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Oil-field Areas of Ellis and Russell Counties

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Physical Properties of Water-bearing Materials

Samples for sieve analyses and determinations of the coefficient of permeability were collected from surface exposures of the Dakota formation and the unconsolidated Tertiary and Quaternary deposits. Sieve analyses and determinations of the coefficient of permeability were made by Laurence P. Buck and us.

A sieve analysis of a sample of granular material consists of separating the grains of different sizes into groups by means of standard sieves and determining what percentage, by weight, each group constitutes. The unconsolidated samples required little or no treatment prior to analysis, but the samples of sandstone from the Dakota formation, which were cemented with iron oxide, had to be disaggregated by several methods described later. The samples were all "spot samples"; that is, they were collected from a small area of the exposure and are not composites of several adjacent beds. Where the field sample of unconsolidated material was too large for analysis, a representative sample of the desired size was obtained by repeated splitting using a modified Jones sample splitter. Carefully weighed samples ranging between 25 and 100 grams were put into a set of 3-inch sieves, the sieves were shaken vigorously for 25 minutes in a rotary shaker, and the fractions were weighed on a precision balance.

The permeability of a water-bearing material is its capacity for transmitting water under pressure. The coefficient of permeability, as determined in the field or laboratory, is expressed by O. E. Meinzer as the number of gallons of water a day, at 60° F., that is conducted laterally through each mile of water-bearing bed under investigation (measured at right angles to the direction of flow), for each foot of thickness of the bed, and for each foot per mile of hydraulic gradient (Stearns, 1927, p. 148). The coefficients of permeability given below were determined by means of a portable field apparatus designed by C. V. Theis of the Federal Geological Survey.

Consolidated Deposits

Samples of sandstone of the Dakota formation were collected from exposures where stratigraphic sections were measured and were also collected from isolated exposures where the thickness of rocks exposed was not sufficient to encourage the measurement of a section. Thus the intervening samples are not placed precisely within the stratigraphic section, but they are all known to be from the upper part of the Dakota formation. The reader is referred to the measured sections given in this report for the exact stratigraphic position of samples from measured sections and for a description of the lithology of the bed sampled and of the intervening beds.

Most of the samples of sandstone from the Dakota formation were sufficiently indurated to require some special preparation and disaggregation before analyses could be made. Some of the light-gray friable sandstones were disaggregated mechanically by crushing the sample with a wooden roller on a soft wooden platform. It was necessary to disaggregate most of the samples chemically, however. The, most satisfactory chemical method of disaggregation was found to be that of treating the sample with a solution of stannic chloride (SnCl4) as described by Tester (1931). This solution was prepared by adding tin (Sn) to a slightly excess amount of hydrochloric acid (HCl). This treatment proved quite effective in removing the iron-oxide cement from the sandstone and thus disaggregating the sample prior to sieve analysis.

The determined physical properties of the samples of sandstone from the Dakota formation are given in tables 5 and 6. It will be noted that for most samples analyzed the major grade occurs in the sizes from medium sand (0.5-0.25 mm) to very fine sand (0.125-0.062 mm). In no sample is the major grade coarser than medium sand and the most common major grade is fine sand (0.25-0.125 mm). The major grade of a few samples is silt and clay (less than 0.062 mm). The amount of soluble material contained in samples as cement and small concretions of iron oxide ranged from less than 1 to as much as 37.4 percent; however, most of the samples had a solubility of less than 10 percent in stannic chloride.

Table 5--Physical properties of samples of sandstone collected from exposures described in the measured sections included in this report. (Analyses by L. P. Buck, J. J. Brazil, and J. C. Frye.)

No. of
bed in
measured
section
Position of sample
from within the
described bed
Mechanical analysis (percent by weight)
Fine
gravel
(2.0-1.0 mm)
Coarse
sand
(1.0-0.5 mm)
Medium
sand
(0.5-0.25 mm)
Fine
sand
(0.25-0.125 mm)
Very
fine sand
(0.125-0.062 mm)
Silt
and clay
(less than
0.062 mm)
Solubility
in SnCl4
(percent)
Coefficient
of
permeability1
Measured section No. 1, NW sec. 34, T. 12 S., R. 14 W., Russell County
3   0.0 0.0 0.3 6.7 57.4 35.6    
6 1 foot above base 0.0 tr.2 2.5 36.6 54.9 6.0   12
6 10 feet above base 0.0 tr. 0.4 17.8 64.4 17.4   4
6 16 feet above base 0.0 0.0 tr. 22.6 60.7 16.7   2
Measured section No. 2, NE sec. 34, T. 12 S., R. 14 W., Russell County
2 top of bed 0.0 tr. 12.0 35.5 43.8 8.7   13
4   0.0 0.0 0.5 2.9 71.8 21.3 3.5  
9 top of bed 0.0 0.0 0.0 40.7 22.4 28.1 8.8  
11 1 foot below top of bed 0.0 0.2 13.7 68.3 12.4 3.4 2.0  
11 top of bed 0.0 tr. 15.5 67.4 11.8 4.5 0.9 185
Measured section No. 3, SE sec. 25, T. 12 S., R. 14 W., Russell County
9 1 foot above base 0.0 tr. 0.9 90.1 7.3 1.7   34
9 1 foot below top of base 0.0 0.0 tr. 10.7 56.0 5.7 27.6  
9 top of bed 0.0 tr. 0.5 88.1 8.6 2.8   70
Measured section No. 4, SW sec. 29, T. 12 S., R. 13 W., Russell County
2 base of bed 0.0 0.0 31.5 25.9 2.8 2.4 37.4  
2 2 feet above base of bed 0.0 tr. 14.2 56.0 14.1 3.3 12.4  
Measured section No. 5, SE sec. 9, T. 13 S., R. 12 W., Russell County
5 middle of bed 0.0 0.0 0.1 29.3 49.8 17.8 3.0  
9   0.0 0.3 73.0 5.9 4.4 4.5 11.9  
11 middle of bed 0.0 1.1 61.9 24.4 5.7 1.8 5.1  
13 middle of bed 0.0 tr. 41.1 51.1 3.1 2.1 2.6 390
15 middle of bed 0.0 0.0 5.5 60.7 13.7 7.2 12.9 320
17 1 foot above base of bed 0.0 tr. 19.7 62.4 14.2 2.0 1.7 170
19   0.0 tr. 6.2 84.8 3.4 1.2 4.4  
Measured section No. 6, NE sec. 12, T. 13 S., R. 12 W., Russell County
2 middle of bed 0.0 0.2 51.3 43.4 1.9 0.6 2.6 105
2 top of bed 0.0 tr. 13.8 61. 9 7.9 4.2 12.2  
4 middle of bed 0.0 tr. 0.1 86.2 3.9 5.7 4.1  
9 middle of bed 0.0 0.0 tr. 42.8 47.2 8.5 1.5 20
11   0.0 tr. 6.1 61.2 4.0 0.8 27.9  
Measured section No. 7, SE sec. 23, T. 13 S., R. 11 W., Russell County
1 base of bed 0.1 12.2 74.2 9.2 2.2 1.0 0.8 375
1 middle of bed 0.0 tr. 95.6 tr. 2.7 1.0 0.7  
1 3 feet below top of bed 0.0 0.0 4.0 89.2 2.0 0.8 4.0  
4 base of bed 0.0 tr. 24.8 67.0 6.4 1.2 0.6  
4 top of bed 0.0 0.1 69.2 25.1 2.6 0.5 2.5  
6 2 feet below top of bed tr. 2.9 87.9 tr. 1.9 0.9 6.4 43
Measured section No. 8, NE sec. 31, T. 14 S., R. 11 W., Russell County
1 20 feet below top of bed 0.0 tr. 69.0 26.0 3.5 1.0 0.5  
1 1 foot below top of bed 0.0 2.5 8.3 69.6 13.2 4.1 2.4  
2 10 feet below top of bed 0.0 0.3 79.9 14.1 4.2 0.5 1.0 110
5   0.0 0.0 25.6 58.3 10.8 1.6 3.7  
Measured section No. 9, SW sec. 31, T. 14 S., R. 10 W., Ellsworth county
2 1 foot below top of bed 0.0 0.1 0.4 85.1 2.2 3.2 9.0  
4 1 foot above base of bed 0.0 tr. 4.3 59.0 16.4 2.4 17.9  
4 19 feet above base of bed 0.0 0.0 tr. 40.7 39.4 17.7 2.2 1
4 top of bed 0.0 0.0 tr. 11.2 41. 7 44.0 3.1  
13 0.0 0.0 0.0 0.8 16.8 80.1 2.3  
1. Number of gallons of water a day, at 60° F., that is conducted laterally through each mile of water-bearing bed under investigation (measured at right angles to the direction of flow), for each foot of thickness of the bed and for each foot per mile of hydraulic gradient.
2. tr., trace (less than 0.1 gram).

Table 6--Physical properties of samples of sandstone collected from exposures of the Dakota formation. (Analyses by J. C. Frye, J. J. Brazil, and L. P. Buck.)

Location Position of sample Mechanical analysis (percent by weight)
Fine
gravel
(2.0-1.0 mm)
Coarse
sand
(1.0-0.5 mm)
Medium
sand
(0.5-0.25 mm)
Fine
sand
(0.25-0.125 mm)
Very
fine sand
(0.125-0.062 mm)
Silt
and clay
(less than
0.062 mm)
Solubility
in SnCl4
(percent)
Coefficient
of
permeability1
SW sec. 22, T. 12 S., R. 13 W. 2 feet above road level 0.0 0.4 42.1 41.9 0.4 0.4 14.8  
NW sec. 18, T. 12 S., R. 14 W. Top of Saline river bank 0.0 0.0 42.5 45.7 3.0 2.2 6.6  
NW sec. 18, T. 12 S., R. 14 W. 10 feet below top of Saline river bank 0.0 0.0 61.4 35.6 1.5 1.5   320
NW sec. 13, T. 12 S., R. 15 W. 1 foot above bottom of 8 foot bed 0.0 0.0 tr.2 29.6 55.6 6.2 8.6  
NW sec. 13, T. 12 S., R. 15 W. Top of exposure 0.0 0.0 tr. 25.4 46.1 6.5 22.0  
NE sec. 1, T. 13 S., R. 12 W. West side of road 0.0 tr. 54.4 9.6 2.6 1.8 31.6  
SW sec. 31, T. 14 S., R. 12 W. South side of road 0.0 0.0 0.7 75.8 18.0 2.2 3.3  
SE sec. 32, T. 14 S., R. 13 W. East side of highway 281, 4 feet above base 0.0 tr. 68.9 29.9 0.6 0.6   630
SE sec. 32, T. 14 S., R. 13 W. East side of highway, top of exposure 0.0 3.9 93.2 1.8 0.7 0.4   310
SW sec. 13, T. 15 S., R. 7 W. Base of exposure in road cut tr. tr. 1.0 79.5 16.1 2.0 1.4  
SW sec. 13, T. 15 S., R. 7 W. Middle of exposure in road cut 0.0 0.0 0.4 80.4 17.0 1.2 1.0  
NW sec. 21, T. 15 S., R. 9 W. Base of exposure, south side of road 0.0 tr. 11.5 47.5 20.5 6.4 14.1  
NE sec. 5, T. 13 S., R. 13 W. Top of exposure 0.0 tr. 1.3 13.6 69.3 15.8   4
NE sec. 5, T. 15 S., R. 13 W. 1.5 feet from base of exposure 0.0 tr. 80.6 15.1 tr. 0.4 3.9  
NE sec. 5, T. 15 S., R. 13 W. Middle of exposure, south side of road 0.0 tr. 70.8 13.3 0.7 0.3 15.0  
NE sec. 1, T. 15 S., R. 14 W. West side of road cut, top of exposure 0.0 0.0 1.0 88.0 3.8 7.2   13
NE sec. 1, T. 15 S., R. 11 W. Base of exposure 0.0 0.0 tr. 2.6 61.5 32.6 0.3  
SE sec. 3, T. 15 S., R. 14 W. Middle of exposure along road cut 0.0 tr. 0.2 18.4 69.8 7.3 4.3  
NW sec. 21, T. 15 S., R. 19 W. 1 foot below top of exposure 0.0 0.0 tr. 78.5 17.8 3.7   52
NE sec. 5, T. 16 S., R. 8 W. 4 feet below top of exposure 0.2 13.9 73.2 3.9 1.0 1.9 5.9  
NE sec. 5, T, 16 S., R. 8 W. East side of road tr. 2.2 41.5 49.0 3.4 0.8 0.1  
1. Number of gallons of water a day, at 60° F., that is conducted laterally through each mile of water-bearing bed under investigation (measured at right angles to the direction of flow), for each foot of thickness of the bed and for each foot per mile of hydraulic gradient.
2. tr., trace (less than 0.1 gram).

Due to the large amounts of cement irregularly distributed in some of the sandstones some of the determinations of coefficient of permeability of small samples may not be truly representative of a particular bed of sandstone or of the formation. It was possible, however, to determine the coefficient of permeability of many of the samples, the results of which are listed in tables 5 and 6. It will be noted that the coefficients of permeability of the sandstones generally are much lower than those of the unconsolidated sand and gravel given in table 8. The coefficient of permeability of 22 samples was determined, and the highest value obtained was 630. Of the 22 samples for which determinations were made, 10 had coefficients of more than 100; 8 had coefficients of 10 to 100; and 4 had coefficients of less than 10. This should not be considered completely representative, however, because only a few of the very fine-grained samples were analyzed. Concerning the relation of the permeability of water-bearing material to the yield of wells, Wenzel (1942, p. 11) states:

Although there are many water-bearing materials of low permeability, most formations that are sufficiently water-bearing to be utilized by wells have coefficients that are whole numbers of two or more figures when expressed in Meinzer's units--that is, above 10. The yields of wells depend, of course, not only on the permeability of the formations they tap but also on the thickness of the formations, the draw-down of the water level, and the diameter and construction of the wells. For many places in the United States the physical and economic conditions are such that wells with moderate to high yields--100 gallons a minute or more--generally penetrate materials with coefficients of permeability of 100 or more.

Samples of Cheyenne sandstone were collected by B. F. Latta from near the type locality in Kiowa county, Kansas. The results of sieve analyses of these samples are given in table 7. Although these samples were collected some distance from this area, they may be considered typical of the composition of the Cheyenne sandstone. It should be noted that the range in major grade is from coarse sand to very fine sand.

Table 7--Physical properties of samples of Cheyenne sandstone from exposures in the vicinity of the type locality, southeastern Kiowa county, Kansas. (Collected by B. F. Latta; Analyzed by L. P. Buck.)

Location Position of sample Mechanical analysis (percent by weight)
Medium
and coarse
gravel
(larger
than
2.0 mm)
Fine
gravel
(2.0-1.0 mm)
Coarse
sand
(1.0-0.5 mm)
Medium
sand
(0.5-0.25 mm)
Fine
sand
(0.25-0.125 mm)
Very
fine sand
(0.125-0.062 mm)
Silt
and clay
(less than
0.062 mm)
Solubility
in SnCl4
(percent)
SW sec. 26. T. 30 S., R. 16 W. 14 1/2 feet above base 10.7 15.4 17. 40.6 14.4 0.9 0.1 0.5
SW sec. 26, T. 30 S., R. 16 W. 72 feet above base 0.0 0.0 0.0 0.2 88.8 10.2 0.5 0.3
SE sec. 9, T. 30 S., R. 16 W. 15 feet below "Champion shell bed" 0.0 0.0 tr.1 tr. 33.6 59.4 9.3 0.7
Sec. 8, T. 30 S., R. 16 W. 13 feet below "Champion shell bed" 0.0 0.0 0.0 0.3 89.1 9.1 0.5 1.0
Sec. 8, T. 30 S., R. 16 W. 4 feet above base 0.0 tr. 2.1 69.8 26.4 0.9 0.3 0.5
1. tr., trace (less than 0.1 gram).

Unconsolidated Deposits

The laboratory determinations made on samples of the unconsolidated deposits collected from surface exposures in Russell County ate given in table 8. The analyses are placed in three groups: (1) Recent alluvium, (2) Pleistocene terrace deposits, and (3) upland Tertiary deposits. The 11 samples of alluvium were collected from the present channel, an abandoned channel, and from the flood plain of Smoky Hill river, and may be considered characteristic of the material underlying the narrow flood plain of that- valley. With the exception of one sample from the flood plain, all of the samples of alluvium were found to have high coefficients of permeability. All had a coefficient greater than 2,000 and six had coefficients equal to or greater than 6,000. The major grade of most of the channel samples occurs in the gravel sizes.

Table 8--Physical properties of samples of unconsolidated deposits in Russell County (Analyses by John C. Frye and James J. Brazil)
Location Position of sample Mechanical analysis (percent by weight)
Medium
and coarse
gravel
(larger
than
2.0 mm)
Fine
gravel
(2.0-1.0 mm)
Coarse
sand
(1.0-0.5 mm)
Medium
sand
(0.5-0.25 mm)
Fine
sand
(0.25-0.125 mm)
Very
fine sand
(0.125-0.062 mm)
Silt
and clay
(less than
0.062 mm)
Coefficient
of
permeability1
Recent alluvium
NW sec. 33, T. 14 S., R. 13 W. Channel bar, Smoky Hill river. 39.6 33.3 19.0 6.9 1.1 0.1 tr2 9,000
NW sec. 33, T. 14 S., R. 13 W. Channel bar, Smoky Hill river. 37.1 28.7 15.4 13.6 4.7 0.1 0.4 2,500
NW sec. 33, T. 14 S., R. 13 W. Channel bar, Smoky Hill river. 3.8 19.6 61.1 14.7 0.5 0.1 0.2 3,300
NE sec. 36, T. 14 S., R. 13 W. Bottom of flood plain slough 31.3 36.3 21.9 9.8 0.4 0.2 0.1 6,050
NE sec. 36, T. 14 S., R. 13 W. Bottom of flood plain slough 23.7 21.3 35.7 18.1 1.0 0.1 0.1 3,300
NE sec. 36, T. 14 S., R. 13 W. Bottom of flood plain slough 8.9 15.5 38.3 34.3 3.0 tr. tr. 2,050
NW sec. 31, T. 15 S., R. 11 W. Channel bar, Smoky Hill river 36.2 31.6 25.2 6.2 0.7 tr. 0.1 6,000
NW sec. 31, T. 15 S., R. 11 W. Channel bar, Smoky Hill river 2.3 29.9 60.1 6.2 0.6 0.2 0.7 7,200
NE sec. 28, T. 14 S., R. 11 W. Channel bar, Smoky Hill river 14.4 42.4 38.8 3.6 tr. 0.1 0.7 9,000
NE sec. 28, T. 14 S., R. 11 W. Channel bar, Smoky Hill river 22.1 34.7 37.2 5.4 0.2 0.2 0.2 8,100
NE sec. 28, T. 14 S., R. 11 W. Flood plain, Smoky Hill river 0.0 0.0 tr. 1.5 8.5 34.2 55.8  
Pleistocene terrace deposits
SE sec. 3, T. 15 S., R. 14 W. Basal terrace sand 2.4 12.3 44.2 34.4 6.3 0.3 0.1 2,000
NW sec. 33, T. 14 S., R. 13 W. 2 feet above base of terrace deposits 30.6 24.6 31.1 11. 3 2.0 0.2 0.2 2,400
NW sec. 33, T. 14 S., R. 13 W. 8 feet above base of terrace deposits 35.9 28.7 21.4 11.1 2.1 0.3 0.5 620
NW sec. 33, T. 14 S., R. 13 W. Silt near top of terrace deposits 0.0 0.0 0.5 10.1 30.5 32.7 26.2 0.3
NE sec. 36, T. 14 S., R. 13 W. Basal gravel of terrace deposits 84.0 10.3 2.2 0.9 1.0 0.4 1.2 50,000
SW sec. 31, T. 14 S., R. 11 W. High terrace deposits tr. 1.5 26.4 63.0 7.3 0.9 0.9 180
SW sec. 31, T. 14 S., R. 11 W. High terrace deposits 43.9 26.3 19.5 1.4 6.9 0.8 1.2 690
SW sec. 31, T. 14 S., R. 11 W. High terrace deposits 1.2 10.9 43.4 40.1 3.3 0.5 0.6 640
NE sec. 28, T. 14 S., R. 11 W. 2 feet above base of terrace deposits 11.6 40.6 45.0 2.1 0.5 0.2 tr. 440
NE sec. 28, T. 14 S., R. 11 W. 6 feet above base of terrace deposits 7.7 14.0 52.1 20.0 5.1 0.6 0.5 430
NE sec. 28, T. 14 S., R. 11 W. 20 feet above base of terrace deposits tr. 0.8 8.2 63.5 23.3 2.1 2.1 420
SW sec. 35, T. 15 S., R. 11 W. Silt near top of terrace deposits 0.0 0.0 tr. 0.4 14.9 28.8 55.9  
Upland Tertiary deposits
SW sec. 22, T. 12 S., R. 14 W. Basal sand 7.7 14.5 36.8 28.2 8.1 2.5 2.2 20
SW sec. 22, T. 14 S., R. 12 W. 4 feet above base of 8 foot exposure 0.0 0.4 7.2 73.4 16.3 1.8 0.9 115
1. Number of gallons of water a day, at 60° F., that is conducted laterally through each mile of water-bearing bed under investigation (measured at right angles to direction of flow), for each foot of thickness of the bed and for each foot per mile of hydraulic gradient.
2. tr., trace (less than 0.1 gram).

The character and permeability of the Pleistocene terrace deposits range between wide limits. With the exception of two silt samples, the major grade of all of the samples of Pleistocene material occurs within the sand and gravel sizes. The coefficient of permeability of only three samples, however, was equal to or greater than 2,000 and that of five samples was less than 500. One sample of gravel had the very high coefficient of 50,000.

Only two samples of the upland Tertiary deposits were analyzed, so the resulting data are inadequate to justify any general conclusion. The two samples analyzed had coefficients of permeability of 20 and 115. These two analyses, in addition to field observations, indicate that the upland Tertiary deposits have a finer texture and are less permeable than the alluvium and the Pleistocene terrace deposits.


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Kansas Geological Survey, Geology
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