Contact: Susan Torres 505-476-3226; susan.torres@state.nm.us
Update on Carlsbad Brine Well Remediation Project for the Week of December 2nd
Date Range: The following is updated with information from November 15th through December
1st, 2019.
Current Status of Project: Eight of sixteen grouting wells have been completed and it is
anticipated that two more wells will be completed by December 9th. Grout injection remains on
schedule to begin December 9th.
During advancement of one of the grouting wells we encountered a pressurized void above the
cavern containing a significant amount of water. It took a bit of time, thought, and effort but we
have successfully isolated the zone and set casing in that well as planned. Great work by our
contractor, the drilling subcontractor, and the completions engineers. An additional thank you to
staff with the Office of the State Engineer for their assistance over the holiday weekend. We
gained additional knowledge during this effort which should help us going forward including
more efficient grout injection.
There have been no safety incidents.
Next Steps: Continue installation of grouting wells. The start of grout injection into the cavern
is presently scheduled to begin December 9th.
