Electrical permittivity and resistivity time lapses of multiphase DNAPLs in a lab test

Abstract

Dense Non-Aqueous Phase Liquids (DNAPLs) induce variation in electromagnetic characteristics of the ground, e.g., electric permittivity and resistivity. The most used indirect methods in the mapping of these physical characteristics are electrical resistivity and ground penetrating radar. To better understand the effect of DNAPL release on electrical permittivity and resistivity in a water saturated medium, we carried out a controlled laboratory experiment where the host material was simulated by glass beads and the DNAPL by HFE-7100 (hydrofluoroether). The experiment measured the electric resistivity and permittivity of each fluid, the multiphase fluid system, and the host material, along with time-lapse electrical resistivity and GPR measurements in a controlled cell. We found that the different phases of DNAPL within a saturated medium (free, dissolved, and gaseous phase) affect the physical characteristics differently. The reflection pull-up behind contaminated sediments, which is normally detected by GPR, was mainly inferred from the HFE free phase. The dissolved phase causes small variations in electric permittivity not usually readily detected by GPR measurements. Both the dissolved and free HFE phases induce variation in resistivity. The study showed that GPR and electrical resistivity differ in sensitivity to the different HFE phases, and can be complementary in the characterization of DNAPL contaminated sites.