Hydrodynamic Justification of the Effectiveness of Horizontal Wells for In-Situ Uranium Leaching in Low-Permeability Formations

N.Zh. Smashov; Zh.N. Alisheva; R.B. Aldangorov; М.T. Arshidinova

doi:10.31643/2028/6445.37

Authors

N.Zh. Smashov Satbayev University
Zh.N. Alisheva Kazakh National Agrarian Research University
R.B. Aldangorov Satbayev University
М.T. Arshidinova Caspian University

DOI:

https://doi.org/10.31643/2028/6445.37

Keywords:

in-situ uranium leaching, horizontal wells, low-permeability reservoirs, hydrodynamic modeling, reactive transport.

Abstract

In-situ leaching (ISL) is the dominant method of uranium production from sandstone-hosted deposits, since its efficiency falls sharply in low-permeability ore horizons, where vertical wells create a narrow zone of hydraulic influence. This study quantifies how far a horizontal well can restore the productivity of such blocks and identifies the mechanism responsible for the gain. Steady-state Darcy flow was computed for a vertical well (Dupuit–Thiem) and for a 150 m J-shaped horizontal well (Joshi) using the parameters of Section 6–7 of the Budenovskoye deposit, Kazakhstan: kh = 1.0 mD, h = 8.0 m, kz/kx = 0.1. The vertical-well solution was calibrated against measured field flow rates from the same section. The horizontal configuration raises productivity from 0.32 to 1.95 m³/day (a factor of 6.1), expands the swept pore volume by a factor of 2.9, and lowers the Darcy velocity at the sandface by a factor of 3.1. Assuming the same characteristic transport length and reaction parameters, the lower sandface Darcy velocity increases the relative Damköhler number by a factor of 3.1, indicating a greater potential for reaction during fluid residence. The effect on uranium recovery and non-target acid consumption requires validation using a fully calibrated reactive-transport model. Blocks with k < 2 mD and h < 10 m may therefore be recoverable with J-shaped wells.

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Author Biographies

N.Zh. Smashov, Satbayev University

Candidate of Technical Sciences, PhD, Associate Professor, Satbayev University, 050013, Satbayev Street, 22, Almaty, Kazakhstan. ORCID ID: https://orcid.org/0000-0003-1095-7431

Zh.N. Alisheva, Kazakh National Agrarian Research University

PhD, Associate Professor, Head of the Department, Kazakh National Agrarian Research University, 050010, Abay Avenue, 8, Almaty, Kazakhstan. ORCID ID: https://orcid.org/0000-0003-0929-4984

R.B. Aldangorov, Satbayev University

Doctoral Student, Satbayev University, 050013, Satbayev Street, 22, Almaty, Kazakhstan. ORCID ID: https://orcid.org/0000-0003-1125-6776

М.T. Arshidinova, Caspian University

Candidate of Technical Sciences, Associate Professor, 050000, Dostyk Avenue, 85A, Caspian University, Almaty, Kazakhstan. ORCID ID: https://orcid.org/0000-0002-2695-6823

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