Forensic analysis of breakthrough curves in fractured bedrock to reconstruct a past contaminant release event—A case study

Abstract

This work presents analysis of breakthrough curves collected from monitoring wells located around an impoundment that leaked produced water in fractured bedrock. The analysis demonstrated that fractured bedrock flow could be highly heterogeneous, with produced water impacting some monitoring well, but not others located within the same distance as impacted wells, and within the same general alignment from the leaking impoundment. Breakthrough curves that were collected before and after the impoundment leak event contained information that was used to reconstruct events that led to the leaking of the impoundment. The breakthrough curve analysis methods presented in this work could be used in similar situations where groundwater flow is dominated by unidirectional fracture porosity.

Keywords:

• heterogeneous
• fractured bedrock
• chloride
• produced water
• breakthrough curve
• hydraulic fracturing
• impoundment