Pipeline & Storage

Colden Storage Field
Well 7452 - Town of Aurora
July 2012

National Fuel Gas Supply Corporation is drilling a horizontal storage well in the Town of Aurora within its existing Colden Storage Field in order to maintain the ability to withdraw stored gas during periods of high demand. Gas storage plays a vital role in balancing the demand for natural gas during the year. On the coldest winter days in the western New York area, up to 70 percent of the gas delivered to heat homes and businesses comes from storage. Colden Storage Field is one of the larger storage facilities located in western New York. The Colden Storage Field is a depleted production field that has been operating as a federally authorized interstate storage facility since 1954.

The well will be drilled to a total vertical depth of approximately 2,272'. 13-3/8" conductor casing will be installed at a depth of at least 30'. A 12-3/4" hole will be drilled to a depth of approximately 400'. Air will be used as the drilling fluid. 9-5/8" surface casing will be installed and cemented in place for the protection of potable water. An 8-3/4" hole will be drilled to approximately 1,600'. At that point, directional steering equipment will be used to begin to curve the well. After drilling approximately 3,000 feet, the well will be at a 90 degree angle, 2,272 feet below surface, a distance of over 900' from the surface location. 7" casing will be installed and cemented from bottom to top to seal the casing from all other formations. A 6-1/8" hole will be drilled horizontally for a distance of approximately 1,500' to complete the well.

The well will not be hydraulically fractured. Project details have been reviewed with the Town of Aurora. MSDS sheets have been provided for all drilling fluid components.

The drilling portion of the project is a 24-hour per day, 7-day per week operation expected to take 4-6 weeks.

Authorizations:

Federal Energy Regulatory Commission docket CP11-530-000

New York State Department of Environmental Conservation permit 31-029-30002-00-00

For more information on the project or other energy-related projects please visit:

www.FERC.gov
www.dec.ny.gov
www.energyindepth.org
www.strongerinc.org
www.anga.us