2005-07-11_REPORT - M1999002 - Laserfiche WebLink

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3.3 Solution Mining Wells and Pads American Soda constructed 34 well pads in the summer of 2000. The size of each pad is approximately 150 feet by 80 feet, plus cut and fill slopes. Total disturbance associated with construction of the 34 well pads is approximately 15 acres. Out of the 34 pads constructed, 24 wells were actually drilled and completed during the summer and fall of 2000. Two wells (20-2 and 20-14) formerly part of the American Soda's Test Mine Facility were also converted to commercial wells and brought on-line. One well (20-3} was converted to a commercial well but has never been brought on line. Drilling of new wells (20-11, 20-12, 20-19, 20-30, 20-31, 20-32, 20-33, 20-35, 20- 36, 20-74, 21-15, 21-16, 28-17, 28-41, 28-21, 29-34, 29-29, 29-28, 29-27, 29-26, 29- 24, 29-23, 29-22 and 29-20) commenced in July 2000 and was completed in November 2000. One new well (29-68) was drilled on an existing well pad and placed in operation in during the 2001 - 2002 reporting year. Three new wells (20-76, 29-53 and 20-76) were drilled on existing well pads and placed in operation during the 2002 - 2003 reporting year. Drilling of well 29-51 was started during the 2002 - 2003 reporting year but the drilling operation was halted due to budget restraints at a depth of 200 feet. Wells 20-2, 20-3, 20-11, 20-14, 21-15, 21-16, 28-17, 28-41 and 29-51 were Plugged and Abandoned and Well 20-12 was converted to a Subsidence Monitoring Well during the 2003 - 2004 reporting year. There were no new areas of disturbance on the Yankee Gulch Sodium Minerals Project properties during the 2004 - 2005 reporting year. 3.4 Well Field Piping and Pump Stations There are three types of well field piping utilized by the Yankee Gulch Project. They include the 12-inch diameter main header pipe rack, which extends from the Piceance Site Processing Facility down the length of the 0 - 5 year mining panel; numerous fl- inch lateral pipelines to serve groups of solution mining wells; and 4-inch individual well pipelines. Two pump stations have been constructed in the well field to lift nahcolite solution from the well field to the Piceance Site Processing Facility. Figure 3 provides a detailed map of the well field layout, including the well field piping and pump station configuration. Total disturbance associated with well field piping and pump houses is approximately 8.8 acres. 3.5 Well Field Roads Access through the Well Field is provided by the Well Field Access Road that extends from the Main Access Road down to the Test Mine Area below (Figure 3). This road was constructed in January and February 2000 and resulted in disturbance of • approximately 9.8 acres. Individual well pads are served by narrow one-lane roads. It is American Soda, L.L.P. 4 DMG Annual Report July 12, 2003