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Application for Technical Revision to MLRB Permit 80-47 <br />Page 4 of 7 <br />Finally, after the fracture has been created, connected and instrumented, the fracture will <br />be energized. The energy source will be a commercially available portable generator. <br />These units can easily supply up to around 20 kW, sufficient for our purposes. <br />As previously noted, the objective of this testing is to develop reliable methods to <br />construct an Electrofrac electrically conductive fracture. Meeting this objective will be <br />assessed by sensing the current flow through the fracture and measuring the uniformity of <br />the modest temperature increase in the rocks azound the fracture. <br />Ground and Surface Water Monitoriug <br />While the probability of any impact to ground or surface water from the experimental <br />work is extremely small, ExxonMobil has nevertheless implemented a program of water <br />monitoring to allow early detection of any impacts, should they occur. The program, <br />initiated in June 2007, is focused on the Mahogany zone at and around the location of the <br />commercial mine site. Its objectives are the early detection of any impacts to either the <br />ground water levels or to ground and surface water quality. Sampling points in this <br />program are shown in the figure included in Annex C. <br />Currently, water levels are being measured monthly in the WW-11, TH-A6, and MW-12 <br />wells, and samples for chemical analysis are taken from these same wells on a quarterly <br />basis. As indicated by the water table contours in the figure included in Annex C, this <br />provides one up-gradient and two down-gradient ground water sampling locations from <br />these existing wells. <br />To ensure rapid detection of any possible groundwater impact, ExxonMobil will drill an <br />additional water monitoring well immediately down-gradient of the mine on the mine <br />bench. This well is designed to sample the highest occurring water at that location; it <br />maybe completed in the mine bench fill or the natural alluvium below it. No new roads <br />or other surface disturbances will be required for this new well. The water level and a <br />chemical analysis will be measured in this well as soon as it is completed. At least one <br />measurement will be obtained prior to the 2008 experiment, and the result will be <br />compared to historical groundwater analyses from existing wells to verify consistency. <br />Surface water samples are taken and flow rates are estimated quarterly at two locations. <br />These are at the outflow of water from the mine entrance and at the most downstream <br />point on the Colony property of the East Middle Fork of Parachute Creek. Sampling of <br />the East Middle Fork of the Parachute Creek is subject to stream flow. Because of the <br />system of retention ponds on the property, there is generally no stream flow leaving the <br />Colony property. <br />The hydraulic fractures formed during the course of this experimental work do not <br />present an opportunity for degradation of waters in the aquifer system. All ground water <br />from the Colony site ultimately flows southward to the Colorado River. Water in the <br />Upper Aquifer at Colony drains downward into the Lower Aquifer as part of this <br />migration. Water can be seen seeping out of cliff faces just above the Mahogany zone at <br />