Westbay System Monitoring Wells
The Westbay System is unsurpassed for the flexibility of design provided for the field hydrogeologist.
Each Westbay System monitoring well is comprised of modular casing, packers, and valved port couplings. Additional components can be added for additional monitoring zones – essentially without limit. This is useful if drilling operations encounter more complex conditions than anticipated. Holes can be deeper and the spacing between zones can vary from those anticipated.
Packers
Westbay has developed a series of modular hydraulically inflated packers to accommodate a wide variety of borehole and casing diameters.
Our standard polyurethane packers mounted with plastic or stainless steel mandrels are compatible with borehole or casing from 3-inches [76mm] to 6.3-inches [160mm]. Custom made packers, made of Stainless Steel with Geopro elements, are also available for borehole or casing with diameter of up to 9.3-inches [240mm].
Packers with plastic mandrels can be deflated (destructive method) to allow recovery of the Westbay system and decommissioning of the well. The packers of the stainless steel MP55 system are deflated by means of a built-in valve for improved control of the deflation process.
Measurement Ports
Measurement ports are used for pressure measurement and fluid sampling operations.
Each measurement port coupling has a small spring-based check valve which keeps the valve normally closed so that it will not open due to the application of an exterior fluid pressure. The measurement port is operated by means of a MOSDAX* probe that is lowered into the borehole, locates the measurement port and opens the port valve.
The internal ends of the measuring ports seal and interlock with external ends of plastic casing and packers.
Pumping Ports
Pumping port couplings provides access for injecting and withdrawing fluid for purposes such as hydraulic conductivity testing, purging, sampling, and injecting tracers.
Mechanical pumping ports have an external screen and an internal sliding valve, which is operated by a mechanical Open/Close Tool. Hydraulic pumping ports operated by a MOSDAX* sampler probe are used for depths greater than 1,000 ft [300m]. The total area of these openings is approximately equal to the cross-sectional area of the inside of the casing.
The internal ends of the pumping ports seal and interlock with external ends of plastic casing and packers.
Casing
Casing or tubing provides an access tube for the passage of tools and probes to the valved couplings and packers in a Westbay System installation.
Two sizes of casing are available. MP38 casing has an internal diameter (ID) of 1.5-inches [38mm]. MP55 casing has a wider internal diameter of 2.25-inches [57mm] to provide enhanced testing and sampling capabilities.
The MP38 system is made of plastic while the MP55 system is available in plastic and in Stainless Steel (316/316L SS) for use in situations where tensile strengths, hydraulic pressures or temperatures are higher than would be suitable for the plastic systems.
Standard operational capabilities include boreholes to over 4,000 ft [1,200m] depth.
