Basic data report for drilling and hydrologic testing of drillhole DOE-2 at the Waste Isolation Pilot Plant (WIIP) site

Abstract

Drillhole DOE-2 was drilled to investigate a structural depression marked by the downward displacement of stratigraphic markers in the Salado Formation -2 mi north of the center of the WIPP site. This depression was named informally after the shallow borehole FC-92 in which the structure was described. The presence of the depression was confirmed by drilling. Contrary to several hypotheses, halite layers were thicker in the lower part of the Salado, not thinner as a result of any removal of halite. The upper Castile anhydrite in Drillhole DOE-2 is anomalously thick and is strongly deformed relative to the anhydrite in adjacent drillholes. In contrast, the halite was t 8 f t thick and significantly thinner than usually encountered. The lower Castile anhydrite appears to be normal. The depression within the correlated marker beds in the Salado Formation in Drillhole DOE-2 is interpreted as a result of gravity-driven deformation of the underlying Castile Formation.Several stratigraphic units were hydrologically tested in Drillhole DOE-2. Testing of the unsaturated lower portion of the Dewey Lake Red Beds was unsuccessful because of exceptionally small rates of fluid intake. Drill-stem tests were conducted in five intervals in the Rustler Formation, over the Marker Bed 138-139 interval in the Salado Formation, and over three sandstone members of the Bell Canyon Formation. A pumping test was conducted in the Culebra Dolomite Member of the Rustler Formation. Pressure-pulse tests were conducted over the entire Salado Formation. Fluid samples were collected from the Culebra Dolomite Member and from the Hays Member of the Bell Canyon Formation.

Draft Title 40 CFR 191 compliance certification application for the Waste Isolation Pilot Plant. Volume 9: Appendices RM, SCR, SER, SUM, WRAC

“…To the north, the zone appears to extend nearly to hole WIPP-30 (Beauheim, 1987~). This interpretation is based largely on the fact that UIPP-30, vith a reported transmissivity of only 3.2 x 10-7 m2/s (Beauheim, 1987b;Mercer, 1983) and at a distance of 5587 m from UIPP-13, responded vithin 61 hours to the beginning of pumping.…”

“…The Culebra in WIPP-13 has an estimated transmissivity of 7.4 x 10-5 m2/s (Beauheim, 1987~). The Culebra in and near WIPP-13 is best thought of as a doubleporosity medihn with unrestricted interporosity flow (Beauheim, 1987~).…”

“…The analytical interpretation by Beauheim (1987~) indicates that WIPP-13 lies within a relatively homogeneous fractured region, which includes WIPP-13 and DOE-2, as well as the H-6 hydropad (both H-6a and H-6b were monitored during the WIPP-13 test). DOE-2, at a distance of 1475 m from WIPP-13, responded within one hour to the beginning of pumping, while H-6b, at a distance of 2188 m, responded within 8 hours (Table 4. (1) Distance and direction from UIPP-13.…”

Draft Title 40 CFR 191 compliance certification application for the Waste Isolation Pilot Plant. Volume 5: Appendices D and D, DEF, FAC

“…The Castile stratigraphy was not normal; the second halite was apparently squeezed out of the area during deformation. The stratigraphy in DOE-2 is apparently the result of processes which caused the DZ, and is not the result of any dissolution (Borns, 1987;Mercer et al, 1987).…”

Resource Conservation and Recovery Act: Part B permit application. Volume 8, Revision 5

“…The Castile stratigraphy was not normal; the second halite 6 was apparently squeezed out of the area during deformation. The stratigraphy in DOE-2 is 1 apparently the result of processes which caused the DZ and is not the result of any dissolution 8 (Borns, 1987;Mercer et al, 1987). 9…”