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Long range regional groundwater flow systems in the Northern Great Plains:
(1) Groundwater flow directions within the Midale Formation at the Weyburn carbon sequestration site, Saskatchewan, Canada

K.U. Weyer and J.C. Ellis
Paper prepared to accompany a poster presentation at IAH-CNC GeoMontreal 2013, Montreal, QC, Canada, Sep. 29 - Oct. 3, 2013.

© 2013, WDA Consultants Inc.



Abstract

Regional groundwater flow patterns have become a basis for judging the environmental effects of subsurface injection of CO2 in Alberta and Saskatchewan, and waste water disposal in the Athabasca region of Alberta. Presently, however, not much attention has been paid to the type of fluid dynamics used (the mathematical physics of engineering hydraulics with velocity potentials versus Hubbert’s force potentials and the integration of field data acquired). This paper evaluates the fluid dynamic concepts and field data presently in use, regionally and locally, at the well-known Weyburn CO2 sequestration test site in Saskatchewan. As an outcome it recommends an alteration in the concepts, types of investigations, and monitoring procedures in place. The new methods will actually improve the understanding of local and regional fluid dynamic processes, optimize management of injections, and permit the control of possible return flows.

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