Lime Plant Groundwater Production Well
Trihydro designed and provided construction services to drill a groundwater production well and construct a pipeline and storage tank that provides water during ore processing and for dust control at a lime plant near Laramie, Wyoming.
Raw limestone is hauled from the Jonathan Quarry to the lime plant, both owned by Pete Lien and Sons (Pete Lien), to be crushed for commercial uses. A well was previously constructed at the plant site in 2014. However, because of the lower saturated thickness in the Casper Formation at this location, the well only produces about 30 gallons per minute (gpm). The grinding process requires more water than this well can provide. Therefore, Pete Lien negotiated with Albany County (County) to complete another well for use at the plant. The County contracted Trihydro to undertake the project.
Choosing the Well Location
Trihydro reviewed existing data to site the test drilling location near an inferred fault associated with the Laramie Fault System. The faulted portion of the Casper Formation was likely to be fractured, creating increased permeability and higher water production. The fault’s precise location was unknown. Our team, therefore, proposed drilling two test wells, presumably on each side of the fault, to better locate the fault. We based the location of the final production well, Jonathon #1, on data collected from the two test wells.
Drilling the Wells
Trihydro prepared well designs and specifications for bidding based on the proposed drilling locations and assisted the County during the bidding process.
The selected contractor used direct air-rotary and mud-rotary drilling to complete two 6-inch-diameter test wells, TB-1 and TB-2, at 1,187 and 1,090 feet in the Casper Formation. TB-1 was completed to 280 feet with a 5-inch-diameter polyvinyl chloride screen and casing. We used TB-1 as a source of construction water for drilling TB-2 and the production well.
The Jonathon #1 well was constructed of 10-inch-diameter steel production casing to 675 feet and an open-hole completion to 1,150 feet.
Generating the Desired Production Capacity
The desired production capacity was 200 gpm or more. The Jonathon #1 well produces about 17 gpm artesian. Before pump testing, a downhole video survey of the well showed numerous fracture zones and voids in the Casper Formation, confirming that the well bore had intersected the fault zone. We pump tested the well to about 590 gpm with a sustainable yield estimated at 500 gpm. A 50-horsepower, 480-volt pump capable of producing 300 gpm was installed in the well.
Completing a Conveyance Pipeline and Storage Tank
Following pump installation, Trihydro designed and oversaw the construction of a conveyance pipeline and storage tank for the new well. The pipeline consisted of 2.3 miles of 6-inch diameter high-density polyethylene piping with a steel pumphouse and pumping system. The pipeline conveyed water from the well to a 156,000-gallon water storage tank at the lime plant. A SCADA system we designed and installed as part of the project controls water levels in the tank.
