VOLUME 1: INITIAL INVESTIGATION DATA

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Strategic Storage of Crude Oil at
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1.0 INTRODUCTION

1.1 GENERAL

The Ministry of Petroleum and Natural Gas, Government of India plans to put
up a gross storage of 5.0 million metric tonne (MMT) of imported crude oil
along with associated pipelines as strategic crude oil reserve for the country.
Part of the crude oil is proposed to be stored in underground rock caverns at
Visakhapatnam. Engineers India Ltd was appointed as the prime consultant
for this project for preparation of a detailed feasibility report.

Fugro KND Geotech Limited was awarded the contract to undertake the
detailed geo-technical investigation at Visakhaptanam (Andhra Pradesh) for
the underground – unlined rock cavern.

1.2 PROJECT DESCRIPTION

The site is located at latitude if 17o41’N and longitude 83o17’E. The site is
situated on the Yarada Hill range near Dolphin Nose at Visakhatpanm.

1.3 PROJECT OBJECTIVE

The overall objective of this geo-technical investigation is to explore the

subsurface stratigraphy, rock types and quality. The following fieldwork were
executed to investigate the soil and rock properties by performing in-situ and
laboratory tests :-

• Drilling and sampling at assigned locations to explore the subsurface

condition obtain samples for laboratory testing and installation of
piezometers.
• Following in-situ tests were performed

- Standard Penetration Test

- Permeability Tests
- Packer Permeability test

1.4 SCOPE OF WORK

14.1 FIELD INVESTIGATIONS

The following scope of work is based on the actual field investigation,

• Drilling of 6 coreholes (CH-1 to CH-6) at specified location. Standpipe

piezometers were installed in all the completed coreholes. Following
Table gives the locational and other details of the coreholes.
ID of Borehole CH1 CH2 CH3 CH4 CH5 CH6

Vertical (V), or V V I I I I

inclined (I), wrt horizontal plane 59º 63º 63º 60º

Bearing N185º N180º N135º N90º

Collar elevation (MSL) 12.7 124 21.1 14.7 67.8 55.6

Drilled depth 85.1 185 105.1 160.2 83.5 136.8

Vertical depth (GL) 85.1 185 91 138.7 72.3 118.4

Termination depth, m (MSL) -72.4 -61 -69.8 -124 -4.5 -62.8

Top of completely weathered bedrock or soil 13 124 21 14 61 55

vertical – m (MSL)
Top of moderately to slightly weathered 9.163 120.5 15.754 11.776 - 22.74
bedrock m (MSL)
Top of unweathered bedrock m (MSL) 8.137 23.954 4.848 31.135 - 4.42

Average RQD in sound bedrock 0* 86 68 80 0 56

Average core recovery in sound bedrock 96 96 88 93 28 77

)
* Core mechanically broken due to small diameter (Ax-
size)

• Packer permeability tests were performed in each of the completed

coreholes.
• Two additional boreholes were also drilled for the cross hole seismic
testing purpose.

2.0 FIELD INVESTIGATION

2.1 GENERAL

The field investigation program for this project comprised a total of 6

coreholes, packer permeability tests, and two additional coreholes for the
cross hole seismic investigation. Standpipe piezometer is installed in CH-05.
A plot plan showing the location of the coreholes is presented as Plate –1

2.2 COREHOLES

In the overburden nominal 150mm/100mm diameter holes were drilled using

rotary drilling equipment. Sides of the coreholes in the overburden were
stabilized by using steel casing of 150mm/100mm diameter. The coreholes
were terminated as per the instruction of the client. The Geotechnical logs
and the geological logs are given in Appendix A, Plates A1 – A48.

The coring in the coreholes were done in general accordance with IS:6929-
1973 using NX size double tube core barrels. The cores were labeled and
placed in core boxes. The Total Core Recovery (TCR) and Rock Quality
Designation (RQD) were measured at the site for each respective core runs.
The length of each core run was restricted to maximum 1.5 m to ensure
higher core recovery. The cores were logged at site by visual inspection.
These records are presented in the corehole logs shown in Appendix A. The
rocks have been classified as per the degree of weathered (Weathered
Grade) and their genetic nomenclature as per International Union of
Geological Societies (IUGS) norms. {Ref. The quarterly Journal of
Engineering Geology, Vol 28, Part 3 august 1995 & Vol 23 No. 1 1990}
Selected rock core samples were subjected to laboratory testing.

Core photographs No.1 to 91 for CH-1,2,3,4,5, and 6 are enclosed.

 4 CHAPTER 1: Core drilling log data
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 5 CHAPTER 2: Water pressure testing
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 6 CHAPTER 3: Seismic Refraction Study
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GEOLOGICAL SETTING

The area under investigation represents the Eastern Ghats of India generally covered
with Granulite grade rocks, which are further classified as Khondalite group,
Charnockite group and Leptynites.

Khondalite group of rocks occupies the major part of the area and is dominantly made
up of Garnet Sillimanite gneiss with minor bands of quartzite, and calc granulites.

Charnockite group of rock generally consists of hypersthene bearing gneisses with

mafic granulites.

The Khondalites represent the major hill ranges while the garnet biolite Gneisses
(Leptynites ) occurs as low lying mounds.

The Khondalite and Charnockite group of rocks are Characterized by granulite

metamorphism and beam evidences of retrograde facies conditions. In Khondalite
group of rocks multiple set of joints and fractures are observed with dips ranging from
75o to 85o south easterly having general strike NE-SW to ENE-WSW.
SCOPE OF WORK

The purpose of geophysical investigations using seismic refraction profiling was to

define the subsurface conditions of the rocks upto a depth of 70m. The scope of work
includes 6 nos. of seismic refraction profiles covering total length of 2500m almost in
grid patterns for better appreciation of bedrock configuration. The locations of the
seismic lines are shown in the Deg No. 6838-001-00-00-1801. Rev 0,Geological Map-
Overall Plan. Details are given below :

Seismic Traverses

Traverse Coordinates Length As Length Seismic shot

per BOQ actual points
E N E N
in (m) covered (m)
1-1 9974 10748 10401 10605 471.77 400 S1A,S1B
II-II 9833 10710 10225 10488 398.72 395 S2A,S2B
III-III 9765 10400 10215 10400 393.65 450 S3A,S3B
IV-IV 9800 10335 9800 10810 551.92 450 S4A,S4B
V-V 9834 10355 10048 10822 403.40 450 S5A,S5B
VI-VI 10025 10344 10212 10852 505.06 505 S6A,S6B,S6C

Total coverage made along the above traverse is 2650m.

The quality control was obtained by checking the equipment every morning to verify
the accuracy of timings as well as the accuracy of energy source. The seismic record
from each shot was verified in the field, as first step of quality control. Follow several
criteria’s has to be respected to ensure the quality, bad shots are discarded and
reshoot.

• The first arrival items on each seismic record must be clean and precise;
• Not more than two(2) traces should be absent;
• No end traces should be absent, so as to obtain good time-distance closure
curve.

The quality control was also established by overlapping 2 geophones for each
successive spread. This overlap allows to control the timing of the arrival at same
point from 2 different set-up.

The interpretation was also controlled by using 2 different interpretation methods.

Vast experience of the company and its professionals ensure a high quality of data and
reliable results.

Methodology :

The seismic refraction survey covering a total length of 2650m were conducted on the
proposed site. The survey liens were marked on the ground in grid pattern as shown
in Deg No. 6838-001-00-00-1801. Rev 0,Geological Map-Overall Plan. Seismic
refraction survey has been carried out in the project to determine:

• Overburden and bed rock configuration

• Thickness of the overburden
• Compressional wave velocity for soil and bed rock.
 7 CHAPTER 4: In Situ Stress Measurement
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 8 CHAPTER 5: Cross Hole Seismic study
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 9 CHAPTER 6: Laboratory test results
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Strategic Storage of Crude Oil at
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LABORATORY TESTING

The laboratory program was designed to obtain various index parameters of various
rock core samples like Specific Gravity, Density, Water absorption, Crushing
Strength, Tensile Strength, etc. The laboratory results are furnished in Appendix E,
Plates E1-E9.

Methods of Tests on Rock Cores.

Test of Test Test Method

1. Water Absorption (WA) IS:2720 – 1983 (Part VIII)
2. Bulk Density (D) IS:2720-1983 (Part VII)
3. Porosity Relevant IS
4. Specific Gravity (SG) IS:2720 – 1983 (Part III)
5. Unconfined Compressive Strength IS:9143 (Part X)
(UCS)
6. Tensile Strength (TX) IS:10082
7. Petrographic Analysis*
8. Chemical Analysis of Ground Water

*Petrographic Analysis report is given in Appendix F, Plate F1-F10.

APPENDIX- F -PETROGRAPHIC EXAMINATION REPORT