Hydro-geophysical investigation of petroleum training institute land, Osubi Area, Effurun Delta State, Nigeria

The study involves the hydro-geophysical investigation of the Petroleum Training Institute (PTI) Land, Osubi, Delta State. It engages forty-two vertical electrical soundings (VES) points based on the Schlumberger configuration to delineate aquifers and the associated overburden integrity. Studies, as described, are uncommon in the study location. The presented curves, which include A.A., AK, K.Q., Q.H., and K.H. and the more complex curves like HAAAA and KHKHK, depict the near-surface characteristics related to the aquifers. Three to six subsurface layers are revealed, including top-soil, clayey sand, sandy clay, the potential aquifer and the bedrock (hard rock). Across all the VES points, the top-soil resistivity values vary between 13.3 Ωm and 149.4 Ωm, with layer thicknesses ranging from 0.1 2 m to 3 m. The second layer resistivity values range from 12.4 Ωm to 643.8 Ωm, with thicknesses ranging from 0.3 m to 2.6 m. The third layer resistivity ranges from 35.0 Ωm to 6834.6 Ωm, with layer thicknesses ranging from 0.6 m to 23.5 m. The fourth and fifth layers’ resistivity values range from 68.8 Ωm to infinity (∞), and thicknesses range from 1.5 m to ∞. The overburden integrity and aquifer ratings are not evenly distributed, with about twenty-four VES indicating poor/low overburden and fair/marginal aquifer types. Five VES points indicate good overburden capacity, corresponding to excellent aquifer types. Eleven VES points show moderate to good overburden integrity, corresponding to good aquifer types. The presented data are essential inputs in groundwater development programs. The results may also be harnessed for environmental-based and engineering site investigation-related studies.