INTEGRAL ADMINISTRATION OF WATER RESOURCES IN THE CESAR

RANCHERIA BASIN

SEBASTIAN CHAPARRO
BSc Petroleum engineering, MSc student Universidad Nacional de Colombia, sechaparrob@unal.edu.co

SEBASTIÁN RENDÓN
BSc Petroleum engineering, MSc student Universidad Nacional de Colombia, srendona@unal.edu.co

VICTOR CASTRO
BSc Petroleum engineering, PhD student Universidad Nacional de Colombia, vmcastrog@unal.edu.co

Received: 24-05-2017

ABSTRACT:
This article presents the strategy to develop a research project aiming to model the hydraulic and geomechanic
interaction between the hydrogeological system and the potential extraction of hydrocarbons in the Cesar
Rancheria sedimentary basin in Colombia. The approach is the construction of a hydrogeological model that
integrates the whole basin, together with hydrogeochemical and geomechanic models, in order to identify possible
hydraulic connections, horizontally between shallow aquifer systems, and vertically between deep hydrocarbon
systems and shallow water resources.

KEYWORDS:
Whole Basin Management, Water Resources, Sustainable Hydrocarbon Extraction, Hydrogeology, Cesar Rancheria
Basin.

1. INTRODUCTION

The challenge is to offer a scientific tool to evaluate environmental and social risks of the development
of hydrocarbon projects, and the mitigation of those risks in order to protect the water resources. This is
a need felt in the discussions [1][2] of problems like competition for groundwater resources, surface
water sources reduction, inappropriate industrial water disposal, contamination of drinking and
irrigation water, hydraulic fracturing hazards, induced seismicity. The objective is to put engineering into
a complex geological model [3].

2. SCOPE

Mainly there are five aspects to achieve:

 Hydrogeological: to define the hydrodynamic interaction between the aquifers system and the
hydrocarbon system in the basin, it is necessary to build a hydrogeological conceptual model based
on geological, climatic and hydrological information. Then, the numerical model can be developed
and it will be able to carry out vulnerability analysis to water production due to the dewatering time
for the coalbed methane (CBM) production and water injection as the disposal alternative.
 Hydrogeochemical: a hydrogeochemical conceptual model will be developed based on chemical
analysis of water samples taken at different points in the basin. This model will be used to determine
the implications of water injection and dumping on the physical chemistry properties of
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underground and surface water. On the other hand, recommendations that allow to study the use of
other alternatives for the final disposal of water will be presented.

 Geomechanical: a geomechanical model will be developed and by using this model, the risk
associated to induced seismicity due to the water injection and hydrocarbon production, and the
seal layer break due to hydraulic fracture can be evaluated.
 Socio-environmental: a research about the government, communities and company interaction
regarding the care of hydraulic resources. Understanding the willingness of communities to
assimilate the knowledge provide bye this project and recommendations for achieving a sustainable,
objective and scientific management of the water resources of the basin.
 Basin Management: achieve an integer water management of the basin, an integrated planning for
the sustainable use of water and hydrocarbons and a licensing and control process of contracts from
an integral perspective.

3. GEOLOGYCAL CONTEXT

The Cesar Rancheria basin is located in the northeast of Colombia, with a surface area of 11,630 Km2
crossed by roads, railway and a gas pipeline, with multiple economical activities like extensive
agriculture, cattle, coal mining, hydrocarbons exploration; water resources are taken from rivers and
shallow aquifers. The basin boundaries are: the Oca wrench fault in the north, the Cerrejón and Perijá
thrust faults in the east, the Bucaramanga-Santa Marta wrench fault in the southwest, and the Sierra
Nevada de Santa Marta ridge in the northwest (see figures 1 and 2) [4].

Figure 1. Tectonic framework, Ingeominas 1999 Figure 2. Geographic location, Ecopetrol 1998

Valledupar plateau splits the basin into two sub-basin systems, Ranchería and Cesar (see figure 3) it
causes that some rivers, like Rancheria, drains to the north into the Caribbean sea and the others (Cesar,
Sicarate, Calenturitas, Garupal) to the southwest into the Magdalena River. This situation expose a
hydrogeological complex system in a basin that it’s define like a critical one [5] and where the runoff
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water could be the most important concept in a hydrogeological balance. The hydric offer in this basin is
1869.000.000 of cubic feet and the hydrocarbon sector uses 0,000137% [6].
Economically the agricultural sector brings 30%, services 35% and mining 27% of the total economic
dynamic in the basin and there exist extensive agriculture of cotton, oil palms, cereals and fruits, which
consume enormous volume of water. At last decade, the economy has increased due to mining sector
through open pit coalmines, mainly in the municipality of El Paso, La Jagua de Ibirico and in El Descanso
Sector [7][8].

Figure 3. Cesar and Ranchería sub basins

The stratigraphic column (see figure 4) ranges from Paleozoic (400 million years) to Holocene (present),
reaching up to 6000 m of thickness. The basement is igneous and metamorphic rocks, which outcrop in
the Sierra Nevada de Santa Marta, and Perijá ranges. The stratigraphic Colum shows some discordance,
which can be due to erosion events.
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Figure 4.Stratigraphic chart, ICP 1990

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Figure 5. Regional hydrogeological system

The general understanding of the hydrogeological system in the Cesar Ranchería Basin (see figure 5),
comprises five aquifers systems and three regional seals. This information will be evaluated in this
research.
The structural geology is ruled by multiple tectonic events. Compressive forces caused thrusting of the
Perijá range at the west during the Oligocene (30 million years). The thrusting faults suffered later
wrench displacements, especially in the Cesar sub-basin (southern area) [4] the figure 5 shows a cross
section in this area. The compressive environment causes that the basin has a longitudinal shape, where
the force caused by the Sierra Nevada de Santa Marta is orthogonal to the major axis.

Figure 6. Cross section to illustrate the structural deformation in the breath of the basin
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4. PLANNING

The Project has two phases, the first one from January 2017 to December 2018, and the second one
from January 2019 to December 2020 and each phase has four stages. The table 1 and 2 show the phase
1 and phase 2 general schedule.

Table 1. Phase 1 Schedule

Semester 1 Semester 2
2018 2017

Stage 1 Project Planning Stage 2 Conceptual hydrogeological model

Stage 3 Numerical model Stage 4 Vulnerability Analysis

Table 2. Phase 2 Schedule

Semester 1 Semester 2
2018 2017

Stage 1 Consortium creation Stage 2 Acquisition of new field information

Stage 3 Geomechanical model Step 4 Vulnerability Analysis

This topic must be treated like a Group Project and not like an individual research and it is important to
have a complete integration between different academic disciplines, which provide the project with
answers to several aspects like technical, political, economic and social. That’s way the project has three
important groups: Research Group UNAL, Academic Network and Drummond team. The first one brings
the project one PhD Student, three Master Students and 10 undergraduate students and the research
experience needed, the second group it’s a network of experts in different study areas like geology,
petroleum and gas science, hydrogeology, systems engineering and social sciences. Reservoir engineers,
model and coal geologist, petrophysics experts and HSE and communities director compose the last
group.

5. PHASE 1

Stage 1 Project Planning: objectives, methodology, stakeholder’s identification, requirements, scope, schedule,
budget and control mechanisms.

Stage 2 Conceptual hydrogeological model: existing information compilation and validation, geo-referenced
database generation, water points inventory, conceptual hydrogeological model, symposium 1 planning, socio-
environmental information acquisition.

Stage 3 Numerical model: numerical hydrogeological model, simulation report, water demand and use
analysis, accomplishment of symposium 1, planning of symposium 2, plan of expansion of the project,
analysis of the socio-environmental context.

Step 4 Vulnerability Analysis: CBM production and shallow aquifers, water injection and seal layer integrity,
communication strategy and project management with communities and recommendations.
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6. PHASE 2

Stage 1 Consortium creation: link with governmental entities (ANLA, ANH, ACP) and private entities for the
extension of the project.

Stage 2 Acquisition of new field information: tracers, microseismicity network, well tests.

Stage 3 Geomechanical model: adjustment of the hydrogeological model and construction of the geomechanical
model.

Step 4 Vulnerability Analysis: induced seismicity and hydraulic fracturing, and identification of solutions for
sustainability.

7. CONCLUSIONS

 By developing a hydrogeological, hydrogeochemical and geomechanical model of the basin, the

aim is to understand the effect of the extraction of hydrocarbons on water resources as a scientific
contribution to the socio-environmental discussions around the theme.

 It is necessary to model the vertical and areal integrality of the basin to be able to evaluate the
interaction of the deep hydrocarbon deposits with the shallow water resources, and the interaction
between all the systems of aquifers under human exploitation extended in the area of the basin.

 It is about engineering an extensive and complex geology. Given the complexity of the object of
study, it is necessary to manage the research as a project that assembles several master thesis and
undergraduate works. It is also necessary to have a multidisciplinary network.

 The problem will be approached in two phases. Phase 1 will use the existing subsoil and surface
information in the area. For this purpose, an agreement was signed with Drummond Ltd. Phase 2
will require the acquisition of additional information to reduce uncertainties, which will require the
formation of a local consortium with the participation of government, industry and academy
entities.

 In the end, it is hoped that a national consortium and a national network of institutions will be
formed to extend the research to the other sedimentary basins of the country and strengthen
scientifically based decision-making capacity around hydrocarbon exploitation projects without
affecting water resources.

8. REFERENCES
[1] Movimiento Cívico Conciencia Ciudadana., “Acuíferos e hidrodinamismo,” Periódico Vanguard. Lib., 2014.
[2] J. Cordero, “Evaluación e identificación de los factores geológicos que controlan el hidrodinamismo en un
campo, en la cuenca de los Llanos, Colombia.,” Univ. Ind. Santander, Bucaramanaga,.
[3] B. RAILSBACK, “Petroleum Geoscience and Subsurface Geology,” 2011.
[4] Agencia Nacional de Hidrocarburos, “Prospectividad de la cuenca Cesar Ranchería,” 2007.
[5] MINAMBIENTE and IDEAM, Estudio Nacional del Agua 2014. 2014.
[6] Asociación Colombiana del Petróleo, “Informe de Desempeño Ambiental,” 2016.
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[7] Gobernación de Cesar, “Perfil Económico,” 2016. [Online]. Available:

http://cesar.gov.co/d/index.php/es/mainmeneldpto/mengobpereco. [Accessed: 24-May-2017].
[8] Copocesar, “GENERALIDADES DEL DEPARTAMENTO,” 2017. [Online]. Available:
http://www.corpocesar.gov.co/generalidades.html. [Accessed: 24-May-2017].