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k r ~: r ° <br />~~ <br />/~1MERf CAN <br />SODA L L P charl;e Yates <br />f Plant Manager <br />~.~.~... <br />_ .. n.~.- <br />2777 County Road 295 ~ Tele hone (970] 2856500 <br />Parachute. C0 81635 ~ T°P r,~ee (any soon,-AS~I <br />' ~ Facsimile (970) 285&393 <br />Monday, Octoher 02, 2000 <br /> <br />Division of Minerals and Geology <br />Emergency Management Program , <br />Colorado Department of Public Health and Environment ~ <br />4300 Cherry Creek Drive South, A3 ~ <br />'' Denver, CO 80246-1530 <br />Dear Sir(sJ: <br />The purpose of this correspondence is follow-up documentation regarding a release that was <br />reported by American Soda to the 24-heur Environmental Emergency Spill Reporting Line on <br />Friday, September 29, 2000. <br />American Soda is presently in the final stagges of construction on it's solution mining facility in <br />the Piceance Basin located near Meeker, Colorado. The project is designed to solution mine <br />naturally occurring nahcolite (sodium bicarbonate or °baking soda°) through a network of vertical <br />wells. An important part of this construction effort is the drilling and completion of the solution <br />mining production wells. The reported release originated from a drilling water de-silting pit <br />located on one production well pad [29-34J on Amertican Soda's lease. <br />Production well 29-34 was drilled to total depth (2000 - 2500 feet) and casing set. Prior to <br />grouting the well, water from a nearby supply well was hauled in five 3,000 gallon loads to an <br />on site tank. The source of the flushing water was a supply well located on the lease that is <br />completed in the Uinta formation. This water was pumped Into the well to clean out the drilling <br />mud. The volume of water in the tank prior to beginning the flushing activity was 15,O1~0 <br />gallons. <br />In addition to the drilling and cleanin~ water, the solution circulating through the well during the <br />flushing activity also contained ~uik el (Silica 14808-60-7 2-6%) and Drispac Plus Polymer <br />(not hazardous by 29 CFR Part 1910.1200). The two drilling additives were used in <br />concentration of less than 5% by volume in the original drilling water and after the flushing <br />activity began the concentration of these two constituents hecame diluted to even lower levels. <br />The use of these materials in drilling and completion of domestic wells is common. Material <br />Safety Data Sheets for both additives are enclosed. <br />The well flushing process involves the use of a small, unlined de-silting pit (10' X 6' X 4') dug in <br />the cut side of the well pad. The flushing water is cycled through the de-silting pit where fine <br />material settles out. Although the de-silting pit is constructed on the cut side of the well <br />Delivering a Crystal Clear Advantage. <br />www.americansoda.com <br /> <br />