By Rebecca Dopp
Times-News Correspondent
Andrew Taylor, a representative of Wolverine Gas and
Oil out of Michigan, came to Levan Town council meeting
April 13 to seek permit approval for his firm to do seismic
testing in the Levan area.
The company currently has two producing oil wells in
Sevier County with three more drilled and soon to come
online. Because of this extensive activity, the company
would like to do some aggressive seismic testing through
Sanpete, Sevier and Juab Counties.
Some of this testing will go through a 10 acre piece
of property owned by the town of Levan. The site is where
the old town junkyard was located and is now being used as a
yard waste site. Some of the line will also go through
property owned by the irrigation company.
The actual shooting of the seismic line will take
place in late summer, early fall, pending approval from the
state. All work affecting the Levan area is slated to end at
the end of November.
The preferred method the company uses in testing is by
taking in a "thumper" truck, that goes across the ground,
stopping about every 900 feet, puts some pads down and
shakes the ground for about 10 seconds. This method, from
the standpoint of the company, gives the best information of
where the gas and oil pockets are underneath the ground.
From a land point of view, this method is the least
desirable because of the high risk for damage of
property.
"The thumper truck is the highest risk for damages,
especially if it's going across someone's farm," Taylor
said.
For example, he explained that where the pad is
vibrating, the alfalfa would stop growing and wouldn't grow
again until the next year. The company would pay for all
damages if that were to happen., Taylor stated.
He said that that didn't appear to be a concern for
the 10 acre piece because of what the site is currently
being used for, but if there were a concern, the next method
would consist of a buggy with a drill on the end that would
come in and drill a hole every 200 feet, 40 feet deep, about
as big around as a softball. Sensors are stretched between
those shots. After detonating those shots, sound waves are
bounced back and recorded with less disturbance to the
surrounding land.
Mayor Bob Shepherd pointed out that according to the
map of the proposed seismic lines, a thumper truck would not
be able to access some areas because they were in the
hills.
However, Shepherd said that the town's concern is not
the 10 acre piece, but the area through the mouth of the
canyon where pipelines are situated, and by Chicken Creek
where the Tunnel Springs are located.
Taylor said that the state requires testing to stay
200 feet away from any lines, and that the town, pursuant to
the permit, required 300 feet.
"We're fine with that," Taylor said. "If it's a pond,
or something, then we'll stay 900 feet away."
Shepherd said that there are some faults going through
the area and if the testing were to change the fault line,
then the town could potentially lose their drinking
water.
He said they already monitor the gypsum plant when
they blast in the area, and the plant is responsible if any
water is lost which, according to Shepherd, can be
costly.
Taylor asked if using the sensor method would be more
satisfactory in those areas around the pipelines and
springs.
"We don't want to stop it," Shepherd said, "but we
want you to know that there is some liability there. Even if
you hit oil, we can't drink oil."
Taylor agreed to have the project overseer, Shawn
Bird, contact Jason Worwood and go over the town's pipelines
and springs area to avoid any problems.
"Based on the information we have, we plan on being a
presence in this area for a long time," Taylor said. "We
want to make sure we keep relations good."
The town made the motion to approve and sign the
permit allowing for testing to be done on the 10 acre
property currently being used as a dump site. There are
special conditions listed on the permit for the areas in the
canyon, as well as a representative from the council to be
present during testing which the company did not dispute.
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