A methodology for using borehole temperature-depth profiles under ambient, single and cross-borehole pumping conditions to estimate fracture hydraulic properties

SummaryTemperature profiles in the subsurface are known to be sensitive to groundwater flow. Here we show that they are also strongly related to vertical flow in the boreholes themselves. Based on a numerical model of flow and heat transfer at the borehole scale, we propose a method to invert temperature measurements to derive borehole flow velocities. This method is applied to an experimental site in fractured crystalline rocks. Vertical flow velocities deduced from the inversion of temperature measurements are compared with direct heat-pulse flowmeter measurements showing a good agreement over two orders of magnitudes. Applying this methodology under ambient, single and cross-borehole pumping conditions allows us to estimate fracture hydraulic head and local transmissivity, as well as inter-borehole fracture connectivity. Thus, these results provide new insights on how to include temperature profiles in inverse problems for estimating hydraulic fracture properties.

► We model flow and heat transfer at the borehole scale. ► We estimate vertical borehole flow from temperature profiles. ► We apply this methodology under ambient, single, cross borehole pumping conditions. ► We estimate fracture hydraulic properties and inter-borehole connectivity. ► This work opens new perspectives for using temperature profiles in inverse problems.