Megacity pumping and preferential flow threaten groundwater quality

Many of the world’s megacities depend on groundwater from geologically complex aquifers that are over-exploited and threatened by contamination. Here, using the example of Dhaka, Bangladesh, we illustrate how interactions between aquifer heterogeneity and groundwater exploitation jeopardize groundwater resources regionally. Groundwater pumping in Dhaka has caused large-scale drawdown that extends into outlying areas where arsenic-contaminated shallow groundwater is pervasive and has potential to migrate downward. We evaluate the vulnerability of deep, low-arsenic groundwater with groundwater models that incorporate geostatistical simulations of aquifer heterogeneity. Simulations show that preferential flow through stratigraphy typical of fluvio-deltaic aquifers could contaminate deep (>150 m) groundwater within a decade, nearly a century faster than predicted through homogeneous models calibrated to the same data. The most critical fast flowpaths cannot be predicted by simplified models or identified by standard measurements. Such complex vulnerability beyond city limits could become a limiting factor for megacity groundwater supplies in aquifers worldwide.National Institute of Environmental Health Sciences. Superfund Research Program (Grant P42 ES010349)National Science Foundation (U.S.) (Grant EAR-115173

Caractérisation, estimation et valorisation de gisements d'argiles kaoliniques du bassin des Charentes

The kaolinitic clays have been exploited for more than a hundred years, in the western part of the Charentes basin, and belong to the paleo-deltaic network. The genesis of the kaolin deposit of the Charentes basin obeys the simple geological rules, but their detailed geometry has a great complexity, reinforced by the fact that one must distinguish from clays, very different qualities.The recent deposits are relatively richer in alumina in comparison with the older ones. These deposits which are deeper than the old ones have undergone often more intense post-sedimentary phenomena. In this study, the chemical composition of the various deposits of this basin is studied. The formation of hyperaluminous clays is particularly studied.The available data are the results of chemical analysis of the kaolinitic core samples. This data are used to improve our knowledge on the kaolins compositions of different classes and different deposits by using the statistical analyses.Geostatistical methods are proposed for the study of the Charentes deposits and are applied to some of them. The problems of the application of the geostatistical tools for this kind of deposit are described, and the more adapted methods are proposed.We insist on the importance of the spatial variability of the chemical composition on the management of exploration, extraction/classification and production. We show how the use of these tools can help us to better manage the production, from the kaolin deposits.The geostatistical simulations help us to visualize the spatial variability of the various categories of kaolins. They were implemented within the framework of the trucked gaussian methods (pluri-gaussians). Two cases were treated: simulation of argillaceous facies (distinguished mainly by the visual criteria), and simulation of kaolin classes defined by their content of Al2O3.Des argiles kaoliniques sont exploitées depuis une centaine d'années, dans la partie occidentale du bassin des Charentes. Leurs dépôts sont liés aux formations sédimentaires d'un réseau paléo-deltaïque. La genèse des gisements de kaolin du Bassin des Charentes obéit à des règles géologiques simples mais leur géométrie détaillée présente une grande complexité, renforcée par le fait qu'on doit distinguer des argiles de qualités très différentes.Les gisements récemment mis en exploitation, sont relativement plus riches en alumine que ceux déjà épuisés. Ces nouveaux gisements, plus profonds que les anciens, ont subi des phénomènes postsédimentaires plus intenses. Dans cette étude on compare des données chimiques des différents gisements de Bassin des Charentes. La formation des argiles hyperalumineuses est particulièrement étudiée. On essaie d'améliorer la connaissance des gisements en utilisant les analyses statistiques. Les données disponibles sont les résultats d'analyses chimiques des échantillons carottés des argiles kaoliniques.Des méthodes géostatistiques sont proposées pour l'étude de ces gisements et sont appliquées à certains d'entre eux. Les problèmes de l'utilisation des outils de la géostatistique pour ce genre de dépôt sont abordés et on essaie de présenter des démarches adaptées.Ces outils nous permettent de mettre en évidence l'importance d'une connaissance de la variabilité spatiale des éléments chimiques dans ce gisement pour mieux gérer les opérations d'exploration, d'extraction et de classification des dépôts de kaolin.Des simulations géostatistiques permettent de visualiser la variabilité spatiale des différentes catégories d'argile. Elles ont été mises en oeuvre dans le cadre de la méthode des plurigaussiennes seuillées. Deux cas ont été traités : simulation de faciès argileux fondés principalement sur des critères visuels, et simulation de classes d'argile définies à partir de leur teneur en Al2O3

Caractérisation, estimation et valorisation de gisements d'argiles kaoliniques du bassin des Charentes

PARIS-MINES ParisTech (751062310) / SudocNANCY2-BU Gestion (543952107) / SudocSudocFranceF

Reserve classification challenges and modelling of the kaolin deposits of Charentes Basin, France

International audienc

The impact of geological uncertainty on primary production from a fluvial reservoir

Abstract Deposition of fluvial sandbodies is controlled mainly by characteristics of the system, such as the rate of avulsion and aggradation of the fluvial channels and their geometry. The impact and the interaction of these parameters have not received adequate attention. In this paper, the impact of geological uncertainty resulting from the interpretation of the fluvial geometry, maximum depth of channels, and their avulsion rates on primary production is studied for fluvial reservoirs. Several meandering reservoirs were generated using a process-mimicking package by varying several controlling factors. Simulation results indicate that geometrical parameters of the fluvial channels impact cumulative production during primary production more significantly than their avulsion rate. The most significant factor appears to be the maximum depth of fluvial channels. The overall net-to-gross ratio is closely correlated with the cumulative oil production of the field, but cumulative production values for individual wells do not appear to be correlated with the local net-to-gross ratio calculated in the vicinity of each well. Connectedness of the sandbodies to each well, defined based on the minimum time-of-flight from each block to the well, appears to be a more reliable indicator of well-scale production

Denitrification hotspots in intertidal mixing zones linked to geologic heterogeneity

The mixing between fresh and saline groundwater in beach aquifers promotes biogeochemical transformations that affect nutrient fluxes to the coastal ocean. We performed variable-density groundwater flow and reactive transport simulations with geostatistical representations of sedimentary structure to understand the influence of heterogeneity on groundwater dynamics and denitrification in intertidal mixing zones. Ensemble-averaged simulation results show that heterogeneity can enhance mixing between fresh and saline groundwater and increase residence time, resulting in up to 80% higher nitrate removal relative to equivalent effective homogeneous aquifer sediment. Denitrification hotspots form in high permeability structures where DOC and nitrate are readily supplied by convergent flow. The results provide a physical explanation for the formation of denitrification hotspots observed in beach aquifers and illustrate for the first time the influence of sediment heterogeneity on rates and spatial patterns of biogeochemical processes in intertidal aquifers that are critical mediators of land-sea solute fluxes along world coastlines

The impact of geological uncertainty on primary production from a fluvial reservoir

Abstract Deposition of fluvial sandbodies is controlled mainly by characteristics of the system, such as the rate of avulsion and aggradation of the fluvial channels and their geometry. The impact and the interaction of these parameters have not received adequate attention. In this paper, the impact of geological uncertainty resulting from the interpretation of the fluvial geometry, maximum depth of channels, and their avulsion rates on primary production is studied for fluvial reservoirs. Several meandering reservoirs were generated using a process-mimicking package by varying several controlling factors. Simulation results indicate that geometrical parameters of the fluvial channels impact cumulative production during primary production more significantly than their avulsion rate. The most significant factor appears to be the maximum depth of fluvial channels. The overall net-to-gross ratio is closely correlated with the cumulative oil production of the field, but cumulative production values for individual wells do not appear to be correlated with the local net-to-gross ratio calculated in the vicinity of each well. Connectedness of the sandbodies to each well, defined based on the minimum time-of-flight from each block to the well, appears to be a more reliable indicator of well-scale production