Open Access

Table 2

The main characteristics of Hutchinson, Kansas; Epe, Germany; Magnolia, Louisiana.

Hutchinson, Kansas Epe, Germany Magnolia, Louisiana
Cavern information Commissioning Drilled in the 80’s, and abandoned. Re-opened and filled with natural gas in the 90’s 1980 (Epe S5) Wells 13–14 drilled in the 70’s
Incident date (1st noticed) January 19, 2001 Feb 23, 2014 Dec 24, 2003
Geology Bedded salt, Overlain by impermeable layers; however, thin subhorizontal fractured layers between two shale layers Bedded salt, Zechstein (Z1), 200–400 m salt layer, roof at 1000 m, overlain by clastic and argillaceous layers Domal salt (Napoleonville dome), salt roof at 200 m (?)
Stored product Natural gas Oil Natural gas
Last cemented casing shoe 9″ at 238 m 11-¾″ at 1086.8 m 13-⅜″
Penultimate cemented c.s. 16″ at 212 m
Leak mechanism Breach depth 180 m ≈ 217 m ≈440 m
Pressure drop yes 0.36 MPa
Mechanism Milling created a breach when re-drilling a cemented abandoned well. Gas migration through fractured channels to the brine aquifer below Hutchinson, and to ground levels through very old and poorly abandoned brine wells. Casing overstretching due to caverns convergence A flaw in the casing at a 440-m depth, attributed to poor welding job.
Impact at the surface Effects at ground level A dozen geysers, gas + brine, Oil seeps after April 12, 2014 During first filling, 107 m3 of gas migrate to an aquifer layer, then to ground level
Distance from wellhead 13 km 200 m
Evacuation/Casualties Two casualties 10 cows put down; one family displaced for some days 30 residents evacuated
Emergency resp. & remediation Measures taken Bottom plug set on January 24. A video detects the breach. 36 shallow boreholes are drilled, eight of them find gas. A seismic reflection survey is undertaken, Wellhead checks, CBL, sonar survey, measures taken for water protection, video, monitoring wells A bottom plug is set. 36 boreholes drilled to the aquifer layer, 17 find gas. Video.
Remediation Rules rescinded An internal string is set Caverns filled with brine

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