Aquifer Storage & Recovery Well Construction

AQUIFER STORAGE & RECOVERY WELL CONSTRUCTION

OVERVIEW

Hydro Resources was selected to construct the injection well portion of a fully functional Aquifer Storage & Recovery (ASR) facility. The scope of the project included the ASR well, wellhead facilities, water recharge/recovery conveyance system, an adjacent monitoring well & associated appurtenances. The design engineer required the “reverse circulation” drilling method to be used as part of the well construction.

MAIN CHALLENGE

A unique challenge associated with the ASR Well design was the installation of 600 feet of 24-inch SDR17 PVC pipe for the inner casing. As a result, special precautions had to be taken to prevent casing deformation from the “heat of hydration” during the grouting process. Hydro Resources performed the grouting operations in four-150 foot lifts. The grout was allowed to cure for a minimum of 24-hours before the next lift was performed on the ASR Well.

HYDRO’S SOLUTION

Hydro Resources provided New Braunfels Utilities with a fully functional Aquifer Storage & Recovery Well that helped them achieve their longterm drinking water storage and recovery goals.

ADVANTAGE

The advantages of utilizing the flooded reverse circulation drilling method includes:

• Minimized the intrusion of drilling fluids into the wall of the bore hole and into the injection zone of the well when compared to the traditional rotary mud drilling method.
• Reduced the amount of development time required to remove cuttings, sand and drilling fluids associated with the rotary drilling technique.