Quantification of the character and spatial distribution of porosity in carbonate aquifers is important as input into computer models used in the calculation of intrinsic permeability and for next-generation, high-resolution groundwater flow simulations. Digital, optical, borehole-wall image data from three closely spaced boreholes in the karst-carbonate Biscayne aquifer in southeastern Florida are used in geostatistical experiments to assess the capabilities of various methods to create realistic two-dimensional models of vuggy megaporosity and matrix-porosity distribution in the limestone that composes the aquifer. When the borehole image data alone were used as the model training image, multiple-point geostatistics failed to detect the known spatial autocorrelation of vuggy megaporosity and matrix porosity among the three boreholes, which were only 10 m apart. Variogram analysis and subsequent Gaussian simulation produced results that showed a realistic conceptualization of horizontal continuity of strata dominated by vuggy megaporosity and matrix porosity among the three boreholes.
Citation Information
Publication Year | 2016 |
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Title | Geostatistical borehole image-based mapping of karst-carbonate aquifer pores |
DOI | 10.1111/gwat.12354 |
Authors | Michael Sukop, Kevin J. Cunningham |
Publication Type | Article |
Publication Subtype | Journal Article |
Series Title | Groundwater |
Index ID | 70155166 |
Record Source | USGS Publications Warehouse |
USGS Organization | FLWSC-Ft. Lauderdale |