Comparison of laboratory-measured hydraulic properties with in-situ hydraulic tests for the Neogene sedimentary rocks of Horonobe area, northern Hokkaido, Japan

Uehara, Shinichi*; Shimamoto, Toshihiko*; Funaki, Hironori ; Niizato, Tadafumi  ; Kurikami, Hiroshi  ; Onishi, Yuzo*; Matsumoto, Takuma*

Determination of underground transport properties is needed in modeling underground fluid flow, which is critically important in many problems such as fluid circulation, waste isolation, and carbon dioxide sequestration. Estimation of deep underground permeability structures is extremely difficult because transport properties of rocks are affected dramatically with fractures and fault zones and yet we do not know how to evaluate the effects of these structures on hydraulic properties distribution in depth. In-situ tests cannot provides transport properties at depths deeper than drill holes, whereas laboratory measurements can be done easily under conditions even deeper than 10 km as long as samples are available. Their applicability, however, to estimate real underground hydraulic structures is uncertain. Therefore, one should seek for a way of using laboratory and in-situ data complementary.