The updated kriging variance and optimal sample design

Abstract

A number of criteria based on kriging variance calculations may be used for infill sampling design in geologic site characterization. Searching for the best new sample locations from a set of candidate locations can result in excessive computation time if these criteria and the naive rekriging are used. The relative updated kriging estimate and variance for universal kriging estimation are demonstrated as a simple kriging estimate and variance, respectively. The updated kriging variance is demonstrated as the multiplication of two kriging variances. Using these updated kriging variance equations can increase the computational speed for selecting the best new sample locations. The application results for oil rock thickness in an oilfield indicate that minimizing the average relative updated kriging variance is a useful alternative to the other criteria based on kriging variance in optimal infill sampling design for geologic site characterization.