Deep Well Disposal
C. L. HUNDLEY, Senior Project Engineer
Central Engineering Department
Chemical Divisions
FMC Corporation
and
J. T. MATULIS, Process Superintendent
Newport Chemical Corps Facility
FMC Corporation
Newport, Indiana
The Food Machinery Corporation was selected in 1959 as prime contractor for the construction and operation of a Chemical Corps facility at
Newport, Indiana. It was the desire of the U. S. government, represented by
the Corps of Engineers, Chicago District, that FMC provide a safe and economical method for disposal of chemical waste from the plant. Many methods were considered such as storage or retention in ponds, by evaporation and
burning of residues, and by disposal in a deep geological formation. The
deep well disposal idea appeared to have considerable advantages over any
other method provided the technical and economic considerations could be
satisfied at Newport. Proper disposal in a deep well would certainly assure no
contamination of the nearby Wabash River or to the ground water reservoir.
FMC Corporation engaged the services of a consulting geologist to make
a thorough study of the geological and technical feasibility of deep well waste
disposal at Newport. First the conditions for waste disposal and those hoped
existed at Newport were defined.   These conditions were:
1. A suitable reservoir existed that would take the necessary quantities of
waste effluent under pressures that could economically be achieved at the surface and could be safely handled in the surface equipment and in the well
casing.
2. A reservoir existed that preferably was sandstone and water saturated
so that control of flow would be possible in that the injected fluids traveled at
low velocities away from the well bore and compressed and displaced the formation fluid, and covered an extensive area so that capacity would be adequate for many years of operation.
3. The geology would be such that an impervious semi-plastic roof material existed in such thickness to assure no migration of the waste stream
above the reservoir formation.
4. The formation fluid existing in the reservoir would be of such nature
that the injected fluids could be made compatible with the native fluid or else
such permeability existed or could be created that chemical precipitation
would not plug the formation to an extent that injection pressures would become uneconomical to pump against or unsafe to contain.
5. A stratigraphic column existed that would permit a reasonable, economical drilling program and allow casing to be completely cemented to surface so that no migration of injected fluids above the reservoir would be possible in the annulus between casing and hole and no intercommunication of
any formation fluids or gases would be made possible.
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