Borehole Liners Research Articles

Investigation of the mechanical properties and corrosion behaviour of hybrid L 80 Type 1 and duplex steel joints produced by magnetically impelled arc butt welding

In the field of deep geothermal energy, the mono-tube design will be increasingly used in the future, as significant cost savings can be expected in the production of boreholes up to depths of 6000 m. The previously used bolting of the pipe lengths by means of sleeves contributes significantly to the construction costs. In addition, there is an increased risk of failure for the sleeve bolting, especially if different materials have to be used in different layers for the purpose of increasing the corrosion resistance. Magnetically Impelled Arc Butt Welding (MIAB) was used for direct welding of pipe segments with complete elimination of socket bolting. In the process, the casing material (L80 Type 1), which is a cost-effective standard material, and a corrosion-resistant duplex steel (1.4462) were hybrid welded. The results show excellent properties both in terms of mechanical properties and corrosion resistance. It is shown that the advantages of the MIAB process in joining these different materials can successfully overcome the metallurgical challenges. This new approach for the production of borehole liners can contribute significantly to cost reduction in the construction of geothermal boreholes.

Inferring flow pathways between bedrock boreholes using the hydraulic response to borehole liner installation

Fractured bedrock aquifers provide an important source of drinking water in many regions around the world. In settings with low matrix porosity and a small number of highly transmissive features, such as crystalline bedrock, high groundwater velocities through connected fracture pathways can increase aquifer vulnerability to contamination. Multiple fracture network characterization techniques (e.g. geological, geophysical, and hydraulic) are available to better understand this vulnerability. Conceptualizations of fracture network connectivity may be examined through the use of numerical models. Recently, data gathered during the installation of FLUTe™ blank liners have been used to assess cross-hole transmissivity and fracture interconnections. Modelling and interpreting this type of hydraulic test presents a challenge since the open borehole length decreases during a liner installation. This study provides a method to simulate a FLUTe™ liner installation using HydroGeoSphere, a finite element code capable of simulating 3D transient flow conditions in discrete fracture networks. Results from previously published studies are used to inform the initial model configuration from which the sensitivity to various inputs, including fracture aperture, are then assessed. Good correlation between simulated and observed hydraulic response profiles was obtained. However, modelled fracture apertures yield an estimated bulk borehole transmissivity of 1.3 × 10−3 m2/s, which was found to exceed a previous estimate of 2.1 × 10−4 m2/s obtained from constant head injection testing. This may suggest overestimation of fracture apertures in the presented approach. Nonetheless, this study supports numerical modelling as a viable method to simulate borehole liner installations.

Cross-hole fracture connectivity assessed using hydraulic responses during liner installations in crystalline bedrock boreholes

In order to continually improve the current understanding of flow and transport in crystalline bedrock environments, developing and improving fracture system characterization techniques is an important area of study. The presented research examines the installation of flexible, impermeable FLUTe™ liners as a means for assessing cross-hole fracture connectivity. FLUTe™ liners are used to generate a new style of hydraulic pulse, with pressure response monitored in a nearby network of open boreholes drilled in gneissic rock of the Canadian Shield in eastern Ontario, Canada. Borehole liners were installed in six existing 10–15 cm diameter boreholes located 10–35 m apart and drilled to depths ranging between 25–45 m. Liner installation tests were completed consecutively with the number of observation wells available for each test ranging between one and six. The collected pressure response data have been analyzed to identify significant groundwater flow paths between source and observation boreholes as well as to estimate inter-well transmissivity and storativity using a conventional type-curve analysis. While the applied solution relies on a number of general assumptions, it has been found that reasonable comparison can be made to previously completed pulse interference and pumping tests. Results of this research indicate areas where method refinement is necessary, but, nonetheless, highlight the potential for use in crystalline bedrock environments. This method may provide value to future site characterization efforts given that it is complementary to, and can be used in conjunction with, other currently employed borehole liner applications, such as the removal of cross-connection at contaminated sites and the assessment of discrete fracture distributions when boreholes are sealed, recreating natural hydraulic gradient conditions.

Novel cable coupling technique for improved shallow distributed acoustic sensor VSPs

Vertical seismic profiles (VSPs) collected using fiber optic distributed acoustic sensors (DAS) are becoming increasingly common; yet, ensuring good cable coupling with the borehole wall remains a persistent challenge. Traditional cable deployment techniques used in the petroleum industry are either not possible or do not provide data of sufficient quality for shallow applications. Additionally, no direct field comparison of coupling techniques in the same borehole exists to determine the impacts of poor coupling on DAS VSP data quality. This paper addresses these issues by: (1) presenting a novel cable coupling solution using a removable and relatively inexpensive FLUTe™ flexible borehole liner; and (2) presenting field examples of DAS VSPs under different coupling conditions. The proposed coupling technique is analogous to a fully cemented deployment in that the cable is continuously coupled directly to the formation. Field experiments conducted to assess and validate the technique demonstrate a marked improvement in VSP data quality when the cable is coupled with a flexible borehole liner. Without the liner, seismic profiles are dominated by a high-amplitude cable wave and the p-wave arrival is not observed; however, with cable coupling provided by a borehole liner inflated using hydrostatic pressure, the cable wave is suppressed and clear p-wave arrivals are visible. Additional tests examining the influence of fiber optic cable structure on seismic responses demonstrate that tight buffered fibers are more sensitive to dynamic strain than loose tube fibers making them potentially better suited for certain DAS applications.

A New Rapid Method for Measuring the Vertical Head Profile.

This study describes a new technique for measuring the head profile in a geologic formation. The technique provides rapid, low cost information on the depth of water-producing zones and aquitards in heterogeneous aquifers, yielding estimates of hydraulic heads in each zone while identifying any potential for cross contamination between zones. The measurements can be performed in a typical borehole in just a few hours. The procedure uses both the continuous transmissivity profile obtained by the installation (eversion) of a flexible borehole liner into an open borehole and the subsequent removal (inversion) of the same liner from the borehole. The method is possible because of the continuous transmissivity profile (T profile described by Keller et al. 2014) obtained by measuring the rate of liner eversion under a constant driving head. The hydraulic heads of producing zones are measured using the reverse head profile (RHP) method (patent no. 9,008,971) based on a stepwise inversion of the borehole liner. As each interval of the borehole is uncovered by inversion of the liner, the head beneath the liner is allowed to equilibrate to a steady-state value. The individual hydraulic heads contributing to each measurement are calculated using the measured transmissivity for each zone. Application of the RHP method to a sedimentary bedrock borehole in New Jersey verified that it reproduced the head distribution obtained the same day in the same borehole instrumented with a multilevel sampling system.

Groundwater flow characterization in a fractured bedrock aquifer using active DTS tests in sealed boreholes

Summary In recent years, wireline temperature profiling methods have evolved to offer new insight into fractured rock hydrogeology. Important advances in wireline temperature logging in boreholes make use of active line source heating alone and then in combination with temporary borehole sealing with flexible impervious fabric liners to eliminate the effects of borehole cross-connection and recreate natural flow conditions. Here, a characterization technique was developed based on combining fiber optic distributed temperature sensing (DTS) with active heating within boreholes sealed with flexible borehole liners. DTS systems provide a temperature profiling method that offers significantly enhanced temporal resolution when compared with conventional wireline trolling-based techniques that obtain a temperature–depth profile every few hours. The ability to rapidly and continuously collect temperature profiles can better our understanding of transient processes, allowing for improved identification of hydraulically active fractures and determination of relative rates of groundwater flow. The advantage of a sealed borehole environment for DTS-based investigations is demonstrated through a comparison of DTS data from open and lined conditions for the same borehole. Evidence for many depth-discrete active groundwater flow features under natural gradient conditions using active DTS heat pulse testing is presented along with high resolution geologic and geophysical logging and hydraulic datasets. Implications for field implementation are discussed.

Failure analysis of borehole liners in soft coal seam for gas drainage

In this paper, loads acting on the liner in inserting installation, drainage lifetime and recycling operation were analyzed. Texts on axial deformation, radial compressive deformation and shear deformation properties of the liner were carried out by the universal testing machine. The correlation between the test results and the different loads was discussed. The influences of sieve opening density and diameter on the liner mechanical properties were investigated. Furthermore, the microstructures of tensile deformation, compressive deformation and shear deformation were observed by scanning electron microscope (SEM). Our results are practically useful for the structure design of production liners to improve their mechanical properties. First, in the liner installation, the application of PP liner and PE liner is a top priority in boreholes with large curvature owing to their perfect bending stiffness. Second, during the drainage lifetime, the PP liner can offer a wonderful performance on radial deformation against the borehole collapse. Third, if the liner recycling is required, it is not encouraged to apply the PE liner due to its poor performance on tensile strength and shear strength. Fourth, the increase of sieve density (from 0/m to 10/m) only has an obvious influence on the tensile strength of liner and it is feasible for the efficient recycling to decrease sieve opening density partly. Finally, it is found that the surface of all materials after torsional deformation is worse than that after compressive deformation and after tensile deformation, indicating that shear failure is the key threat to liners.

New Method for Continuous Transmissivity Profiling in Fractured Rock

A new method is presented to search for hydraulically transmissive features in open boreholes in bedrock. A flexible borehole liner made of a watertight, nylon fabric is filled with water to create a constant driving head to evert (reverse of invert) the liner down the hole so that the liner pushes the borehole water out into transmissive fractures or other permeable features. The descent rate is governed by the bulk transmissivity of the remaining permeable features below the liner. Initially, the liner descent rate or velocity is a measure of transmissivity (T) of the entire hole. As the everting liner passes and seals each permeable feature, changes in the liner velocity indicate the position of each feature and an estimate of T using the Thiem equation for steady radial flow. This method has been performed in boreholes with diameters ranging from 96 to 330 mm. Profiling commonly takes a few hours in holes 200- to 300-m long. After arrival of the liner at the bottom of the hole, the liner acts as a seal preventing borehole cross connection between transmissive features at different depths. Liner removal allows the hole to be used for other purposes. The T values determined using this method in a dolostone aquifer were found to be similar to the values from injection tests using conventional straddle packers. This method is not a replacement for straddle-packer hydraulic testing of specific zones where greater accuracy is desired; however, it is effective and efficient for scanning entire holes for transmissive features.

A New Depth‐Discrete Multilevel Monitoring Approach for Fractured Rock

AbstractA new approach for monitoring in fractured rock was demonstrated in a contaminated (trichloroethylene and metolachlor) dolostone aquifer used for municipal water supply. The system consists of two related technologies: a continuous packer for temporary borehole seals (Flexible Liner Underground Technologies Ltd. [FLUTe] blank liner) and a depth‐discrete multilevel monitoring system (MLS) (the Water FLUTe) for temporary or permanent monitoring. The continuous borehole liner consists of a urethane‐coated nylon fabric tube custom sized to each hole. The FLUTe MLS consists of the same liner material with many depth‐discrete intervals for monitoring hydraulic head and/or ground water quality. The FLUTe blank liner seals the entire borehole, prior to FLUTe multilevel installation, to prevent vertical cross connection while allowing borehole logging and testing. The FLUTe multilevel system also seals the entire borehole with the exception of each monitoring interval where the formation water has direct hydraulic connection to the pumping system via a thin permeable mesh sandwiched between the liner and the formation. The blank sealing liners and the multilevel systems were used in five boreholes ranging in diameter between 9.6 and 14.5 cm in the dolostone aquifer to depths of 150 m. The systems were custom designed for each borehole and included between 12 and 15 monitoring intervals. The application demonstrated the ease of installation and removability and facilitated obtaining large data sets with minimal labor. The system offers unique and versatile design features not possible with other bedrock monitoring devices and has been used at many bedrock contamination sites across North America.

Corrosion behavior of carbon steel rock bolt in simulated Yucca Mountain ground waters

Medium carbon steel (AISI 1040) was one of the candidate materials for rock bolts to reinforce the borehole liners and emplacement drifts of the high-level nuclear waste repository in Yucca Mountain. The corrosion performance of this structural steel was investigated by techniques such as linear polarization, electrochemical impedance spectroscopy (EIS), and laboratory immersion tests in simulated ground waters. The corrosion rates of the steel were measured for the temperatures in the range from 25 °C to 85 °C, for the ionic concentrations of 1 time (1×), 10 times (10×), and a hundred times (100×) ground water concentration. The steel corroded uniformly at penetration rates of 35 to 200 µm/year in the deaerated waters, and at 200 to 1000 µm/year in the aerated waters. Increasing temperatures in the deaerated waters increased the corrosion rate of the steel. However, increasing ionic concentrations influenced the corrosion rate only slightly. In the aerated 1×and 10×waters, increasing temperatures increased the rates of the steel significantly. In the aerated 100×waters, the corrosion rate increased from 25 °C to 45 °C and decreased at higher temperatures (65 °C and up) due to the formation of oxide/hydroxide films and salt scales on the surface of the steel specimen. The steel suffered pitting corrosion in the both deaerated and aerated hot ground water environments after anodic polarization.

Cautions and Suggestions for Geochemical Sampling in Fractured Rock

AbstractCollecting water samples for geochemical analyses in open bedrock boreholes or in discrete intervals of boreholes intersected by multiple fractures is likely to yield ambiguous results for ground water chemistry because of the variability in the transmissivity, storativity, and hydraulic head of fractures intersecting the borehole. Interpreting chemical analyses of water samples collected in bedrock boreholes requires an understanding of the hydraulic conditions in the borehole under the ambient flow regime in the aquifer as well as during sampling. Pumping in open boreholes, regardless of the pumping rate and the location of the pump intake, first draws water from the borehole and then from fractures intersecting the borehole. The time at which the volumetric rate of water entering the borehole from fractures is approximately equal to the pumping rate can be identified by monitoring the logarithm of drawdown in the borehole as a function of the logarithm of time. Mixing of water entering the borehole from fractures with water in the borehole must be considered in estimating the time at which the pump discharge is representative of aquifer water. In boreholes intersected by multiple fractures, after the contribution from the borehole volume has diminished, the contribution of fractures to the pump discharge will be weighted according to their transmissivity, regardless of the location of the pump intake. This results in a flux‐averaged concentration in the pump discharge that is biased by the chemical signature of those fractures with the highest transmissivity. Under conditions where the hydraulic head of fractures varies over the length of the borehole, open boreholes will be subject to ambient flow in the water column in the borehole. In some instances, the magnitude of the ambient flow may be similar to the designated pumping rate for collecting water samples for geochemical analyses. Under such conditions, the contributions to the pump discharge from individual fractures will be a function not only of the transmissivity of the fractures, but also of the distribution of hydraulic head in fractures intersecting the borehole. To reduce or eliminate the deleterious effects of conducting geochemical sampling in open boreholes, a straddle‐packer apparatus that isolates a single fracture or a series of closely spaced fractures is recommended. It is also recommended that open boreholes be permanently outfitted with borehole packers or borehole liners in instances where maintaining the hydraulic and chemical stratification in the aquifer is of importance. In a field example, a comparison of results from sampling in an open borehole and in discrete intervals of the same borehole showed dramatic differences in the concentrations of chemical constituents in the water samples, even though chemical field parameters stabilized prior to both open borehole and discrete interval sampling.

Cost‐effectiveness analysis of the seamistTM borehole liner system

AbstractSEAMISTTM is an innovative technology that facilitates measurements of contaminants in both vertical and horizontal boreholes. The essence of SEAMISTTM is an airtight membrane liner pneumatically emplaced inside the borehole and maintained with positive pressure. Sampling ports, absorbent collectors, and various in‐situ measuring devices can be fabricated into the liner. Small instruments and cameras can be guided through the borehole to obtain real‐time data.This article reports on the cost and performance effectiveness of this new technology. In this report, SEAMISTTM is evaluated as a tool for obtaining data on volatile organic compounds, semivolatile organic compounds, other water‐borne contaminants, and radionuclides. SEAMISTTM is also compared to traditional borehole casing, to conventional soil vapor probes, and to conventional pore‐fluid collecting lysimeters. The most cost‐ and performance‐effective applications of SEAMISTTM are shown to be those applications for which multiple characterization requirements can be combined into one SEAMISTTM membrane system.

Corrosion Behavior of Carbon Steels Under Tuff Repository Environmental Conditions

AbstractCarbon steels may be used for borehole liners in a potential high-level nuclear waste repository in tuff in Nevada. Borehole liners are needed to facilitate emplacement of the waste packages and to facilitate retrieval of the packages, if required. Corrosion rates of low carbon structural steels AISI 1020 and ASTM A-36 were determined in J-13 well water and in saturated steam at 100°C. J-13 well water is representative of water which has percolated through the tuff horizon where the repository would be located. Tests were conducted in air-sparged J-13 water to attain stronger oxidizing conditions. A limited number of irradiation corrosion and stress corrosion tests were performed. Chromium-molybdenum alloy steels and cast irons were also tested. These materials showed lower general corrosion but were susceptible to stress corrosion cracking when welded.