsewhere along the margins of the GAB groundwater 4 He concentrations vary between 50 and 2600 3 10 28 cm 3 STP g 21 [Bethke et al, 1999;Mahara et al, 2009]. Another possibility for the elevated riparian 4 He concentrations could be that the upward diffusive flux from an underlying geological formation is greater than the downward advective flux [Stute et al, 1992].…”

Section: Origin Of the Older Groundwater Sourcementioning

confidence: 99%

“…The noble gas 4 He is an endproduct of the alpha decay of thorium and uranium [Solomon, 2000]. Helium-4 gradually accumulates in pore water and is useful for dating old groundwater sources (generally $1000 years and older) [Bethke et al, 1999;Mahara et al, 2009], but occasionally can be used in younger (50 years) groundwater as well [Solomon et al, 1996].…”

Section: Introductionmentioning

confidence: 99%

River infiltration to a subtropical alluvial aquifer inferred using multiple environmental tracers

Lamontagne

Taylor

Batlle-Aguilar

et al. 2015

Water Resources Research

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“…Evaluation of the extent to which pore network properties are bypassed by larger-scale features at field and basin scales, and how these features evolve in time, is a major research challenge (DOE, 2007 He), represent a potentially powerful tool to evaluate the presence (or lack) of seal bypass systems in hydrocarbon or CO 2 systems. Many studies demonstrate that, for aquitard/seal and aquifer/reservoir systems, noble gases facilitate qualitative and quantitative assessment of rates and patterns of groundwater flow, interaction between aquitards and aquifers (e.g., cross-formational flow) over local (e.g., well or field) to regional scales, the presence of preferential flowpaths and associated fluid flow (e.g., connected fractures), residence time distributions, the dominance of diffusion or advection, and interactions between groundwater and a separate fluid phase (e.g., oil, methane, or CO 2 ) (Castro et al, 1998;Bethke et al, 1999;Rubel et al, 2002;Lippmann et al, 2003;Ma et al, 2005;Bethke and Johnson, 2008;Gilfillan et al, 2008). Consequently, these tracers seem suited to addressing the challenge of characterizing the transmissive nature of seal bypass systems that may exhibit slow leakage over local to regional scales (DOE, 2007).…”

mentioning

confidence: 99%

Natural Tracers and Multi-Scale Assessment of Caprock Sealing Behavior: A Case Study of the Kirtland Formation, San Juan Basin

Heath¹,

McPherson²,

Dewers³

2011

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The assessment of caprocks for geologic CO 2 storage is a multi-scale endeavor. Investigation of a regional caprock-the Kirtland Formation, San Juan Basin, USA-at the porenetwork scale indicates high capillary sealing capacity and low permeabilities. Core and wellscale data, however, indicate a potential seal bypass system as evidenced by multiple mineralized fractures and methane gas saturations within the caprock. Our interpretation of 4 He concentrations, measured at the top and bottom of the caprock, suggests low fluid fluxes through the caprock: 1) Of the total 4 He produced in situ (i.e., at the locations of sampling) by uranium and thorium decay since deposition of the Kirtland Formation, a large portion still resides in the pore fluids. 2) Simple advection-only and advection-diffusion models, using the measured 4 He concentrations, indicate low permeability (~10 -20 m 2 or lower) for the thickness of the Kirtland Formation. These findings, however, do not guarantee the lack of a large-scale bypass system. The measured data, located near the boundary conditions of the models (i.e., the overlying and underlying aquifers), limit our testing of conceptual models and the sensitivity of model parameterization. Thus, we suggest approaches for future studies to better assess the presence or lack of a seal bypass system at this particular site and for other sites in general. EXECUTIVE SUMMARYThe assessment of caprock for underground CO 2 storage is challenging due to geologic heterogeneity at multiple scales. Caprocks impede movement of fluids by means of viscous and capillary forces, due to their small pores. However, larger-scale fractures, faults, or other "seal bypass systems" can circumvent the pore networks and potentially lead to significant fluid migration through a caprock. This topical report presents a site-specific study by the Southwest Regional Carbon Sequestration Partnership (SWP) to develop multi-scale assessment methods that incorporate natural tracers. Natural tracers are already present at all sequestration sites and represent a resource for investigating the long-term and spatially-distributed transport properties of a caprock without the need for injecting applied or "exotic" tracers into the system. The multiscale assessment is not based on upscaling a variety of data sets, but simply comparing different types of data collected at different scales to determine if the data are coherent. As shown in this study, some small-scale data may indicate a different type of caprock sealing quality than data that apply at a larger scale.Study of a regional caprock-the Kirtland Formation, San Juan Basin, USA-at the porenetwork scale indicates high capillary sealing capacity and low permeabilities. Core and wellscale data, however, indicate a potential seal bypass system as evidenced by multiple mineralized fractures and methane gas saturations within the caprock. Our interpretation of 4 He concentrations, measured at the top and bottom of the caprock, suggests low fluid fluxes through the capr...

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Groundwater flow and the ⁴He distribution in the Great Artesian Basin of Australia

Cited by 75 publications

References 33 publications

Dissolved noble gases and stable isotopes as tracers of preferential fluid flow along faults in the Lower Rhine Embayment, Germany

Dissolved noble gases and stable isotopes as tracers of preferential fluid flow along faults in the Lower Rhine Embayment, Germany

River infiltration to a subtropical alluvial aquifer inferred using multiple environmental tracers

Natural Tracers and Multi-Scale Assessment of Caprock Sealing Behavior: A Case Study of the Kirtland Formation, San Juan Basin

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Groundwater flow and the 4He distribution in the Great Artesian Basin of Australia

Cited by 75 publications

References 33 publications

Dissolved noble gases and stable isotopes as tracers of preferential fluid flow along faults in the Lower Rhine Embayment, Germany

Dissolved noble gases and stable isotopes as tracers of preferential fluid flow along faults in the Lower Rhine Embayment, Germany

River infiltration to a subtropical alluvial aquifer inferred using multiple environmental tracers

Natural Tracers and Multi-Scale Assessment of Caprock Sealing Behavior: A Case Study of the Kirtland Formation, San Juan Basin

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Groundwater flow and the ⁴He distribution in the Great Artesian Basin of Australia