The rise of gasoline in an observation well as observed in a three-dimensional sandbox model

Abstract

Measuring the difference between the measured hydrocarbon thickness in an observation well and the actual hydrocarbon thickness in a formation has been a major hinderance in estimating the volume of free product in aquifers. The thickness of hydrocarbons in some observation wells is as much as four times greater than in the formation. A three-dimensional sandbox model was used to determine linear relationships between the height of hydrocarbon in an observation well to the thickness of hydrocarbon above the water table. A fine-grained sand was used to calibrate the system, then two soils were characterized and modeled. The results of the sand and natural soil runs were compared with three models found in the literature. The linear relationships developed from the sandbox experiments compared favorably with the models in the literature. Further investigation with a more accurate petroleum thickness detection method will result in site-specific linear relationships.