Bureau of Land Management's Decision Record and Environmental

Jersey Valley Geothermal Development Project
Environmental Assessment: NV063-EAO8-091
3.11.2 Environmental Consequences
3.11.2.1 Proposed Action
Diesel fuel, lubricants, hydraulic fluids and drilling chemicals (drilling mud, caustic soda, barite,
etc.), would be transported to, stored on and used by the project at the proposed drill sites (see
Table 9). The project must conform to both federal and state requirements for handling these
hazardous/regulated wastes materials. Typical of most construction projects, the storage and use
of these materials may result in minor, incidental spills of diesel fuel or oil to the ground during
fueling of equipment, filling of fuel storage tanks, and handling lubricants. Other incidental spills
could be associated with equipment failures such as ruptured hoses. The project includes the
development of a hazardous material spill and disposal contingency plan, as identified in the
Utilization Plan, which would describe the methods for cleanup and abatement of any petroleum
hydrocarbon (including petroleum contaminated soils) or other hazardous material spill.
Table 9: Materials and Chemicals Commonly Used During Well Drilling
Product Quantity Quantity Stored Hazardous
Used Material?’
Drilling Mud Gel (Bentonite Clay) 200,000 lbs 100 lb sacks on pallets No
Salt (NaCl) 80,000 lbs 50 lb sacks on pallets No
Barite (BaSO4) 12,000 lbs 50 lb sacks on pallets No
Tannathin (Lignite) 2,500 lbs 50 lb sacks on pallets No
Lime (Calcium Hydroxide) 2,000 lbs 50 lb sacks on pallets Yes
Caustic Soda (Sodium Hydroxide) 1,000 lbs 50 lb sacks on pallets Yes
Diesel Fuel 30,000 gals 6,000 gal tank Yes
Lubricants (Motor Oil, Compressor Oil) 1,000 gals 55 gal drums Yes
Hydraulic fluid 200 gals 55 gal drums No
Anti-Freeze (Ethylene Glycol) 100 gals 55 gal drums No
Liquid Polymer Emulsion (partially
hydrolyzed polyacrylamide / 100 gals 5 gal buckets No
polyacrylate (PHPA) copolymer)
1. Hazardous materials are defined and regulated in the United States primarily by laws and regulations
administered by the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency (EPA), the U.S. Occupational Safety and
Health Administration (OSI-IA), the U.S. Department of Transportation (DOT), and the U.S. Nuclear
Regulatory Commission (NRC). Each has its own definition of a “hazardous material.’
2. The material is characteristically hazardous due to its corrosivity
3. The material is characteristically hazardous due to its flammability
4. This material is considered orally toxic following ingestion.
Well workover operations may involve placing a dilute mixture of hydrochloric (muriatic) and
hydrofluoric acids down the well, and would only transpire when and if needed. The amount of
dilute acid placed in the well bore (which can vary from 10,000 gallons to 50,000 gallons or
more) is determined by calculating the amount of each type of mineral to be dissolved.
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