Tracing subsurface oil pollution leakage using 2D electrical resistivity tomography

Metwaly, Mohamed; Khalil, Mohamed A.; Al-Sayed, El-Said; El-Kenawy, Abeer

doi:10.1007/s12517-012-0600-z

Cited by 7 publications

(7 citation statements)

References 11 publications

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“…; Abdel Aal, Slater and Atekwana ; Cassidy ; Metwaly et al . ). However, mapping LNAPL‐plume in the fractured aquifer would be more complex; LNAPL materials behave very differently in fractured rocks than they do in unconsolidated porous medium.…”

Section: Introductionmentioning

confidence: 97%

“…; Metwaly et al . ).Consequently, regardless of the mechanism that causes the geophysical response, the produced fundamental changes in the physical properties of the subsurface materials are responsible for the effectiveness of geophysical investigations (Alota et al . ; Schwartz, Huisman and Furman ; Forte and Bentley ).…”

Section: Introductionmentioning

confidence: 97%

“…Atekwana and Atekwana (2010) comprehensively demonstrated the application of geophysical methods to the mapping of hydrocarbon pollution. Much research has been undertaken to characterize hydrocarboncontaminated sites in shallow unconsolidated porous environments, and the results have shown a challenging and complex task to map hydrocarbons' plume (Endres and Redman 1996;Sauck, Atekwana and Nash 1998;Sauck 2000;Lee et al 2001;Abdel Aal, Slater and Atekwana 2006;Cassidy 2007;Metwaly et al 2012). However, mapping LNAPL-plume in the fractured aquifer would be more complex; LNAPL materials behave very differently in fractured rocks than they do in unconsolidated porous medium.…”

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confidence: 99%

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Hydrogeophysical characterization of shallow light non‐aqueous phase liquid contamination at a karst aquifer

Rajab

El‐Naqa

Al‐Qinna

2018

Near Surface Geophysics

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Two wells at an industrial facility were recently removed from service due to signs of long‐term hydrocarbon contamination. Groundwater monitoring at the polluted wells documented the presence of a massive body of light non‐aqueous phase liquid materials that were accumulated at a depth of ∼50 m in the water table. We have used transient electromagnetic and electrical resistivity tomography to characterize the ground at the light non‐aqueous phase liquid contaminated wells. Additionally, analyses of hydrochemical samples and calculations of hydrogeological parameters have been implemented to interpret and describe the geophysical signatures of several anomalous hydrocarbon contaminations. Resistivity models, which are based on the three‐dimensional inversion of transient electromagnetic data and the two‐dimensional inversion of electrical resistivity tomography lines conducted at the source of leaks and contaminated wells, confirmed the presence of a hyper‐conductive zone (i.e. 0.5 Ω⋅m), 15 m deep and 20 m thick, that contained a mixture of light non‐aqueous phase liquid, hot water, and chemical acids. In addition, resistivity levels up to hundreds of ohm metre can be attributed to near‐surface cavernous structures. Furthermore, the resistivity models can resolve a 30‐m‐thick conductive layer underlying cavernous structures, yielding resistivity values ranging from 0.78 to 5 Ω⋅m. The ease of light non‐aqueous phase liquid migration is promoted due to zones of cavernous structures acting as preferential flow pathways down to the water table, where light non‐aqueous phase liquid materials follow the hydraulic gradient of the limestone aquifer, which has a calculated porosity of 20%. Chemical analysis of groundwater samples at contaminated well sites shows the depletion of sulphate and nitrate concentrations and an increase in bicarbonate at locations where the highest hydraulic conductivities are observed. These findings facilitates the construction of a conceptual model for contamination which is used to better understand the evolution of light non‐aqueous phase liquid pollution at the study area.

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Section: Introductionmentioning

confidence: 97%

Section: Introductionmentioning

confidence: 97%

mentioning

confidence: 99%

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Hydrogeophysical characterization of shallow light non‐aqueous phase liquid contamination at a karst aquifer

Rajab

El‐Naqa

Al‐Qinna

2018

Near Surface Geophysics

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“…; Metwaly et al . ; Sirhan and Hamidi ; Sonkamble ). Hermans () employed prior information with ERT in saltwater intrusion studies on the Belgian coast.…”

Section: Introductionmentioning

confidence: 99%

“…Electrical resistivity tomography (ERT) is a geophysical technique in which a direct current (DC) is injected into the ground between a pair of electrodes and the voltage is measured between another pair. It has been widely used in resource exploration (Long, Mizunaga and Ushijima 2006;Tang et al 2007;Yi, Kim and Son 2011;Fikos et al 2012;Hermans et al 2012b), hydrogeology surveys Lee et al 2008;Maiti et al 2012;Muchingami et al 2012;Hermans et al 2012a), engineering geology surveys (Chang et al 2012;Lehmann et al 2013;Springman et al 2013;Perrone, Lapenna and Piscitelli 2014), and environment geology surveys (Martinez-Pagan et al 2010;Metwaly et al 2013;Sirhan and Hamidi 2013;Sonkamble 2014). Hermans (2010) employed prior information with ERT in saltwater intrusion studies on the Belgian coast.…”

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confidence: 99%

Out‐of‐plane effects in 2D borehole‐to‐surface resistivity tomography and applications in mineral exploration

Zhang

et al. 2016

Geophysical Prospecting

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In this paper, we discuss the effects of anomalous out‐of‐plane bodies in two‐dimensional (2D) borehole‐to‐surface electrical resistivity tomography with numerical resistivity modelling and synthetic inversion tests. The results of the two groups of synthetic resistivity model tests illustrate that anomalous bodies out of the plane of interest have an effect on two‐dimensional inversion and that the degree of influence of out‐of‐plane body on inverted images varies. The different influences are derived from two cases. One case is different resistivity models with the same electrode array, and the other case is the same resistivity model with different electrode arrays. Qualitative interpretation based on the inversion tests shows that we cannot find a reasonable electrode array to determine the best inverse solution and reveal the subsurface resistivity distribution for all types of geoelectrical models. Because of the three‐dimensional effect arising from neighbouring anomalous bodies, the qualitative interpretation of inverted images from the two‐dimensional inversion of electrical resistivity tomography data without prior information can be misleading. Two‐dimensional inversion with drilling data can decrease the three‐dimensional effect. We employed two‐ and three‐dimensional borehole‐to‐surface electrical resistivity tomography methods with a pole–pole array and a bipole–bipole array for mineral exploration at Abag Banner and Hexigten Banner in Inner Mongolia, China. Different inverse schemes were carried out for different cases. The subsurface resistivity distribution obtained from the two‐dimensional inversion of the field electrical resistivity tomography data with sufficient prior information, such as drilling data and other non‐electrical data, can better describe the actual geological situation. When there is not enough prior information to carry out constrained two‐dimensional inversion, the three‐dimensional electrical resistivity tomography survey is the better choice.

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Imaging Rainfall Infiltration Processes with the Time-Lapse Electrical Resistivity Imaging Method

Zhang

Chen

et al. 2016

Pure Appl. Geophys.

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Electrical Resistivity Imaging (ERI) was carried out continuously for 10 days to map the subsurface resistivity distribution along a potentially hazardous hillslope at the Jieshou Junior High School in Taoyuan, Taiwan. The reliability of the inverted resistivity structures down to about 25 m depth was examined with synthetic modeling using the same electrode arrangements installed on land surface as in field surveys, together with a DOI (depth-ofinvestigation) index calculated from the ERI data. The subsurface resistivity distribution is consistent with results from well logging. These ERI recordings were taken daily and provided highly resolved imagery of the resistivity distribution underground and illustrated the dynamical fluid-flow behavior due to heavy rainfall infiltration. Using Archie's law, the resistivity distribution was transformed into a map of relative water saturation (RWS), which is strongly correlated with the rainfall infiltration process. We then found that the averaged RWS is significantly correlated with daily precipitation. Our observations indicate that time-lapse ERI is effective in monitoring subterraneous rainfall infiltration; moreover, the preferential flow paths can be delineated according to the changes in averaged RWS derived from the ERI data.

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Tracing subsurface oil pollution leakage using 2D electrical resistivity tomography

Cited by 7 publications

References 11 publications

Hydrogeophysical characterization of shallow light non‐aqueous phase liquid contamination at a karst aquifer

Hydrogeophysical characterization of shallow light non‐aqueous phase liquid contamination at a karst aquifer

Out‐of‐plane effects in 2D borehole‐to‐surface resistivity tomography and applications in mineral exploration

Imaging Rainfall Infiltration Processes with the Time-Lapse Electrical Resistivity Imaging Method

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