Quantitative analysis of fractured carbonate reservoir and hydrodynamic implications: Case study of Horchane-Braga basin (central Tunisia)

Fracture network properties in geological media are described and analyzed to evaluate the hydrodynamic functioning of fractured aquifer as well as permeability and transmissivity. In this paper, a concise approach for mapping and analyzing fracture properties in the outcrops was applied. The adopted methodology aims to explore the spatial distribution and properties of fractures to estimate the aquifer permeability. A detailed geological mapping was established to define the geometry and spatial extension of the fractured aquifer. A correlation between these data and the transmissivity values is discussed to evaluate groundwater flow in fractured aquifer. The Horchane basin was explored to investigate fracture distribution and their aperture, density and frequency. The fracture mapping at 1/1 scale was done over 42 stations containing 1000 fractures. Results of this investigation show that fracturing is the only parameter responsible for the circulation of water in the aquifer. Aperture and density of fractures have an important effect on permeability and water flow in the Horchane-Braga basin.