Flowmeter profiling system for use in groundwater production wells and boreholes

Abstract

A flowmeter profiling system for measuring a flow profile of water in a subsurface environment includes a tracer injection system positioned at least partially within the subsurface environment. The tracer injection system includes an injection tube that contains a tracer material, and an injection port that is coupled to the injection tube near a bottom of the injection tube. Additionally, the injection port is configured to inject the tracer material substantially horizontally into the subsurface environment. The injection port can include a plurality of exit holes such that the tracer material is injected substantially horizontally into the subsurface environment through each of the plurality of exit holes. The water can be in a groundwater production well having a cross-sectional plane, and the tracer material can be injected substantially horizontally into the groundwater production well through each of the plurality of exit holes to fill substantially the entire cross-sectional plane of the groundwater production well.

1 - 28 . (canceled) 
     
     
         29 . A flowmeter profiling system for measuring a flow profile of water within one of a groundwater production well and a borehole in a subsurface environment, the flowmeter profiling system comprising:
 a tracer injection system positioned at least partially within the subsurface environment, the tracer injection system including an injection tube that contains a tracer material, and an injection port that is coupled to the injection tube, the injection port being configured to inject the tracer material substantially horizontally into the subsurface environment so that the tracer material directly contacts and radially spreads through the water within the one of the groundwater production well and the borehole.   
     
     
         30 . The flowmeter profiling system of  claim 29  wherein the injection port includes a plurality of exit holes, and wherein the tracer material is injected substantially horizontally into the subsurface environment through each of the plurality of exit holes. 
     
     
         31 . The flowmeter profiling system of  claim 30  wherein the water is in a groundwater production well, the groundwater production well including a support casing and a well screen that are positioned within the subsurface environment, the groundwater production well having a cross-sectional plane, and wherein the tracer material is injected substantially perpendicularly relative to a longitudinal axis of one of the support casing and the well screen into the groundwater production well to fill the cross-sectional plane of the groundwater production well. 
     
     
         32 . The flowmeter profiling system of  claim 31  wherein the flowmeter profiling system further comprises a primary pump that is positioned within the groundwater production well, the primary pump defining at least a portion of an annulus between the primary pump and one of the support casing and the well screen, and wherein the injection tube is configured to be moved into position within the groundwater production well below the primary pump via the annulus and without removing the primary pump from the groundwater production well. 
     
     
         33 . The flowmeter profiling system of  claim 31  wherein the flowmeter profiling system further comprises a primary pump that is positioned within the groundwater production well, and wherein the injection tube is configured to be moved into position within the groundwater production well below the primary pump via an access pipe that is positioned between the primary pump and one of the support casing and the well screen. 
     
     
         34 . The flowmeter profiling system of  claim 30  wherein the tracer injection system is a single-depth tracer injection system that is configured such that each of the plurality of exit holes is positioned at a first depth within the subsurface environment, and wherein the tracer material is injected into the subsurface environment through each of the plurality of exit holes at the first depth. 
     
     
         35 . The flowmeter profiling system of  claim 34  wherein the single-depth tracer injection system is configured to be used consecutively at multiple depth locations within the subsurface environment to measure the flow profile of the water at various depths throughout the subsurface environment without removing the single-depth tracer injection system from the subsurface environment. 
     
     
         36 . The flowmeter profiling system of  claim 30  wherein the tracer injection system further includes a tracer detector that is positioned at a surface above the subsurface environment, the tracer detector being configured to detect the presence of the tracer material within the water to measure the flow profile of the water within the subsurface environment. 
     
     
         37 . The flowmeter profiling system of  claim 30  wherein the tracer injection system further includes a tracer detector that is coupled to the injection tube within the subsurface environment, the tracer detector being configured to detect the presence of the tracer material within the water to measure the flow profile of the water within the subsurface environment. 
     
     
         38 . The flowmeter profiling system of  claim 29  further comprising a primary pump that is positioned within the subsurface environment, wherein the tracer injection system includes the injection tube being positioned within the subsurface environment so that the injection port is positioned below the primary pump, the primary pump being configured to be turned on to pump the water within the subsurface environment so that the flowmeter profiling system measures a dynamic flow profile of the water in the subsurface environment. 
     
     
         39 . The flowmeter profiling system of  claim 29  wherein the tracer material has a specific gravity that is within ten percent of a specific gravity of the water within the subsurface environment. 
     
     
         40 . The flowmeter profiling system of  claim 29  wherein the tracer material becomes diluted and asymptotically approaches a specific gravity of the water within the subsurface environment so that the tracer material moves at a same rate as the water within the subsurface environment. 
     
     
         41 . A water sampling assembly for use within a subsurface environment, the water sampling assembly including a water sampler that samples water within the subsurface environment, and the flowmeter profiling system of  claim 29  that measures a flow profile of the water in the subsurface environment. 
     
     
         42 . A method for measuring a flow profile of water within one of a groundwater production well and a borehole in a subsurface environment, the method comprising the steps of:
 positioning a tracer injection system at least partially within the subsurface environment, the tracer injection system including (i) an injection tube that contains a tracer material, and (ii) an injection port that is coupled to the injection tube;   injecting the tracer material substantially horizontally into the subsurface environment with the injection port so that the tracer material directly contacts and radially spreads through the water within the one of the groundwater production well and the borehole; and   detecting the presence of the tracer material within the water with a tracer detector to measure the flow profile of the water within the subsurface environment.   
     
     
         43 . The method of  claim 42  wherein the step of positioning includes the injection port having a plurality of exit holes, and wherein the step of injecting includes injecting the tracer material substantially horizontally into the subsurface environment through each of the plurality of exit holes with the injection port. 
     
     
         44 . The method of  claim 43  wherein the water is in a groundwater production well having a support casing and a well screen that are positioned within the subsurface environment, and a cross-sectional plane; and wherein the step of injecting includes injecting the tracer material substantially perpendicularly relative to a longitudinal axis of one of the support casing and the well screen into the groundwater production well through each of the plurality of exit holes with the injection port to fill substantially the entire cross-sectional plane of the groundwater production well. 
     
     
         45 . The method of  claim 42  wherein the tracer detector is positioned at a surface above the subsurface environment. 
     
     
         46 . The method of  claim 42  wherein the tracer detector is coupled to the injection tube within the subsurface environment. 
     
     
         47 . The method of  claim 42  further comprising the steps of positioning a primary pump within the subsurface environment; positioning the injection tube within the subsurface environment such that the injection port is positioned below the primary pump; and turned on the primary pump to pump the water within the subsurface environment such that the flowmeter profiling system measures a dynamic flow profile of the water in the subsurface environment. 
     
     
         48 . The method of  claim 42  wherein the step of positioning includes the tracer material having a specific gravity that is within ten percent of a specific gravity of the water within the subsurface environment. 
     
     
         49 . The method of  claim 42  wherein the step of positioning includes the tracer material becoming diluted and asymptotically approaching a specific gravity of the water within the subsurface environment so the tracer material moves at a same rate as the water within the subsurface environment.