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o� Cot <br /> p DEPARTMENT OF NATURAL RESOURCES <br /> David H.Getches,Executive Director <br /> MINED LAND RECLAMATION DIVISION <br /> � 1876 O "' O <br /> DAVID C. SHELTON, Director <br /> Richard D Lamm <br /> Governor <br /> 0 <br /> August 13, 1985 <br /> Mr. Robert Hagen <br /> U.S. Department of the Interior <br /> Office of Surface Mining <br /> Reclamation and Enforcement <br /> 219 Central , N.W. <br /> Albuquerque, NM 87102 <br /> RE: Ten Day Notice - Coal Basin Mine - 85-2-244-8 <br /> Dear Mr. Hagen: <br /> The first item within the above-referenced Ten Day Notice (TDN), addresses a <br /> Gas Well which was exposed during topsoil removal activity at the Sutey Refuse <br /> Disposal Site. Mid-Continent Resources, Inc. has submitted information on <br /> this well showing it was projected to be drilled to 2,000 feet of depth, <br /> possibly for gas development, but drilling was suspended at 410 feet for <br /> unknown reasons. This places the well in Mancos material , not a gas <br /> production formation for the area. This well was drilled in 1962 to 1963 by <br /> another party prior to Mid-Continent purchasing or disturbing the land. Since <br /> the inspection, Mid-Continent has decided to cut the casing off three feet <br /> below the surface and plug the hole. As a temporary measure, to assure <br /> compliance with Rules 4.07. 1 (1 ) and (2), the operator has welded a five (5) <br /> foot extension on the casing. <br /> The issue here is whether Mid-Continent acted appropriately in this <br /> situation. We have determined that approximately three weeks had elapsed from <br /> the time the well was discovered to the time of the inspection. A dozer <br /> operator was stripping topsoil in the area when he ran over the buried <br /> casing. He immediately notified Doug Bowman, who noted gas bubbles emanating <br /> from the well . Mr. Bowman then tried to determine whether the well was an oil <br /> and gas well and what the completion depth was. This information was <br /> important in considering whether it would be safe to weld a cap on the well <br /> and whether the well could be used to monitor groundwater. <br /> 423 Centennial Building, 1313 Sherman Street Denver, Colorado 80203 Tel. (303) 866-3567 <br />