channel of more than 1.6 km (1 mi). Two wells recently drilled required a 

 channel 1,363 m (4,472 ft) long, 18 m (60 ft) wide, and 2.5 m (8 ft) deep to 

 reach the well site. 



Site preparation and operation. All well sites have been marine locations 

 with spoil placed nearby. Since the refuge was established, all spoil has 

 been placed in adjacent Corps of Engineers spoil sites. Dredged locations 

 have typically been 94 by 67 m (310 by 220 ft), with a depth of 2.5 m (8 ft). 

 In the case of one well drilled by Houston Oil and Minerals, the company 

 requested the presence of the manager to decide upon the alignment and final 

 site placement. His suggestions for placement were considered by the company 

 geologists when the final siting decision was made. Two Gulf Oil Company 

 wells were to be located very close to one another. Through negotiation, 

 USFWS officials convinced Gulf to slightly reposition one of the wells, thus 

 saving dredging by 60 percent and sparing important marsh areas. 



The drilling rigs were operated in the usual fashion for marine locations. 

 Mud tanks and barges were used, and no significant problems were encountered 

 in use of these rigs. 



Placement and operation of production equipment. Some of the wells had 

 separators or treatment equipment located on site. Since they were drilled by 

 marine rig, all production equipment was located on pilings placed around the 

 wellhead. There was some production equipment located in a salt marsh. 

 Equipment included heater-treaters and scrubbers. All this equipment was 

 located in elevated positions on pilings in the marsh. There were suspended 

 catwalks over the marsh from one piece of equipment to the next. Flowlines 

 ran over the surface of the marsh and hooked to the production equipment. 

 There was a dock with a ramp that would allow equipment to be easily transferred 

 from barge to land. However, it would be difficult to move much equipment on 

 the salt marsh surface at that spot except during the driest times. 



Installation and maintenance of lines. There were no pipelines crossing 

 the refuge - only smaller flowlines. Except for the salt marsh production 

 area where flowlines were laid on the surface, the rest were buried. Several 

 flowlines ran from previously mentioned wells to upland areas. They were 

 placed parallel and near to each other and seemed to run along together. 



Spills and cleanup. There has not been a major spill since this area 

 became a refuge. No refuge records are available regarding the nature of 

 number of minor spills. 



Site shutdown and restoration. The older sites had not been restored. 

 Thus, a long dredged canal was still present and some older location sites 

 were still obvious. Of the newer wells, channels and location sites remained. 

 The area did not have debris left over from previous exploration; however, it 



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