MONITORING WATER LEVEL IN SMALL DIAMETER SEGMENTED HORIZONTAL WELLS

Segmented horizontal wells are being utilized for remediation in recent years. The small diameter of the completed wells (3/8”), in addition to the horizontal orientation makes water level measurements difficult with technologies designed for vertical wells. This research will test several different methods of water level measurement and see which will work best for this well configuration. These will include a pressure transducer, a liquid level sensor, carbon water level sensors, a multi-wire water level sensor, using an air line, and a single electric tape line. By combining my field and lab experiments of these water level tests, I will be able to see the benefits and consequences of each approach. As such, I will be able to determine the best approach for precisely and economically measuring water level within a segmented horizontal well. The hypothesis is that the multi-wire method will be both the cheapest and most effective method over this approximately 100 meter horizontal well.