• Economic and Environmental Geology
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• v.46 no.4
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• pp.313-327
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• 2013

In the study, three-dimensional geostatistical simulations on McMurray Formation which is the largest oil sand reservoir in Athabasca area, Canada were performed, and the optimal site for steam assisted gravity drainage (SAGD) was selected based on the predictions. In the selection, the factors related to the vertical extendibility of steam chamber were considered as the criteria for an optimal site. For the predictions, 110 borehole data acquired from the study area were analyzed in the Markovian transition probability (TP) framework and three-dimensional distributions of the composing media were predicted stochastically through an existing TP based geostatistical model. The potential of a specific medium at a position within the prediction domain was estimated from the ensemble probability based on the multiple realizations. From the ensemble map, the cumulative thickness of the permeable media (i.e. Breccia and Sand) was analyzed and the locations with the highest potential for SAGD applications were delineated. As a supportive criterion for an optimal SAGD site, mean vertical extension of a unit permeable media was also delineated through transition rate based computations. The mean vertical extension of a permeable media show rough agreement with the cumulative thickness in their general distribution. However, the distributions show distinctive disagreement at a few locations where the cumulative thickness was higher due to highly alternating juxtaposition of the permeable and the less permeable media. This observation implies that the cumulative thickness alone may not be a sufficient criterion for an optimal SAGD site and the mean vertical extension of the permeable media needs to be jointly considered for the sound selections.

• Journal of the Mineralogical Society of Korea
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• v.7 no.1
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• pp.49-61
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• 1994

As the groundwater flows along the fractures of crystalline rocks, it will be in contact with the fracture walls mostly coated by secondary minerals which are quite different form those of host rocks. The presence of fracture-filling minerals in crystalline rocks is important on the view point of radioactive waste disposal because of their great surface reactivity. The Surichi drill hole of 200 m in depth in the Yugu area composed mainly of Precambrian gneiss was selected to study the formation process of clay minerals on the fracture wall of gneiss, and their relation with present groundwater. The water-rock interaction in fractures resulted in the formation of gibbsite and clay minerals. They are formed by two different processes : (1) Incongruent dissolution of feldspar by groundwater diffused from a fracture path into rock matrix produced smectite and illite in situ, (2) on the wall of fracture, gibbsite, kaolinite, smectite and illite are formed by precipitation of dissolved species in groundwater. They show the paragenetic sequence such as gibbsite${\leftrightarrow}$kaolinite${\leftrightarrow}$smectite or illite. The paragenetic sequence of fracture-filling minerals was controlled by increase of pH of groundwater, decrease of fracture permeability by precipitation of fillings, and immobility of alkali or alkaline earths in groundwater. The groundwater from the Surichi borehole is a $Na-HCO_{3}$ type with pH range of 8.6-9.2. The sodium and bicarbonate in groundwater would be supplied by the dissolution of albite and calcite, respectively. The saturation index of groundwater and surface water calculated by WATEQ4F indicates that gibbsite and kaolinite are under precipitation to equilibrium state, and that smectite and illite are under equilibrium to redissolution environment. The stability relation of clay minerals in the $Na_{2}O-Al_{2}O_{3}-SiO_{2}-H_{2}O$ system shows that kaolinite is stable for all waters.

• Journal of Soil and Groundwater Environment
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• v.7 no.3
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• pp.33-44
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• 2002

A field technique for assessing the transmissive fractures in an aquifer was applied to a fractured rock formation in Youngchun area Korea. Geological mapping and detailed acoustic borehole teleview(BHTV) logging were performed to obtain information about the fractures. The study area consists predominantly of two types of fractures. The fracture sets of low angle partings such as bedding and sheeting plains have strike N70-80$^{\circ}$W, 25$^{\circ}$-30$^{\circ}$SW and N3S$^{\circ}$W, 12$^{\circ}$NE, respectively. In areas of high fractures, on the other hand, the major fracture sets show strike N80$^{\circ}$W and dip 70$^{\circ}$-85$^{\circ}$SW, N10$^{\circ}$E.85$^{\circ}$SE in sedimentry rocks, N40-50$^{\circ}$E.85$^{\circ}$SE/85$^{\circ}$NE, N70$^{\circ}$E.80$^{\circ}$SE, and N7$^{\circ}$-75$^{\circ}$W.80$^{\circ}$SW in granites and volcanic rocks. Injection tests have been performed to identify discrete production zones and quantify the vertical distribution of hydraulic conductivity. The calculated hydraulic conductivities range from 3.363E-10 to 2.731E-6, showing that the difference between maximum and minimum value is four order of magnitude. Dominant section in hydraulic conductivity is extensively fractured. Geophysical logging was carried out to clarify characterization of the distribution of fracture zones. Transmissive fractures were evaluated through the comparison of the results obtained by each method. The temperature logs appeared to be a good indicator that can distinguish a high transmissive fractures from a common fractures in hydraulic conductivity. In numerous cases, evidence of fluid movement was amplified in the temperature gradient log. The fracture sets of N70-80$^{\circ}$W.60-85$^{\circ}$NE/SW N75-80$^{\circ}$W.25-30$^{\circ}$SW, N50-64$^{\circ}$W.60-85$^{\circ}$NE, N35-45$^{\circ}$E.65-75$^{\circ}$SE, and N65-72$^{\circ}$E.80$^{\circ}$SE/60$^{\circ}$NW were idenfied as a distinct transmissive fractures through the results of each tests.

• Journal of the Korean Geotechnical Society
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• v.36 no.2
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• pp.5-15
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• 2020

The liquefaction phenomenon that occurred during the Pohang earthquake (M_L=5.4) brought new awareness to the people about the risk of liquefaction caused by the earthquake. Liquefaction hazard maps with 2 km grid made in 2014 used more than 100,000 borehole data for the whole country, and regions without soil investigation data were produced using interpolation. In the mapping of macro liquefaction hazard for the whole country, the site amplification effect and the ground water level 0 m were considered. Recently, the Ministry of Public Administration and Security (2018) published a new site classification method and amplification coefficient of the common standard for seismic design. Therefore, it is necessary to rewrite the liquefaction hazard map reflecting the revised amplification coefficient. In this study, the results of site classification according to the average shear wave velocity in soils before and after revision were compared in the whole country. Also, liquefaction assessment results were compared in Gangseo-gu, Busan. At this time, two ground accelerations corresponding to the 500 and 1,000 years of return period and two ground water table, 5 m for the average condition and 0 m the extreme condition were applied. In the drawing of liquefaction hazard map, a 500 m grid was applied to secure a resolution higher than the previous 2 km grid. As a result, the ground conditions that were classified as S_C and S_D grounds based on the existing site classification standard were reclassified as S₂, S₃, and S₄ through the revised site classification standard. Also, the result of the Liquefaction assessments with a return period of 500 years and 1,000 years resulted in a relatively overestimation of the LPI applied with the ground amplification factor before revision. And the results of this study have a great influence on the liquefaction assessment, which is the basis of the creation of the regional liquefaction hazard map using the amplification factor.

• Korean Chemical Engineering Research
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• v.45 no.5
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• pp.515-522
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• 2007

In this study we have attempted to evaluate the technical feasibility of "BB-HY", which is depleted gas reservoir as a gas storage field, using the commercial compositional simulator "ECLIPSE 300". The "BB-HY" reservoir has an initial gas in place of 143 BCF which is relatively small, and its porosity and permeability are 19.5% and 50 md, respectively. For "BB-HY" gas reservoir, we have performed a feasibility analysis by investigating the cushion gas (or working gas), converting time to gas storage field, operation cycle, number of wells and the possible application of horizontal borehole as well. From the simulation results, it was found that the amount of cushion gas in "BB-HY" reservoir is required at least 50% of IGIP in order to operate stably as gas storage field. When one produces gas for longer time and hence the remaining gas in reservoir is less than optimal cushion gas, no technical problem was occurred as long as additional cushion gas is injected up to the optimal cushion gas. In the case of changing the operation cycle into producing gas for three months during winter season from producing five months, the result shows that either the cushion gas should be greater than 60% or the more number of wells should be drilled. Meanwhile, from the results of sensitivity analysis for the number of wells, in cases of operating six or eight vertical wells, the stable reproduction of the injected gas can not be possible in "BB-HY" gas reservoir since the remaining gas in reservoir is increased. Therefore, in "BB-HY" reservoir, at least ten vertical wells should be drilled for the stable operation of gas. This time, when three horizontal wells are additionally drilled including the existing two vertical wells, it was found that the operation of injection and reproduction of gas is relatively stable in "BB-HY" gas reservoir.

• KSCE Journal of Civil and Environmental Engineering Research
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• v.38 no.2
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• pp.357-367
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• 2018

Recent earthquakes in Gyeongju and Pohang have raised interest in liquefaction in South Korea. Liquefaction, which is a phenomenon that excessive pore pressure is generated and the shear strength of soil is decreased by repeated loads such as earthquakes, causes severe problems such as ground subsidence and overturning of structures. Therefore, it is necessary to identify and prepare for the possibility of liquefaction in advance. In general, the possibility of liquefaction is quantitatively assessed using the Liquefaction Potential Index (LPI), but it takes a lot of time and effort for performing site response analysis which is essential for the liquefaction evaluation. In this study, a simple method to evaluate the liquefaction potential without executing the site response analysis in a downtown area with a lot of borehole data was proposed. In this simple method, the correlation between the average shear wave velocity of the target location ground and the LPI divided by thickness of liquefiable layer was established. And the applicable correlation equation for various rock outcrop accelerations were derived. Using the 104 boreholes information in Seoul, the correlation equation between LPI and the shear wave velocity (ground water level: 0m, 1m, 2m, 3m) is obtained and the possibility of liquefaction occurrence in Seoul and Gyeongju is evaluated. The applicability of the proposed simple method was verified by comparing the LPI values calculated from the correlation equation and the LPI values derived using the existing site response analysis. Finally, the distribution map of LPI calculated from the correlation was drawn using Kriging, a geostatistical technique.

• Economic and Environmental Geology
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• v.41 no.1
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• pp.93-113
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• 2008

This study presents petrochemistry and $^{40}Ar/^{39}Ar$ absolute ages of subsurface volcanic rock cores from twenty(20) boreholes in the eastern lowland (altitude loom below) of Jeju Island, Handeong-Jongdal-Udo-Susan-Samdal-Hacheon areas, and discusses topography and volcanism in the area. The subsurface volcanic rock cores are mainly basalts in composition with minor tholeiitic andesites and basaltic trachyandesites. Sequences of intercalated tholeiitic, transitional and alkalic lavas suggest that tholeiitic and transitional to alkalic lavas must have erupted contemporaneously. Especially, occurrences of trachybasalts and basaltic trachyandesites at the bases in the area imply that the volcanism in the area was initiated with slightly differentiated alkaline magma activity. The $^{40}Ar/^{39}Ar$ absolute ages of the subsurface volcanic rock cores range from $526{\pm}23ka\;to\;38{\pm}4Ka$. The lava-forming Hawaiian volcanic activities of the eastern lowland can be divided into five sequences on the basis of sediment distribution, whole rock geochemistry and $^{40}Ar/^{39}Ar$ absolute ages of the subsurface volcanic rock cores; stage I-U$(550{\sim}400Ka)$, stage II$(400{\sim}300Ka)$ and stage III$(300{\sim}200Ka)$ during syn-depositional stage of Seoguipo Formation, and stage IV$(200{\sim}100Ka)$ and stage V(younger than 100Ka) during post-depositional stage. In the eastern lowland of Jeju Island, compositional variations and local occurrences of the subsurface volcanic rocks as well as existences of various intercalated sediment layers (including hydrovolcanogenic clasts) suggest that the volcanism must have continued for long time intermittently and that the land has been progressively glowed from inland to coast by volcanic activities and sedimentation. It reveals that the subsurface volcanic rocks in the eastern lowland of Jeju Island must have erupted during relatively younger than 200Ka of stages IV and V. The results of this study are partly in contrast with those of previous studies. This study stresses the need that previous reported volcanic activities in Jeju Island based on K-Ar ages of volcanic rocks should be carefully reviewed, and that stratigraphic correlation from boreholes should be conducted by quantitative criteria combined with petrography and petrochemstry as well as radiometric studies of volcanic rock cores.

• Journal of the Korean Society of Groundwater Environment
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• v.5 no.2
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• pp.88-100
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• 1998

Since fractures may serve as major conduits of groundwater flow in crystalline rocks, characterization of conductive fractures is especially important for interpretation of flow system. In this study, characterization of fractures to investigate hydraulically conductive fractures in gneisses at an abandoned mine area was performed. The orientation, width, length, movement sense, infilling materials, spacing, aperture, roughness of both joints and faults and intersection and connectivity to other joints were measured on outcrops. In addition, characteristics of subsurface fractures were examined by core logging in five boreholes, of which the orientations were acquired by acoustic televiewer logging from three boreholes. The dominant fracture sets were grouped from outcrops; GSet 1: N50-82$^{\circ}$E/55-90$^{\circ}$SE, GSet 2: N2-8$^{\circ}$E/56-86$^{\circ}$SE, GSet 3: N46-72$^{\circ}$W/60-85$^{\circ}$NE, GSet 4:Nl2-38$^{\circ}$W/15-40$^{\circ}$SW and from subsurface; HSet 1: N50-90$^{\circ}$E/55-90$^{\circ}$SE, HSet 2: N10-30$^{\circ}$E/50-70$^{\circ}$SE, HSet 3: N20-60$^{\circ}$W/50-80$^{\circ}$NE, HSet 4: N10-50$^{\circ}$E/$\leq$40$^{\circ}$NW. Among them, GSet 1, GSet 3 and HSet 1, HSet 3 are the most intensely developed fracture sets in the study area. The mean fracture spacings of HSet 1 are 30-47cm and code 1 fractures, such as faults and open fractures, comprise 21.0-42.9 percent of the whole fractures in each borehole. HSet 3 shows the mean fracture spacings of 55-57cm and the ratio of code 1 fractures is 15.4-26.9 percent. In spite of the mean fracture spacing of 239cm, code 1 fractures of HSet 4 have the highest ratio of 54.5 percent. From the fact that faults or open fractures have high hydraulic conductivity, it can be inferred that the three fracture sets of N55-85$^{\circ}$E/50-80$^{\circ}$SE, N20-60$^{\circ}$W/50-75$^{\circ}$NE and N10-30$^{\circ}$E/$\leq$30$^{\circ}$NW from a fracture system of relatively high conductivity. It is indirectly verified with geophysical loggings and constant injection tests performed in the boreholes.

• Economic and Environmental Geology
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• v.36 no.4
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• pp.285-293
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• 2003

Tailings of Dukum mine in the vadose and saturated zone were investigated to reveal the mobility of metal elements and the condition of mineralogical solubility according to redox environments throughout the geochemical analysis, thermodynamic modelling, and mineralogical study for solid-samples and water samples(vadose zone; distilled water: tailings=5 : 1 reacted, saturated zone; pore-water extracted). In the vadose zone, sulfide oxidation has generated low-pH(2.72∼6.91) condition and high concentration levels of S $O_4$$^{2-}$(561∼1430mg/L) and other metals(Zn : 0.12∼l57 mg/L, Pb : 0.06∼0.83 mg/L, Cd : 0.06∼l.35 mg/L). Jarosite$(KFe_3(SO_4)_2(OH)_6)$ and gypsum$(CaSO_4{\cdot}2H_2O$) were identified on XRD patterns and thermodynamics modelling. In the saturated zone, concentration of metal ions decreased because pH values were neutral(7.25∼8.10). But Fe and Mn susceptible to redox potential increased by low-pe values(7.40∼3.40) as the depth increased. Rhodochrosite$(MnCO_3)$ identified by XRD and thermodynamics modelling suggested that $Mn^{4+}$ or $Mn^{3+}$ was reduced to $Mn^{2+}$. Along pH conditions, concentrations of dissolved metal ions has been most abundant in vadose zone throughout borehole samples. It was observed that pH had more effect on metal solubilities than redox potential. How-ever, the release of co-precipitated heavy metals following the dissolution of Fe-Mn oxyhydroxides could be the mechanism by which reduced condition affected heavy metal solubility considering the decrease of pe as depth increased in tile saturated zone.

• Geophysics and Geophysical Exploration
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• v.12 no.1
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• pp.121-131
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• 2009

In recent years, microtremor array observations have been used for estimation of shear-wave velocity structures. One of the methods is the conventional spatial autocorrelation (SPAC) method, which requires simultaneous recording at least with three or four sensors. Modified SPAC methods such as 2sSPAC, and linear array methods, allow estimating shear-wave structures by using only two sensors, but suffer from instability of the spatial autocorrelation coefficient for frequency ranges higher than 1.0 Hz. Based on microtremor measurements from four different size triangular arrays and four same-size triangular and linear arrays, we have demonstrated the stability of SPAC coefficient for the frequency range from 2 to 4 or 5 Hz. The phase velocities, obtained by fitting the SPAC coefficients to the Bessel function, are also consistent up to the frequency 5 Hz. All data were processed by the SPAC method, with the exception of the spatial averaging for the linear array cases. The arrays were deployed sequentially at different times, near a site having existing Parallel Seismic (PS) borehole logging data. We also used the imaginary part of the SPAC coefficients as a data-quality indicator. Based on perturbations of the autocorrelation spectrum (and in some cases on visual examination of the record waveforms) we divided data into so-called 'reliable' and 'unreliable' categories. We then calculated the imaginary part of the SPAC spectrum for 'reliable', 'unreliable', and complete (i.e. 'reliable' and 'unreliable' datasets combined) datasets for each array, and compared the results. In the case of insufficient azimuthal distribution of the stations (the linear array) the imaginary curve shows some instability and can therefore be regarded as an indicator of insufficient spatial averaging. However, in the case of low coherency of the wavefield the imaginary curve does not show any significant instability.