Method for mapping of flow arrivals and other conditions at sealed boreholes
View Patent ↗A method and system for performing fluid flow tracing through a medium, such as the geologic formation surrounding a subterranean borehole, or the environment around a pipe or conduit. A transparent liner is everted into the borehole. A marker fluid from the surrounding medium emerges from the wall of the borehole and is allowed to contact the liner, or a cover of the liner, to create a stain thereon that is visible with a camera lowered into the liner interior.
1. A method for detecting flow arrivals at a borehole comprising:
everting into an observation borehole a flexible substantially transparent liner for contacting a wall of the observation borehole, until the transparent liner is installed in place within the borehole;
disposing a camera within an interior of the everted liner;
repeatedly moving the camera up and down within the interior of the installed liner; and
observing with the camera, and through the transparent liner, an event or condition where the liner contacts the observation borehole wall.
2. The method of claim 1 further comprising observing with the camera changes in the event or condition.
3. The method of claim 1 further comprising observing with the camera an appearance of a new event or condition at a new location in the borehole.
4. The method of claim 1 wherein repeatedly moving the camera up and down comprises moving the camera up and down at selected time intervals, and further comprising:
providing the transparent liner with a cover layer that comes into contact with the observation borehole wall;
allowing a marker fluid to emerge from the observation borehole wall to create at least one stain on or in the cover layer;
viewing the at least one stain with the camera;
tracking and recording the elevation depth of the moving camera; and
compiling a visual log of the appearance, over time, of the at least one stain.