TY - GEN
T1 - Upscaling hydraulic processes and properties to assess impacts on groundwater from coal seam gas abstractions
AU - Moore, Catherine
AU - Doherty, John
PY - 2012
Y1 - 2012
N2 - Groundwater models that are used to predict the impact of coal seam gas extraction on regional aquifer systems employ coarse grids and grossly upscaled representations of hydraulic properties. The numerical demands of regional simulation also require that representation of two-phase flow near points of gas and water extraction be simplified. By processing the outcomes of detailed two-phase simulation of near-field pressure and saturation distributions, the factors controlling flow of water close to extraction points, and propagation of induced drawdown further afield, can be properly understood. So too can the requirements of an upscaled representation of these processes, if this representation is to have integrity. It is shown that integrity of the upscaling process requires that particular attention be paid to simulation of near-source desaturation, and to meeting the numerical demands arising from high sensitivity of relative water permeability to this desaturation in a grossly upscaled model.
AB - Groundwater models that are used to predict the impact of coal seam gas extraction on regional aquifer systems employ coarse grids and grossly upscaled representations of hydraulic properties. The numerical demands of regional simulation also require that representation of two-phase flow near points of gas and water extraction be simplified. By processing the outcomes of detailed two-phase simulation of near-field pressure and saturation distributions, the factors controlling flow of water close to extraction points, and propagation of induced drawdown further afield, can be properly understood. So too can the requirements of an upscaled representation of these processes, if this representation is to have integrity. It is shown that integrity of the upscaling process requires that particular attention be paid to simulation of near-source desaturation, and to meeting the numerical demands arising from high sensitivity of relative water permeability to this desaturation in a grossly upscaled model.
UR - http://www.scopus.com/inward/record.url?scp=84925344059&partnerID=8YFLogxK
M3 - Conference contribution
AN - SCOPUS:84925344059
T3 - Proceedings of the 34th Hydrology and Water Resources Symposium, HWRS 2012
SP - 102
EP - 109
BT - Proceedings of the 34th Hydrology and Water Resources Symposium, HWRS 2012
PB - Engineers Australia
T2 - 34th Hydrology and Water Resources Symposium, HWRS 2012
Y2 - 19 November 2012 through 22 November 2012
ER -