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Published October 31, 2001 | public
Journal Article

On the horizontal-well pumping tests in anisotropic confined aquifers

Abstract

A method that directly solves the boundary problem of flow to a horizontal-well in an anisotropic confined aquifer is provided. This method solves the point source problem first, and then integrates the point source solution along the horizontal well axis to obtain the horizontal well solution. The short and long time approximations of drawdowns are discussed and are utilized in the semilog analysis of the drawdown. A closed-form analytical solution of geometrical skin effect at the wellbore is derived. Type curves and derivative type curves of horizontal pumping wells are generated using the chow program. This program also calculates the drawdown at any given observation well at any given time. The horizontal-well type curves are different from the vertical-well type curves at early time, reflecting the different nature of flow to a horizontal-well and to a vertical-well. The horizontal-well type curves converge to the vertical-well type curves at late time, showing the similar nature of flow to a horizontal-well and to a vertical-well at late time. The sensitivity of the type curves and derivative type curves on monitoring well location, aquifer anisotropy, horizontal well depth, and horizontal well length is tested. These type curves and derivative type curves can be used in the matching point method for interpreting the pumping test data.

Additional Information

© 2001 Elsevier Science B.V. Received 20 September 2000, Revised 26 March 2001, Accepted 14 May 2001, Available online 14 August 2001. Support for this work was provided by the U.S. National Science Foundation Grant No. BES-9909964 and Office of the Vice President for Research and Associate Provost for Graduate Studies, through the Interdisciplinary Research Initiatives Program, Texas A & M University. Thanks to Prof. David Sparks and Mr Steve Desrocher for their review of the manuscript. Thanks to Thomas Engler and two anonymous reviewers for providing suggestions to revise the manuscript.

Additional details

Created:
August 21, 2023
Modified:
October 24, 2023