Note: this document may contain some elements that are not fully accessible to users

with disabilities. If you need assistance accessing any information in this document,
please contact ORD_Webmaster@epa.gov.

GEOPHYSICAL
CHARACTERIZATION AND
BOREHOLE GEOPHYSICAL TOOLS
TO AID MONITOR WELL
PLACEMENT AND COMPLETION

Ron Sloto
U.S. Geological Survey
U.S. Department of the Interior
Pennsylvania Water Science Center
U.S. Geological Survey
 Borehole geophysics is the collection of
geologic and hydrologic information in
wells by lowering and raising probes on
a wire

 Much more can be learned by the

analysis of a suite of geophysical logs
as a group than by the analysis of the
same logs individually
 GEOHYDROLOGIC
CHARACTERIZATION
 Fractures and water-bearing zones (location
and orientation)
 Structural features
 Lithology and lithologic contacts
 Aquifer hydraulic characteristics
 Groundwater flow system
 Hydraulic head differences
 Well construction
BOREHOLE GEOPHYSICS

• For new monitor wells

 Proper location to set well screen
 Aquifer characteristics
 Hydraulic connections between monitor
wells
BOREHOLE GEOPHYSICS

• For existing (domestic) wells

 Well construction characteristics
(depth, casing length, water-bearing
zones)
 Aquifer hydraulic characteristics
 Water quality
 BOREHOLE GEOPHYSICS
STANDARD LOG SUITE
 Caliper
 Natural gamma
 Single-point electric
 Fluid resistivity
 Fluid temperature
 Flowmeter
 Television
 Acoustic televiewer USGS Pennsylvania Water
Science Center Logger
CALIPER LOG
5 10 15 20 5 10 15 20
0

Provides a continuous 50

record of average 100

DEP TH, IN FEE T BELOW LA ND SURFACE

borehole diameter
150

200

250

300

Used to identify 350

fractures, water-bearing 400

openings, and changes 450

500

in lithology 550
GAMMA LOG
Records the natural- HOLE DIAMETER,
IN INCHES
NATURAL GAMMA, IN
COUNTS PER SECOND

gamma radiation 0
5.5 6 6.5 7
0
0 50 100 150 200

emitted from rocks 20 20

penetrated by the 40 40

DEPTH, IN FEET BELOW LAND SURFACE

DIABASE

borehole. The gamma

60 60

80 80

log often is used to

100 100

define lithology and 120 120

BRUNSWICK
GROUP

correlate geologic 140 140

units between 160 160

boreholes. Caliper and natural-gamma logs of well BK-2202, Bridgetown Township,

northern Bucks County.
 SINGLE-POINT RESISTANCE
ELECTRIC LOG
Electrical resistance
increases with grain size
and decreases with HOLE DIAMETER,
IN INCHES
NATURAL GAMMA,
COUNTS PER SECOND
SINGLE POINT RESISTANCE
IN OHMS

borehole diameter, 0

50
6 8 10 1 10 100 2,000 4,000 6,000 8,000

density of water-bearing 100

DEPTH, IN FEET BELOW LAND SURFACE

fractures, and increasing 150

200
STOCKTON
FOR MATION

dissolved-solids 250

PALEOSOL
300

concentration of 350

borehole fluid 400

450
CAR BONATE
ROCK

500
FLUID TEMPERATURE LOG
Provides a continuous record of the
temperature of the fluid in the borehole.

FLUID RESISTIVITY LOG

Measures the electrical resistance
(fluid conductivity) of fluid in the borehole.
Logs reflect changes in the dissolved-solids
concentration of the borehole fluid.
 FLUID 7
HOLE DIAMETER,
IN INCHES
9 11 12
FLUID TEMPERATURE,
IN DEGREES CELSIUS
12.5 13 150
FLUID RESISTIVITY,
IN OHM-METERS
300 450

TEMPERATURE 0

AND FLUID 50

RESISTIVITY 100
l 5.0

LOGS
D E P T H , IN F E E T B E L O W LA N D S U R F A C E
150

l 2.9
200

250

Where would l 1.2

you set the 300

screen? 350

l 0.7
400

450

WELL BK-1845, WARMINSTER TOWNSHIP, BUCKS COUNTY

HEATPULSE FLOWMETER
• Measures rate and direction
of borehole flow under static
conditions
• Measures contribution of
individual fractures under
pumping conditions
• Differences in hydraulic head
• Delineates transmissive fractures
• Defines relative vertical hydraulic
gradients
 CALIPER LOG HOLE
DIAMETER, IN
BOREHOLE TELEVISION
INCHES
8 10 12 14 16
0

50
D EP TH, IN FEE T BE LO W LAND S UR FACE

100

150

200

250

300

350

400

VERTICAL FRACTURE IN WELL AT 138

FEET BELOW TOP OF CASING
BOREHOLE TELEVISION
Corehole in Marcellus Shale Play
The acoustic
borehole televiewer
log is a magnetically
oriented, 360,
photograph-like
image of the acoustic
reflectivity of the
borehole wall. Digital
images from the
televiewer are
recorded by the
computer collecting
logging data.
 ACOUSTIC TELEVIEWER
Televiewer logs indicate
the location and strike and
dip of fractures and
lithologic contacts
3-D E Projected
N S N E S W N
W
 BOREHOLE STRUCTURAL
DEVIATION ORIENTATION

NAWC
SUPPLY WELL 3
 BOREHOLE FLUID SAMPLER
• Wireline sampler
• Captures borehole fluid
from a discrete depth
• Largest sampler
collects up to 1 liter of
fluid
 AQUIFER-ISOLATION (PACKER) TESTS
• Isolation of individual
fractures or fracture zones
• Hydraulic properties with
depth (K, specific capacity)
• Hydraulic connections
Around borehole
To other boreholes
• Discrete-depth water
samples
ANALYSIS OF A SUITE OF BOREHOLE
GEOPHYSICAL LOGS