RECEIVED, nn 191983
BID; WATERROLLUTION CONTROL!
INVESTIGATION OF WELL CONSTRUCTIONAND COMPLETION TECHNIQUES FOR WELLSCOMPLETED IN THE GALLUP FORMATION
for
United Nuclear CorporationMininc and MillingG a J J u p / New Mexico
bv
Bit lings & Ac&ociates/ Inc.Kimberlinq Ci ty , Missouri
June/ 1983
Associabe/HydrologisfcBillings & Associates, Inc
Reviewed and Approved by
Stc-ven P» LarsonVice PresidentS- S* Papadopulos& Associates/ Inc.
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Table of Contents.List of T a b l e s . . . .List of Appendices
Introduction..,Data CollectionResults* *. . . . . .Assessments.. . .Conclusion....»
APPENDICES
LITERATURE CITED
TABLE OF CONTENTS
ll
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LIST OF TABLES
D£-££ripJ;-i.OJl
Summary of Well Construction Data ofWells Completed in the Galiup Formation.
Well Locations.
Construction Data for Three Wells inthe Church rock Area.
LIST OF APPENDICES
Well Construct ion Infer rr.ation-
List of All Personal Communicationsand Contacts.
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Introduction:
An investigation of well construction data for wells drilled
in the Galiup formation was completed by Billings & Associates,
Inc. (BAD and reviewed by S. S. Papadopulos & Associates, Inc.
(PAD for United Nuclear Corporation (UNO. The investigation
made use of information from local, state and federal agencies.
Various individuals within these agencies, as well as individuals
in consulting and private f irms, were interviewed both by
telephone and through field contact.
This report presents all pertinent data obtained from. the
investigation and an assessment of these data in relation to the
techniques previously used and proposed for use in construction
of seepage collection wells at the UNC site.
£aî —C^JJ^£^u-m s
The following o f f i ces and personnel were contacted during
the course of this investigation:
• United S t a t e s Geological S u r v e y / Pobert Klausing« John Shomaker / Pr ivate Consultant9 Mew Mexico Bureau of Mines and Mineral Resources,
William Stonee United States Public Health Service, Masud Zaman• City of Galiup/ Chyrs Uhlig and William Petranovich• New Mexico State Engineer/ Bob Rogerse New Mexico Environmental Improvement Division/
Richard Raymondie Don Stirling, Private Consultant• BIA/ Branch of Engineering Serv ices , Ed DeWilde• Navajo Water & Sani tat ion, Mr. Dan Mullahoa
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The majority of pertinent data was obtained from the State
Engineers' Off ice and the City of Gallop. Other well records
were available but completion information was not in sufficient
detail to warrant further investigation or analysis. The wells
which had sufficient detail are presented in Appendix A in the
format used by the off ice from which the record was obtained.
The pertinent information obtained from this investigation
is presented in Table 1 . Table 1 contains information on eleven
wells completed in the Galiup formation. Table 2 lists well
locations. As indicated above, other well records were
available. However, they did not contain sufficient information
to allow BAI to evaluate the completion techniques used-
Few wells are completed in the Galiup formation in the
general vicinity of the Churchrock site. However^ those
presented in Table 1 are considered representative of typicali
techniques used throughout the area. Several of the wells in
Table 1 have little/ if any, information from which the well's
constt uction characteristics could be deter mined. In fact, none
of the wells reviewed provided any indication of grain-size
analysis/ or other techniques that might have been used to size
the gravel pack or screen. Discussion of this subject with
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Table 1 . Summary of Well Construction Data ofWells Completed in the Galiup Formation-
BAIH^ULl H£JLL2iMi£
1 33/36.5
2
6
8
9
10
11
12
Gray,el..P^£X
none indicated
Mobil 17N13^12 none indicated
AK-147
GS-15
ERWIN-1
16T-608
K'^noz 1-A
Rsy No. 1
Junker-1
Well No. 15
14P-568
none indicated
none indicated
1/8 fcu 3/8 inch
none
1/8 to 3/8 inch
size notindicated
none indicated
size notindicated
none indicated
Navajo Training none indicatedCenter
&£iJ££n
perforated pipe(slot size unknown)
perforated pipe(slot size unknown)
none indicated
perforated pipe(slot size unknown)
shutter screen(1/8 by 1 5/8 inchslot)
none
perforated pipe(1/8 by 1 5/8 inchslot)
perforated pipe(1/8 by 3 inch slot)
perforated pipe(slot size unknown)
perforated pipe(slot size unknown)
perforated pipe(slot size unknown)
perforated pipe(slot size unknown)
14Z-586 none indicated none indicated
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Table 2. Well Locations.
KeJĴ ô aJĴ ui
17N 13W 34
17N 13W 12
15N 10W 20
15N 18W 35
1/2 Mile SW of Junction US 6 6 6 and NM 264
16T-608
1/2 Mile SE of Junction US 6 6 6 and NM 264
1/2 Mile NW of Junction US 6 6 6 and NM 264
17N 18W 32
17N 16W 16
17N 16W 36
17N 16W 34
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5several contacts indicated that the use of such techniques was
nc t warranted.
The results indicate; however, that some wells in the Galiup
formation have been gravel packed. The grain-size ranges from
1/8 to 3/8 inches in diameter in these wells. There is no
apparent specification for uniformity. According to individuals
whc were contacted/ the specifications of these gravel packs were
not based on any specific design criteria (personal communicate op
- Chyrs Uhlig, Engineer for the City of Galiup and Don Stirling/
Consultant to the City of Galiup). Rather^ the procedure was
sirply to place some gravel in the hole. Again, the use of
specific gravel packing techniques was thought to be unwarranted.
Most of the wells listed in Table 1 we re completed with
perforated pipe- In most cases the size of perforations is not
known. Wells f5 and 87 indicate the slot size of the
perforations is 1/8 inch. Well f 7 / known as the Munoz 1-A well/
yields an intake area of 1 9 . 5 square inches per linear foot of
screen. Perforated pipe such as that used in the wells described«
above typically do not have as large an intake area as the 50
slot wound screen currently proposed for the UNC site. The
intake area of the proposed screen at the L'NC site is 5 4 . 3 square
inches per linear foot. This corresponds to a transmitting
capacity that is more than double that of the perforated pipe
used above. The 20 slot wound screen previously used at the UNC
site has an intake area of 25.0 square inches per linear foot.
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Again,, this type of screen typically has a larger intake area
than that of perforated pipe.
It appears from the investigation that most of the wells in
the Galiup formation are completed in an open borehole with
perforated pipe used in lieu of a screen. While the City of
Galiup has several wells completed with gravel packs, they are
discontinuing this practice. Initially/ gravel pack was used as
a conservative measure because of the lack of knowledge and
experience in completing wells in the Galiup formation. It has
also been used to help protect the pumps from sanding. However/
more recent well completions have foregone the use of gravel pack
as it is considered unnecessary (personal communication " William
Petranovich, Engineer for the City of Galiup). Open borehole
techniques can be used where the aquifer is fully competent as is
the case for the Galiup formation at depth. There does not
appear to be any sand pumping or stuff ing in any of these wells
(personal communication - Will!am Petranovlch/ Engineer for the
City of Galiup).
There are three wells near the Churchrock site that provide
some construction data. Two of them are gravel packed- These
data are discussed in a letter from Thomas F . Bailey to Thomas
Baca, dated March 6 , 1981. We have been unable to locate the
source of these data. Table 3 details construction data of these
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Table 3. Construction Data for Three Wellsin the Churchrock Area-
Name and Ownership; 15T-303; The Navajo Tribe
Location: Section 31, T17N, R13W, 1.75 miles Northeast oftailings area
Completion: Depth - 514 feet; steel casing to 537 feet;perforation through 134' of Galiup sandstone
Aquifer: Galiup/ development test 23 GPM; pump rate 2-3 GPMUse: Domestic/Stock
Name and Ownership: Training School Well; Kerr-McGee
Location: Section 3 6 , T17N, R16W; 2/000 feet Northeast oftailings area
Completion: Depth - 455 feet; steel casing to 250 feet;perforations from 200-250 annulus gravel packed from bottomto near surface
Aquifer: Galiup; development pump rate - 2 GPM
Use: None
Name and Ownership: Friendship 1 ; The Navajo Tribe
Location: Section 35, T17N, R16W; 1.25 miles Northwest oftailings area
Completion: Depth " 747 feet; steel casing to 747 feet;perforations last 40 feet; annulus gravel packed frombottom to near surface
Aquifer; Upper and Lower Galiup; development pump rate - 50 GPM,,pump rate " 7 GPM
Use: Domestic/Stock
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The Bureau of Indian Affairs - Branch of Engineering
Services/ was contacted concerning wells 14T-313/ 14K-303 and
14K-320, No record of ownership was located for 14T-313 and
14K-303. Well 14K-320 is completed in the Crevasse Canyon
formation. This well is not pertinent to this data review.
Assessments:
Of the Galiup wells investigated in this report that have
gravel packs/ the grain-size diameter used is larger than that
used at the UNC site* However/ it is not based on any particular
design specification, or specific experience of well problems
caused by smaller grain-size (personal communication - Chyrs
Uhlig/ Engineer for the City of Galiup and Don Stirling/
Consultant to the City of Galiup). In contrast/ the wells'
constructed by UNC are based on site specific evidence such as
cuttings» geophysical logs and a sieve analysis*
Wells at the UNC site will be constructed with a gravel pack
to produce a modified open borehole well for the following»reasons:
1 ) Zones 1 and 3 at the site are near an outcrop area
and are thus more susceptible to weathering
resulting in a weaker matrix;
acid-leaching could have occurred in some areas at
the site thereby weakening the matrix;
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5)
previous drilling at the site has produced only
small amounts of chips in the drilling fluid
indicating a loosely cemented rock; and
previous drilling at the site has indicated
sluffing in open boreholes (BAI; January, 1 9 8 2 ) .
This investigation demonstrates that well design and
construction procedures used by UNC are based on a more sound
engineering procedure than those used by others for wells in the
Galiup formation. This conclusion is true for those that are
proposed and those constructed in the past. The evidence
indicates that open boreholes can be used in the Galiup formation
within the general vicinity of the Churchrock site. However, for
the reasons stated above the wells will be constructed using a
modified open borehole method. There is no evidence in this data
review that suggest UNC need change its current well construction
procedure-
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Sl^ l 1 I NC.INt 1 R OK i^
WELL RECORD
Section I , t.l.NL < A L IM DKMATION
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STAf t ENGINEER OFFICE
WELL RECORD
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p3..-^-, , . .—-—-———————————————_ ^•-\—1
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Srcuon 5. PL t i f .US* . K ( C O K f )
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Well WJS JrilicJ under I'cnnit No.__- G" 58-0-1.
,,JiE._
____- _.,_-,_-,_-——- -. -___-._ .irJ is locatt-d in ihL-;
•9-'1 - - SH - ^4, N w_ ^ .sw- ^ of Scftion ^3 1nw.Kl.in 1 5 M -
b. TrJd Nu. Of Map Nu.of (tic
c. L
Land Surface
Ccmont^rout
Ahiliirio 657G fpr t
- ^ t Grove) pnch
)^ ('/£'- to -Vti- inch^ | d i o m c t e r )-i i i
plug
Construcsicn d e t a i l s of Erwin-i pro^nr.lion w e l l
24-lnch
BAI Well # 6
A
/^ ̂ ̂ V< A'^^. ..„ I _
BAI Well ^ Q
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BAI Well ^ 9
STATE ENGlStFH OH ;«m————--————•_____ Owncr'tWell No.„. , c , . •• v« wfs id.yuclty "d statc ————QitUup, aw Megioo 87301——— ,___&aite£=l_ab«?«^»y Vail yial^)
^eU was drilled under Pennil No,————y^———TT-^————•—————^»nd u locstcd in Ihc;
" J (yr&atlonal lotion)a gtf •.. 5S^ VM——^-M—^ of Section, jg Tnwn^.p ^yy ' Ransc^^y.
b Traci No._____- "• Of M«p No. ——————————— o/ the __
"••tfd Juir , » T -
XM.P.M.
c. Lot No, of Biock No.SubJiMiion, recorded fn
i-ounty.
{t9t, N.M. Cdordinitfl Syttem.d. X-
Ihefeflt. Y".
Zoiw In
Gtant^ (B) Di.ll.n.Contr.cfOf^ii^ Rp^^^^ Tnft^
LtcerneNo.. TO. 716-
Addreu —J^O-gMX-gO 3S» Pii
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W BAI Well #10 @ .—————————————————-—i—————— -.„ .„ ,,\ -^ \
JBOOa H M K E X H O f F & A S t O C H T E S Bilt1 or ^o'l" ^>l/
, «B««
Water Well DevelopmentN^vajc^Tribe
Window Rock,. Azizona
BAI Well » 11
WELL RECORD
r
WELL KoJ-^P"55S
3.15Quxd. Nrv 106(NE}) ^^ ̂ î 2.80
_____ Miles sQutb————-^,________,
_SE .̂ SW^. Sec. 16. TITW, RICT; 1,35 miles SE of Well No. 14T-538 Elev—Loeat fon ' ---—
Began well September 17, 1973 (?) ûnshed well September 20, 1973 (?)
Dimeter of well 5" to TD; 9" reaa to Depth of well 1340' (5"); 1263 (prod.)1263 •
Static water level ————".°3———————— Drawdown ..-.*"________ Recovery6-21-77
Quantity of water on test run: bailen pump-^^'^-QQ ma^. ? ̂ Tested forW1 •* *
7180' I
MT»CT- Al
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Water Well DevelopmentKw»io TrilwWinder Bode, Amooa
BAE Well S 13
"WEJ. RKCORO
Location
o ^«ti 3-26-76Be^aa weil ————^—^-,
DLanieter of well ,._____2-2Z®.M
Static water level 380
Finuhed w&U
Depth of well
Drawdown ____N»A<
3-27-76
750*
Quantity ot water oa test run; bailex1: pump:
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Appendix B. List of All Personal Communications and Contacts
££-r̂ mn̂ -i
Robert Klausing
John Shomaker
William Stone
Masud Zaman
Ag-fiJifî
United StatesGeologic Survey
Private Consultant
N - M . Bureau ofMines and MineralResources
United States PublicHealth Service
Method of£« l̂t̂ t £^t£
William Petranovich City of GaliupChyrs Uhlig
Bob Rogers N.M. State Engineer
Richard Raymondi N.M. Environmental
Improvement Division
Don Sterling Private Consultant
William Petranovich City of GaliupChyrs Uhlig
Ed DeWilde
Dan Mullahoa
Bureau of IndianAffairs/ Albuquerque
Navajo Waterand Sanitation/Window Rock
0V*
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PC*
PC
PC
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6/6/83
6/6/83
6/6/83
6/7/83
6/7/83
6/8/83
6/8/83
6/14/83
6/14/83
6/30/83
6/30/83
* NOTE: OV - Office VisitPC - Phone Call
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LITERATURE CITED
Billings & Associates, Inc. January/ 1982 . "Drilling forSeepage Control System: 500 Series; Churchrock Mill" .Unpublished consulting report submitted to United NuclearCorporation.
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1 1
L,.
:.»0l ———fr
U
0
0 10
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Investigation of Well Construction and Completion Techniques for Wells Completed in the Gallup FormationAppenidx A: Well Construction InformationAppendix B: List of All Personal Communications and Contracts
