In the study of groundwater circulation in large sedimentry basins, it is neccessary to predict permeability variations with dpth. Different models have been proposed, such as linear and logrithmic ones. However, exceptions are often encountered. Is it now a question if such rule exists for all basins or it is entirely site-specific.
Check out:
Combining geologic‐process models and geostatistics for conditional simulation of 3‐D subsurface heterogeneity, HA Michael, H Li, A Boucher, T Sun, J Caers, SM Gorelick
Water Resources Research 2010, 46 (5)
Overpressure and fluid flow in the New Jersey continental slope: implications for slope failure and cold seeps, B Dugan, PB Flemings
Science 2000, 289 (5477), 288-291
Pore pressure penetrometers document high overpressure near the seafloor where multiple submarine landslides have occurred on the continental slope, offshore Louisiana, Gulf of MexicoPB Flemings, H Long, B Dugan, J Germaine, CM John, JH Behrmann, ... Earth and Planetary Science Letters 2008, 269 (3), 309-325
Kuang, X., and J. J. Jiao (2014), An integrated permeability-depth model for Earth’s crust, Geophysical Research Letters, 41(21), 7539–7545, doi:10.1002/2014GL061999.
Hope this paper will provide some information on permeability-depth relationship.
The permeability - depth relationship is broadly site specific. Thus permeability relationships in desert sands that form the fw aquifer in the Libyan Sarir are quite different from permeability relationships in the carbonate sequence forming the fresh water aquifer underlying Qatar. Disposal of toxic surface liquids will be a significant concern for both cases.
Pump out your water well and observe top aquifer recovery response time to obtain practical rather than theoretical information in each local situation. Obtain cores to top aquifer if sediments are consolidated and test plugs for permeability.
While it is generally true that both porosity and permeability decreases with depth you can expect abrupt permeability changes with depth. This is a function of stratigraphy, the composition of sedimentary layers and diagenesis. Even the same stratigraphic layer, roughly at the same depth may show significant lateral permeability changes due to lateral facies and diagenesis changes. Sorry, no simple answer.
Regards, Volker
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