The Kuwait Oil Company currently pumps about 10 Mm 3 /yr from one of its well fields in central Kuwait (Eocene Aquifer) and plans to increase this rate to 30 Mm 3 /yr to meet its water demand. The objective of this study is to investigate the sustainability of brackish groundwater resources for oil operations in the mentioned well field in a way to identify the consequences of increasing the pumping rates on groundwater levels and groundwater salinity. A suitable methodology to assess the sustainability of brackish groundwater utilization has been developed based on pumping tests in addition to flow and salinity numerical modeling. Extensive hydrogeological and salinity field investigations were also conducted. The results show that pumping rate should not be increased above 20 Mm 3 /yr in the aquifer of the study, otherwise a sharp decline in groundwater levels and a significant increase in groundwater salinity will occur. The results of the pumping tests show that the hydraulic properties of the Eocene Aquifer can support regional utilization of the aquifer, but any additional pumping wells should be located within a wider area than the current well field. The salinity variation analysis shows that a mixing process between brackish and saline water is taking place.

中文翻译：

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科威特中部石油勘探作业中始新世含水层微咸地下水的可持续性利用

科威特石油公司目前从其位于科威特中部的一个井田（始新世含水层）中抽取约 10 Mm 3 /年，并计划将该速率提高到 30 Mm 3 /年以满足其用水需求。本研究的目的是调查用于上述井区石油作业的微咸地下水资源的可持续性，以确定提高抽水率对地下水位和地下水盐度的影响。除了流量和盐度数值模拟之外，还基于抽水测试开发了一种评估微咸地下水利用可持续性的合适方法。还进行了广泛的水文地质和盐度实地调查。结果表明，在研究的含水层中，抽水率不应增加到 20 Mm 3 /yr 以上，否则会出现地下水位急剧下降和地下水盐度显着增加的情况。抽水试验结果表明始新世含水层的水力特性可以支持该含水层的区域利用，但任何额外的抽水井都应位于比现有井场更广的区域内。盐度变化分析表明，咸水和咸水之间正在发生混合过程。