Slug, Packer, and Pressure Transient Testing

Abstract

Slug tests are a commonly used method to determine the hydraulic conductivity of strata near a borehole. The tests involve recording the water level (pressure) response in a well to an instantaneous increase or lowering of water level. Slug tests have the advantage of being quick, inexpensive to perform, and do not generate water that requires disposal, which is an important consideration at contaminated sites. The quality of data obtained from slug tests is strongly dependent on well and borehole conditions, particularly skin effects. Multiple-level slug tests performed on a single well or borehole are used to obtain hydraulic conductivity-versus-depth profiles. Straddle-packer and single-packer tests allow for the evaluation of hydraulic properties and collection of water samples from discrete intervals. Pressure transient testing is an important tool in oil and gas industry that has applications in groundwater investigations for evaluation of aquifer properties and wellbore conditions.