HYDROGEN SULFIDE CONTENT OF WELLS

File: cia_70584_70584_01.txt
Page: 01
Total Pages: 1
Subject: HYDROGEN SULFIDE CONTENT OF WELLS  
Not Finally Evaluated Intelligence 
 
TO FACILITATE ELECTRONIC ACCESS, THIS DOCUMENT HAS BEEN 
REFORMATTED TO ELIMINATE INFORMATION THAT DOES NOT PERTAIN 
TO GULF WAR ILLNESS ISSUES OR THAT IS CLASSIFIED. A COPY OF 
THIS REDACTED DOCUMENT, IN ORIGINAL FORMAT, IS AVAILABLE ON 
REQUEST. 
 
                                                                                             
FEB 91 
CITE CIA 495515 
 
CENTRAL INTELLIGENCE AGENCY 
 
NOT FINALLY EVALUATED INTELLIGENCE  
 
FEBRUARY 1991 
 
COUNTRY: KUWAIT 
 
SUBJ: HYDROGEN SULFIDE CONTENT OF WELLS IN THE AL WAFRA AND 
SOUTH UMM GUDAIR FIELDS 
 
TEXT: 1. IN LATE JANUARY 1991 THE AL WAFRA FIELD IS COMPOSED 
OF EOCENE, MASMCHTLAN, BURGAN, AND RATAWI WELLS.  THE EOCENE 
ARE SHALLOW (1,000.2,000 FEET DEEP) AND PRODUCE A VERY HEAVY 
CRUDE.  THEY HAVE A 2-3 PERCENT SULFUR CONTENT, AND THE 
HYDROGEN SULFIDE CONTENT IS 20,000-30,000 PARTS PER 
MILLION.  THE BURGAN WELLS ARE FREE OF HYDROGEN SULFIDE, 
WHILE THE RATAWI WELLS, AT DEPTHS OF 6,000-7,000 FEEL HAVE 
LESS THAN I PERCENT HYDROGEN SULFIDE CONTENT. 
 
2. THE UMM GUDAIR SOUTH WELLS ARE PART OF THE UMM GUDAIR 
FIELD AND ARE LOCATED NORTHWEST OF THE AL WAFRA FIELD 
STRADDLING THE BORDER BETWEEN KUWAIT AND THE KUWAITI NEUTRAL 
ZONE.  THE UMM GUDAIR SOUTH WELLS HAVE SIMILAR SULFUR AND 
HYDROGEN SULFIDE CONTENT TO THE EOCENE WELLS OF THE AL WAFRA 
FIELD. 
 
 
3. AS LONG AS THE FIRES ARE BURNING IN THE AL WAFRA WELLS, 
THERE IS NO DANGER OF HYDROGEN SULFIDE CONTAMINATION BECAUSE 
THE FIRES CHEMICALLY ALTER THE GAS SO THAT IT BECOMES A NON-
TOXIC COMBUSTION PRODUCT.  HOWEVER.  SULFUR DIOXIDE WHICH 
WOULD BE CONTAINED IN ANY SMOKE PLUME OR CLOUD.  COULD BE A 
PROBLEM, DEPENDING ON HOW MUCH OR LITTLE IT IS DISSIPATED BY 
WINDS.  RAIN, ETC.