Sootypaws graphic
link to Home link to Off the Grid link to Journals link to Blacksmithing
link to Woods
Gas Well Study, 2008    

This is a report on our examination of a number of gas wells in Putnam and Kanawha counties all operated by the same company.

The Home Page for the 2011 Study

Four Wells in the Kanawha State Forest

Three Wells with Surface Contamination

Three Well with Inadequate Secondary Containment

A Vertical Marcellus Well

Condensate Tank Overflow

The Home Page for the 2010 Study

The Home Page for the 2009 Study

Putnam County
Poca River Road
583
731
1492
595
615
743
775
746
739

Spanish Oak Road
232
Putnam B-85

Long Road
298

Kanawha County
Dry Branch

5999
1266

Harmon's Creek
2026
5714

Environmental Assessment
Putnam County
1492 & 731

Kanawha County
2026

5714

The Home Page for the 2008 Study

Putnam County
Long Road Group
1288
1215
1178
1299
702
No API #1
No API #2
No API #3
1155
No API #4
No API #5

River Road Group
735
601
570

King Cemetery Group
1200
274
404

Kanawha County
2026
5714

47-079-1178

This well is between 47-079-01288 and 47-079-01299, on a separate gated road, down into a hollow. The road itself is a remarkable technical achievement that has been allowed to deteriorate because of lack of maintenance. A special page is devoted exclusively to this road because it shows the whole range of problems we saw at the sites we examined.

This well has the most beautiful location of all the wells we visited, facing west across the hollow to another ridge.

The well had two minor leaks, a fluid leak at the Christmas tree and a small leak on the wall of the 100-barrel tank. A whittled stick was used to keep a linkage open and this isn't proper maintenance.

The tank had a dike but it isn't large enough for the tank's capacity, nor could we see a rainwater drain.

Vegetation on the site was good on the fill slope, spotty on the pad and inadequate on the cut slope to keep it from slipping. Drainage control and deeper rooted vegetation need to be used on the cut slope.

   

Deep ruts between main access road and well.

Photos taken along the whole road and commentary are found on a separate page.

   
  This drain culvert is supposed to have a flexible culvert attached to the end. The flexible culvert goes down the fill slope. As it is now water falls onto a flat spot on the edge of the fill slope. Eventually there will be problems here.
   
  A linkage at the well had a specially trimmed piece of wood propping it up. This isn't proper maintenance.
   
  The tank shows signs of leaks starting on the side walls. The dark material is a leak from the interior of the tank.
     
  Leaking gunk at Christmas tree.
   
  The tank has a dike with no rainwater drain that we could see. The dike isn't large enough for a 100-barrel tank; it's 19 by 15 by 2 feet high.
   
  There are a number of slips at this site and road. This slip is one of a band across the top of the cut slope. A ditch or dike needs to be created to keep water off the slope.
   
  The pad vegetation is spotty. This area, near the wellhead, shows signs of an oil spray from the wellhead.

Next | Previous

 

 

   

The Gas Well
The Old Well | Gas Well Study | Reclamation
Drilling Waste Management | What Happened at Fernow | The Spill at Buckeye Creek