Vertical Electrical Sounding of Water-Bearing Sub-Surface of Issele-Azagba in Southern Nigeria

Abstract

An electrical resistivity survey involving vertical electrical sounding (VES) technique was carried out in Issele-Azagba, Aniocha North Local Government Area of Delta State, Nigeria. This was aimed at investigating the lithologic boundaries and classification of the various subsurface formations. The data obtained were subjected to a twofold interpretative procedure involving initial partial curve matching and computer iteration. Results showed that a maximum of five subsurface layers was delineated from the geoelectric sections. This is made up of loamy topsoil underlain by relatively continuous sandy units composed of different compaction, wetness and clay content. The result also showed that the fifth substratum of the geoelectric section was the aquiferous sand relevant in groundwater development within the study area. Analysis of the result had shown that the aquifers identified in this study were vulnerable contamination percolating from the surface due to the absence of a protective aquitards.

Share and Cite:

Iserhien-Emekeme, R. (2014) Vertical Electrical Sounding of Water-Bearing Sub-Surface of Issele-Azagba in Southern Nigeria. Natural Resources, 5, 772-781. doi: 10.4236/nr.2014.512066.

Conflicts of Interest

The authors declare no conflicts of interest.

References

[1] Nobes, D.C. (1996) Troubled Waters: Environmental Applications of Electrical and Electromagnetic Methods. Surveys in Geophysics, 17, 393-454.
http://dx.doi.org/10.1007/BF01901640
[2] Israil, M. and Pachauri, A. K. (2003) Geophysical Characterization of a Landslide Site in the Himalayan Foothill Region. Journal of Asian Earth Sciences, 22, 253-263.
http://dx.doi.org/10.1016/S1367-9120(03)00063-4
[3] Verma, R.K., Rao, M.K. and Rao, C.V. (1980) Resistivity Investigations for Ground Water in Metamorphic Areas near Dhanbad, India. Ground Water, 18, 46-55.
http://dx.doi.org/10.1111/j.1745-6584.1980.tb03370.x
[4] Jackson, P. (1975) An Electrical-Resistivity Method for Evaluating the in Situ Porosity of Clean Marine Sands. Marine Geotechnology, 1, 91-115.
http://dx.doi.org/10.1080/10641197509388156
[5] Jackson, P.D., Smith, D.T. and Stanfort, P.N. (1978) Resistivity-Porosity-Particle Shape Relationship for Marine Sands. Geophysics, 43, 1250-1268.
http://dx.doi.org/10.1190/1.1440891
[6] Fakue, M., Minato, T., Horibe, H. and Taya, N. (1999) The Micro Structures of Clay Given by Resistivity Measurements. Engineering Geology, 54, 43-53.
http://dx.doi.org/10.1016/S0013-7952(99)00060-5
[7] Park, S. and Kim, J. (2005) Geological Survey by Electrical Resistivity Prospecting in Landslide Area. Geosystem Engineering, 8, 35-42.
http://dx.doi.org/10.1080/12269328.2005.10541234
[8] Waxman, M.H. and Smits, L.J.M. (1968) Electrical Conductivities in Oil-Bearing Shaly Sands. Society of Petroleum Engineers Journal, 8, 107-122.
http://dx.doi.org/10.2118/1863-A
[9] Salem, H.S. (2001) The Influence of Clay Conductivity on Electric Measurement of Glacial Aquifers. Energy Sources, 23, 225-234.
http://dx.doi.org/10.1080/00908310151133906
[10] Baines, D., Smith, D.G., Froese, D.G., Bauman, P. and Nimeck, G. (2002) Electrical Resistivity Ground Imaging (ERGI): A New Tool for Mapping the Lithology and Geometry of Channel-Belts and Valley Fills. Sedimentology, 49, 444-449.
http://dx.doi.org/10.1046/j.1365-3091.2002.00453.x
[11] Samouelian, A., Cousin, I., Tabbagh, A., Bruand, A. and Richard, G. (2005) Electrical Resistivity Survey in Soil Science: A Review. Soil &Tillage Research, 83, 173-193.
http://dx.doi.org/10.1016/j.still.2004.10.004
[12] Akintorinwa, O.J. and Adesoji, J.I. (2009) Application of Geological and Geotechnical Investigation in Engineering Site Evaluation. International Journal of Physical Sciences, 4, 443-454.
[13] Nwachukwu, S.O. (1972) The Tectonic Evolution of the Southern Portion of the Benue Trough, Nigeria. Geological Magazine, 109, 411-419.
http://dx.doi.org/10.1017/S0016756800039790
[14] Olade, M.A. (1975) Evolution of the Nigeria’s Benue Trough (Aulacogen): A Tectonic Model. Geological Magazine, 112, 575-583.
http://dx.doi.org/10.1017/S001675680003898X
[15] Reyment, R.A. (1965) Aspects of Geology of Nigeria. University of Ibadan Press, Ibadan, 145.
[16] Benkhelil, J. (1989) The Origin and Evolution of the Cretaceous Benue Trough (Nigeria). Journal of African Earth Sciences (and the Middle East), 8, 251-282.
http://dx.doi.org/10.1016/S0899-5362(89)80028-4
[17] Kogbe, C.A. (1976) Paleogeographic History of Nigeria from Albian Times. In: Kogbe, C.A., Ed., Geology of Nigeria, Elizabethan Publishers, Lagos, 237-252.
[18] Jan Du Chene, R., Onyike, M.S. and Sowumi, M.A. (1978) Some New Eocene Pollen of the Ogwahi-Asaba Formation, Southeastern Nigeria. Revisital Espafiola de Micropaleontologia, 10, 285-322.
[19] Ogala, J.E. (2012) The Geochemistry of Lignite from the Neogene Ogwashi-Asaba Formation, Niger Delta Basin, Southern Nigeria. Earth Sciences Research Journal, 16, 69-82.
[20] Keller, G.V. and Frischanecht, F.C. (1966) Electrical Methods in Geophysical Prospecting. Pergamon Press, New York, 519.
[21] Cheng, K., Simske, S.J., Isaacson, D., Newell, J.C. and Gisser, D.G. (1990) Errors Due to Measuring Voltage on Current-Carrying Electrodes, in Electric Current Computed Tomography. IEEE Transactions on Medical Imaging, 37, 6065.
[22] Van Nostrand, R.G. and Cook, K.L. (1966) Interpretation of Resistivity Data. United States Government Printing Office, Washington.
[23] Stummer, P. (2003) New Developments in Electrical Resistivity Imaging. A Dissertation Submitted to the Swiss Federal Institute of Technology Zurich for the Degree of Doctor of Natural Sciences Diss Eth No 15035.
[24] Kunetz, G. (1966) Principles of Direct Current Resistivity Prospecting. Gebruder Borntraeger, Berlin-Nikolassee.
[25] Alexei, A.B., Igor, N.M. and Vladimir, A.S. (2001) IPI2Win User’s Guide. Version 2.1, Geoscan-M Ltd., Moscow.

Copyright © 2023 by authors and Scientific Research Publishing Inc.

Creative Commons License

This work and the related PDF file are licensed under a Creative Commons Attribution 4.0 International License.