Skip To Content

TitlePhysical controls on water migration in above ground elemental sulphur blocks
Publication TypeThesis
Year of Publication2007
AuthorsBonstrom, K.
VolumeCivil Engineering
IssueM. Sc.
Place PublishedUniversity of Saskatchewan
Publication Languageen
Keywordsfractured porous media, hydrophobic, sulphur, unsaturated, water migration
Abstract

Elemental sulphur (S0) is produced from processing bitumen from the oil sands region, Alberta. Long term storage of this S0 is under consideration. The objective of the current study was to determine the controls on water migration in variably saturated S0 blocks. Based on visual observations of S0 blocks, they were characterized as a hydrophobic fractured porous media. Thus, measurements of the hydraulic characteristics, including porosity (n) and hydraulic conductivity (K) of the matrix and the fractured media, were undertaken. These data were used to create characteristic relationships of unsaturated K (Kunsat) and volumetric moisture content (è) change with change in positive injection pressure (Ø).Analyses showed that the mean total matrix n (nm) was 0.094 ± 0.035 (n = 280), the mean n available for water migration (na) was 0.065 ± 0.044 (n = 8) and the mean (geometric) K for the matrix was 2.0 x 10-6 ± 2.1 x 10-6 ms-1. In the case of vertical fractures, the aperture frequencies were measured to be 2.5, 10.0 and 21.0 m-1 for fractures with apertures > 1.4, 1.4 to 0.6 and < 0.6 mm respectively while the frequency of horizontal fractures, were measured to be 1.7 and 3.7 m-1 for with apertures > 1.4, and < 1.4 mm respectively. The fracture n (nf) was determined to be 0.0135. è – Ø relationships were determined for both the fractured and non fractured media. From these plots, water entry values of 9 mm and 1 m were determined for the fracture pore space and the matrix pore space, respectively.Simulations of packer tests resulted in a bulk saturated K (Kb) values ranging from 8.5 x 10-5 to 2 x 10-4 ms-1 above 9 m depth and 3 x 10-6 to 1.5 x 10-5 ms-1 below 9 m depth. Coupled Kunsat – Ø and è – Ø relationships were used to conceptually describe water migration in S0 blocks under different precipitation and mounding conditions. These plots also showed that the Kb is dominated by the fractures.

URLhttp://ecommons.usask.ca/bitstream/handle/10388/etd-04252007-114610/KBonstromThesis.pdf?sequence=1
Topics

Oil & Other Non-renewable Fuels

Locational Keywords

Athabasca Oil Sands

Group

Science

Citation Key48105

Enter keywords or search terms and press Search

Search this site


Subscribe to the site

Syndicate content

Bookmark and Share