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The F.E. Midkiff Farm #W-35 Orphaned (and leaking) Oil Well was referred to EPA-Region 4 ERRB by the KY-DNR-Division of Oil and Gas representative on October 30, 2008 during routine field investigations in Oaks, Ohio County, Kentucky. KY-DNR representative, Mr. Greg Welch, notified EPA during ongoing plugging operations on the Fuqua Farm that at least three flowing wells had been discovered on the Midkiff Farm (which is approximately 2 miles from the Fuqua Farm). At the time of EPA's visit, the Midkiff Farm # W-35 Well was noted to be flowing live oil, oily brine, and natural gas to land surface and threatening nearby Slover's Creek. Slover's Creek empties into the Rough River, which in turn empties into the Green River. The Green River, which is over 300 miles in total length, eventually flows into the Ohio River.
Given the well's age (i.e. 30 plus years), its lack of mechanical integrity (as evidenced by ongoing discharges), its shallow depth (i.e. less than 300 verical feet below land surface), its location within the 25 year floodplain of Slover's Creek, the well's potential to continuously impact Surface Waters of the United States is extremely high. Additionally, at least two or more adjacent and orphaned oil wells (i.e which also penetrate the Tar Springs Oil Reservoir at nearly 300 feet bls)are in close proximity to this well.
As this well is permanently plugged, the reservoir pressures will ultimately shift to these nearby wells. Because of this shift, an increase in the amount of oil, oily brine, and natural gas at these wells will only increase over time. In order to mitigate these predictable discharges, all wells in close proximity to this well and which penetrate the Tar Springs Reservoir will likely require permanent plugging actions. EPA has observed this increased flow phenomennon for the past twenty years or so.
EPA-Region 4 will issue a Work Assignment to Aarcher, Incorporated for the purposes of performing a Deed and Title Search for the F.E. Midkiff Farm #W-35 Well. If a Potentially Responsible Party can be identified, EPA will execute a Letter of Federal Interest and/or Letter of Federal Assumption. Given the well's age, the likelihood of locating a viable PRP is extremely low.
EPA's ERRS Contractor will solicit subcontracting bids from various oil field service companies to minimize the associated plugging costs (i.e. drilling, milling, cementing, and geophysical logging. In so doing, over 70 categories of labor, equipment, and supplies will be quantified on a time-and-materials basis, thus substantially minimizing the overall plugging costs.
EPA has contacted the landowner(s) to gain access to the property. Once all Task Orders are executed from EPA to the ERRS contractor, the ERRS Contractor will direct the subcontractors to initiate field activities. It is estimated that this work will bein somewhere around the first or second week of December 2008.
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