Deep Well Disposal of Waste Waters in Saline Aquifers of South Florida

Abstract

Florida is underlain by very rich water‐bearing strata commonly referred to as the Floridan aquifer. Solution channels and caverns in carbonaceous rocks are found at different depth intervals in extensive, thick (several thousand feet) sections of limestones and dolomites. In south Florida the bottom part of the Floridan aquifer includes extremely cavernous strata commonly referred to as the ‘Boulder Zone’. Chloride concentration in the water of the Boulder Zone is over 2000 mg/1. Because of this, large volumes of brine from oil fields are reinjected into this zone. Since 1966 industrial waste (essentially 1% acetic acid) has been injected into a disposal well drilled to the top of the Boulder Zone southeast of Lake Okeechobee. Planning and monitoring of this well have included the cooperation of government and private interests. Experiences, results, and potential of this zone for further similar uses are discussed.

Journal of Research of the U. S. Geological Survey, 1975, volume 3, issue 3

“…A similar observation was made by Garcia-Bengochea and Vernon (1970) during test-well drilling at the Belle Glade site. They reported an anomalous vertical distribution of chloride; at a depth of 1,100 ft (335 m) the chloride concentration was 1,200 mg/L, whereas at a depth of 1,320 ft (402 m) the chloride concentration was 620 mg/1.…”

“…8), the implication is that the waste moved predominantly through a relatively thin part of the injection zone (discussed below), probably a cavernous zone. As noted earlier, effects of waste injection were detected at the deep monitor well in 1967 (Vernon and Garcia-Bengochea, 1967;Garcia-Bengochea and Vernon, 1970). This also indicates that the waste moved through a relatively thin section of the injection zone, considering the volume of waste injected by that time (about 40X106 gal or 1.51 X105 m 3 ).…”

“…Generalized hydrogeologic section between Belle Glade and the Straits of Florida (partial data sources include Garcia-Bengochea and Vernon, 1970, andKaufmau, 1973).…”

“…As indicated by traces of acetate ion, the liquid waste was detected at the deep monitor well in 1967 shortly after operations started, according to Vernon and Garcia-Bengochea (1967) and Garcia-Bengochea and Vernon (1970).…”