BLM Completes Surface Clean-Up at Cape Simpson Legacy Well Sites
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ANCHORAGE, Alaska - BLM Alaska has completed an important milestone in the cleanup of legacy well sites at Cape Simpson in the National Petroleum Reserve in Alaska (NPR-A). The BLM facilitated removal of surface debris at Simpson Core Test 26, 30, and 30A through an interagency agreement with the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers, which contracted with Alaska-owned Mahto Construction, Inc.
Surface debris removal and soil sampling at these sites presents a number of logistical challenges for the BLM. The contractor collected 135 cubic yards of bentonite clay, concrete, oily debris, drums, wood, and scrap metal from the sites. The waste was removed by air lifting using a sling and helicopter to an adjacent tug and barge for off-site transportation and disposal. Because some of the debris was located in a natural oil seep, crews had to use winches, non-sparking axes, power tools, chest waders, and even a canoe for gathering debris from within the seep.
“The fact that these test wells were drilled in natural oil seeps presented special challenges to this clean-up effort,” said BLM Alaska State Director Bud Cribley. “The BLM continues work to address legacy wells across the NPR-A in order to protect the public and Alaska’s environment.”
Since 2002, the BLM has plugged 21 wells and cleaned up the surface at priority legacy well sites at a cost of $99 million. The September 2013 passage of the Helium Stewardship Act included a provision to fund BLM’s legacy well cleanup efforts with $50 million through fiscal year 2019. The 2013 Legacy Wells Strategic Plan outlines priorities and actions BLM will take to clean up legacy wells in the NPR-A. The Strategic Plan can be viewed at the BLM Alaska website: www.blm.gov/ak.
Between 1944 and 1982, the federal government conducted a program of exploratory and scientific drilling in what is now the NPR-A. The BLM has been assessing, plugging, and remediating legacy wells since 1982.
The BLM manages more than 245 million acres of public land located primarily in 12 western states, including Alaska, on behalf of the American people. The BLM also administers 700 million acres of sub-surface mineral estate throughout the nation. Our mission is to sustain the health, diversity, and productivity of America’s public lands for the use and enjoyment of present and future generations.