Reserve Estimation of Silica Sand Deposits by Core Control and Geophysical Methods, A Case Study from Saudi Arabia

Authors

  • G. Alsulaimani Missouri S&T Rolla, MO, USA
  • M. F. Ahmed University of Engineering and Technology, Lahore,
  • M. A. Raza University of Engineering and Technology, Lahore, Pakistan

Abstract

 

This paper summarizes a study carried out for the reserve estimation of silica sand deposits by core control and geophysical data in southern Dawmat Al Jandal, Al Jawf in Saudi Arabia. The study demonstrates the comparison of the data acquired from both core control and geophysical methods. The geophysical techniques applied for this study included the Ground penetrating radar (GPR) and multichannel analysis of surface waves (MASW) to estimate the thickness of surficial silica sand deposits in the study area. The GPR survey acquired 1620 linear meters of ground data across the tape to image internal reflections within the sand deposits up to the contact with underlying sandstone along with 27 MASW field records acquired at different locations by generating 1-D and 2-D shear wave velocity profiles. The results obtained from both of the geophysical investigation techniques were satisfactory and further validated with the core holes data and values.

Author Biographies

G. Alsulaimani, Missouri S&T Rolla, MO, USA

Department of Geological Engineering

M. F. Ahmed, University of Engineering and Technology, Lahore,

Department of Geological Engineering

M. A. Raza, University of Engineering and Technology, Lahore, Pakistan

Department of Mining Engineering

References

A. P. Annan, and J. L. Davis, “Design and development of a digital ground penetrating radar system”, Pilon, J. (Ed.), Ground Penetrating Radar. Geological Survey Canada, Pap, vol. 90, no. 4, pp. 15-23, 1992.

L. Pellerin, “Applications of electrical and electromagnetic methods for environmental and geotechnical investigations”, Surveys in Geophysics, vol. 23, pp. 101-132, 2002.

H. Burger, Robert, Sheehan, F. Anne and C.H. Jones, “Introduction to applied geophysics”, Exploring the Shallow Subsurface, New York: W.W. Norton, 1st edition (ISBN 0-393-92637-0), p. 624, 2006.

J. M. Reynolds, “An introduction to applied and environmental geophysics”. 2nd edition, John Wiley & Sons Ltd., West Sussex, England, p. 710, 1997.

O. N. Kovin and N. Anderson, “Use of ground penetrating radar for fracture imaging”. Applied Geophysics Conference, pp. 566-573, 2005.

N. J. Cassidy, “Electrical and magnetic properties of rocks, soils and fluids”. In H. Jol (Ed.), Ground Penetrating Radar: Theory and Applications, Solvenia: B. V. Elsevier, pp. 41-72, 2009.

C. B. Park, R. D. Miller and J. Xia, “Multichannel analysis of surface waves”, Geophysics, vol. 64, pp. 800-808, 1999.

J. Xia, R.D. Miller and C.B. Park, “Estimation of near-surface shear wave velocity by inversion of Rayleigh waves”, Geophysics, vol. 64, pp. 691-700, 1999.

J. Xia, R.D. Miller, C.B. Park and J. Ivanov, “Feasibility of determining Q of near surface materials from Rayleigh waves”, [Exp. Abs.]: Soc. Expl. Geophys, pp. 1381-1384, 2001.

O.N. Kovin, “Ground penetrating radar investigations in upper kama potash mines”, (Unpublished Ph.D. Dissertation). Rolla, Missouri, USA: Missouri University of Science and Technology, 2010.

E.B. Sucre, J.W. Tuttle and T.R. Fox, “The use of ground-penetrating radar to accurately estimate soil depth in rocky forest soils”, Forest Science, vol. 57, no. 1, pp. 59-66, 2011.

B. Choon Park, D.M. Richard, Jianghi Xia and I. Julian, “Multichannel seismic surface- wave methods for geotechnical applications”, First International Conference on the Application of Geophysical Methodologies to Transportation Facilities and Infrastructure. St. Louis, USA, pp. 11-15, 2000.

R.A. Bramkamp, L.F. Ramirez, M. Seineke, and W. H. Reiss, “Geology of the Jawf-Sakakah quadrangle, Kingdom of Saudi Arabia”, Geological Survey Saudi Arabian Mission Miscellaneous Geologic Investigations Map I-201A, scale 1:500,000, 1963.

H.M. Jol and D.G. Smith, “Ground penetrating radar of northern lacustrine deltas”, Canadian Journal of Earth Sciences, vol. 28, pp. 1939-1947, 1991.

B. Choon Park, D.M. Richard, Xia Jianghai, R. Nils and U. Peter, “The MASW method - what and where it is", EAGE 65th Conference and Exhibition, Stavanger, 2003.

B. Choon Park, “MASW horizontal resolution in 2d shear-velocity (vs) mapping”, Open-File Report, Lawrence: Kansas Geologic Survey, 2005.

B. Choon Park, R.D Miller, J. Xia and J. Ivanov, "MASW– An easy seismic method to map shear wave velocity of the ground", Chun Cheon: Korean Society of Engineering Geology, 2004.

W.R. Emmett, K.W. Beaver and J. A. McCaleb, “Little buffalo basin tensleep heterogeneity – its influence on infilling drilling and secondary recovery”, Journal of Petroleum Technology, vol. 23, nos. 2, pp. 161-168, 1971.

Downloads

Published

30-09-2016

How to Cite

[1]
G. Alsulaimani, M. F. Ahmed, and M. A. Raza, “Reserve Estimation of Silica Sand Deposits by Core Control and Geophysical Methods, A Case Study from Saudi Arabia”, The Nucleus, vol. 53, no. 3, pp. 162–170, Sep. 2016.

Issue

Section

Articles