Direct detection of 135 m deep void using high resolution seismic reflection

A void of unknown size in the 125 m deep Permian Hutchinson Salt, discovered after failure of a SWD well in McPherson County, Kansas, represented a potential risk to groundwater, infrastructure, and traffic on a county road. Breach of this disposal well allowed produced water from oil production to access the salt and facilitate an uncontrolled harvesting of the salt. A high-resolution seismic reflection survey was undertaken during the winter of 1988 resulting in reasonable but modest confidence conclusions. During 2020 a follow-up high-resolution reflection survey was designed to image the void with sufficient accuracy and resolution to allow the mitigation of risk to traffic by reaffirming limits of void migration and surface expression. Additionally, placement of a permanent survey maker as part of a government public safety program was accomplished based on these seismic data.