Integrated Borehole Geophysical Logging for Characterization of the Naval Air Warfare Center, New Jersey

As part of its applied research initiatives in FY2002, the USGS Office of Ground Water, Branch of Geophysics collaborated on several field experiments conducted at the USGS Toxics Substances Hydrology Program's Naval Air Warfare Center (NAWC) research site in New Jersey. Because this is a new research site for the Toxics program, research and training are currently focused on the acquisition of a comprehensive suite of standard and advanced borehole geophysical logs. The geophysical data will be entered into a database that will be accessible by USGS personnel involved in research at this site in order to support an integrated, interdisciplinary approach to site characterization efforts.

Initial work by the Branch of Geophysics with the New Jersey District focused on optical-televiewer (OTV) and acoustic-televiewer (ATV) imaging and heat-pulse flowmeter logging. Emphasis is being placed on integration of these advanced logs with standard borehole logs using single and multi-well geophysical software. This integration allows for an improved, integrated analysis of all the logs. In this process, Branch of Geophysics scientists have worked to train USGS personnel from the New Jersey District on the acquisition and analysis of these advanced logs.

Additional work has been directed toward obtaining estimates of formation porosity to support research on matrix diffusion and using borehole tools to support litho-typing of the gamma signatures used to develop the stratigraphic framework of the site. Logging methods used in these efforts include neutron, sonic, induction, and spectral gamma. Emphasis is being placed on logging of selected boreholes from which cores were extracted for laboratory physical property analysis. The information from these new and advanced tools may be able to be used to identify and correlate unique lithologic signatures across fault boundaries and to correlate the geologic framework of the NAWC site to larger, basin-scale investigations.

Neutron logging of selected wells at the site was completed in collaboration with the USGS Borehole Geophysics Research Project (BGRP). Preliminary testing of the gamma-spectral tool also was done at a nearby site that had been spectral gamma logged as part of a New Jersey District/BGRP radioisotopes study.

This research was funded by the USGS Toxic Substances Hydrology Program, with support from the U.S. Army.

This research was conducted by Carole Johnson (USGS OGW BG) and John H. Williams (USGS OGW BG) with assistance from OGW BG staff.

For related information, see:

• USGS Toxic Substances Hydrology Program NAWC Research Site web site
• NAWC Toxics Research Site home page