TWO-DIMENSIONAL SEISMIC REFLECTION EVALUATION OF THE I&W BRINE CAVERN CARLSBAD, NEW MEXICO

In 2008, the collapse of two solution-mined brine caverns in the Permian Salado Formation near Carlsbad, New Mexico, initiated public and regional governmental concern about the stability of similar wells in the area. The New Mexico Oil Conservation Division conducted an investigation focusing on brine extraction wells with comparable geologic conditions and dimensions of the collapsed wells, and concluded that the operations and geologic setting of the I&W, Inc well site, located at the intersection of U.S. Highway 285 and 62 within the city limits in Carlsbad shared similarities to sites where caverns failed. High-resolution P-waves two-dimensional seismic reflection data assisted in defining the lateral extent of solution-mined cavern at the I&W site. Cavern effects include downwarping and loss of amplitude of reflectors interpreted to represent upper Salado and overlying Rustler Formation strata. The snap shot of subsurface conditions provided by the seismic reflection data is being augmented with routine surface subsidence measure measurements.