Diagenetic effects on the well yield of dolomite aquifers in Slovenia

Abstract

Diagenetic effects upon the hydraulic parameters of dolomite aquifers were examined. Results indicate that dolomites affected only by late (burial) diagenesis are economically more interesting to exploit than those formed first by early and then also affected by late diagenesis, as the values of most studied hydraulic parameters (transmissivity, specific capacity, linearized specific capacity and maximum yields) are higher in the former group. Data were collected from the hydrogeological reports of 298 wells in dolomites from Permian to Cretaceous age in Slovenia, classified in a relational hydrogeological database and analyzed by statistical methods. The studied parameters are hydraulic conductivity K, transmissivity T, specific capacity q (=Q/s), linearized specific capacity Ql (=q/d) and maximum yields Qmax. Values of the studied parameters are distributed log-normally according to most normality tests and span several orders of magnitude. Statistical tests show significant differences between the “late” and “early + late” groups for parameters q, Ql and T, and non-significant differences for K and Qmax.