HYDROGEN SULFIDE IN WELLS

File: cia_64050_70584_01.txt
Page: 01
Total Pages: 1
Subject: HYDROGEN SULFIDE IN 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   CIA 495515







DIST:          1991



COUNTRY: KUWAIT/SAUDI ARABIA



SUBJ:  HYDROGEN SULFIDE CONTENT OF WELLS IN THE AL WAFRA AND

SOUTH UMM GUDAIR FIELDS



DOI:          JANUARY 1991







TEXT: 1.

THE AL WAFRA FIELD IS COMPOSED OF EOCENE, MASTRICHTIAN,

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 FEET, HAVE LESS THAN 1 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.







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