Modelagem numérica do sistema aquífero Içá-Solimões para fins de disponibilidade e demanda hídrica da província petrolífera de Urucu, Amazonas, Brasil

Abstract

Groundwater plays a crucial role in the hydrological cycle in the Amazon region, constituting a significant reserve of high-quality water that can be used for various purposes. However, hydrogeological data on the region are still scarce, with studies mainly available for urban centers. In the Petroliferous Province of Urucu, municipality of Coari/AM, where the Petrobras Geologist Pedro de Moura Operational Base (PGPMO) is located, studies have characterized the local aquifers hydrogeologically, revealing a complex hydrogeological scenario due to the Içá-Solimões Aquifer System (ISAS). Despite this information, more in-depth studies are needed to understand how groundwater can be sustainably used to meet the future demands of the PGPMO, ensuring water sustainability. The research aims to evaluate groundwater exploitation's impact on the supply of units in the PGPMO area through the first finite difference numerical modeling (MODFLOW) of the ISAS to achieve a balance between water availability and demand, considering current and future uses. Two scenarios were simulated: 1) impact assessment of pumping in currently active wells within the next twenty years; and 2) doubling the flow rate adopted in the previous scenario. The results indicate that the ISAS is still in the early stages of exploitation, in which even in more severe scenarios, the modeled discharges represent less than 1% of the simulated infiltration, thus indicating that the pumping has been done within sustainable conditions.