Cryogenic Freezeback of Uncontrolled Artesian Wells in Permafrost
Publication: Journal of Cold Regions Engineering
Volume 27, Issue 2
Abstract
In permafrost valleys, artesian wells often penetrate highly pressurized aquifers beneath confining subpermafrost. These wells must be quickly brought under control at installation, and heated through their operational life to prevent them from freezing in winter. However, water breakthrough of the permafrost barrier around the casing results in loss of control of the well. Seepage icing impacts to property and infrastructure can be catastrophic, and the costs to regain well control and mitigate damages high. Methods to regain control of artesian wells in permafrost are few and risky. A new method, cryogenic freezeback, was successfully used to mitigate an uncontrolled artesian well in a permafrost valley north of Fairbanks, Alaska. This paper documents the freezeback method, seepage and thermal analyses, and well abandonment and retrofit. Thermal monitoring results are presented to demonstrate the long-term effectiveness of the method.
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Acknowledgments
The authors wish to thank Mr. Charlie Jones, owner of C&G Construction, LLC, Mr. Jerry Back, president and operator of GF Back, Inc., and Mr. Ed Yarmak, chief engineer with Arctic Foundations, for their expertise, innovation, and professional assistance in mitigating the runaway Propwash Well. The experience demonstrated exemplary teamwork, innovation, and work ethic amidst difficult and challenging hydrologic conditions.
References
Andersland, O. B., and Ladanyi, B. (2004). Frozen ground engineering, Wiley, Hoboken, NJ.
Linell, K. A. (1973). “Risk of uncontrolled flow from wells through permafrost.” Proc., Second Int. Conf. on Permafrost, National Academy of Sciences, Washington, DC, 462–468.
Permafrost Division, U.S. Army Corps of Engineers. (1950). “Observations of an uncontrolled artesian well, Field Research Area, Fairbanks, Alaska.” U.S. Army Cold Regions Research and Engineering Laboratory Internal Rep., Soils Laboratory, Field Operations Office, Fairbanks, AK.
Wheaton, S. R. (1990). “Flowing artesian wells in permafrost regions.” Cold regions hydrology and hydraulics, W. L. Ryan and R. D. Crissman, eds., ASCE, New York, 721–737.
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© 2013 American Society of Civil Engineers.
History
Received: Feb 2, 2011
Accepted: Apr 12, 2012
Published online: May 15, 2013
Published in print: Jun 1, 2013
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