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University of North Dakota

Salt Drilling Problems in North Dakota

Abstract

dc:description.abstract

<p>Collapse of casing due to formation slumping and salt flowage into cavities in these formations has presented a difficult problem. The major salt deposits of western North Dakota may be placed in three evaporite types: normal marine, penesaline, and saline. The four major formations encountered in oil well drilling are the Prairie Evaporite of Devonian age, Mississippian Charles, Permian Opeche, and the Spearfish of Triassic age. A variety of drilling muds including gypsum, lime, high PH, barium carbonate, and saturated salt base muds have been used to drill the salt units. The saturated salt base mud has proven to be the best suited to-date. At the request of the Amerada Petroleum Corporation, the Battelle Memorial Institute prepared a report covering the flow of salt associated with casing collapse. Although the report did not solve the collapsed casing problem, experimental results proved that under pressure, salt will flow, if a cavity provides space for movement. The elimination of such a cavity could be accomplished by the use of a salt base mud and a good casing cementing job.</p>

Degree

thesis:*
Name thesis:degree_name
Bachelor of Science (BS)
Level thesis:degree_level
Thesis
Discipline thesis:degree_discipline
Geology
Year
1958

Author and committee

dc:creator, dc:contributor.*
Author dc:creator
  • Alkofer, Anton R.
Contributors dc:contributor
  • F. D. Holland Jr

Identifiers

dc:identifier.*
Repository record dc:identifier
https://commons.und.edu/senior-projects/25
OAI identifier oai:identifier
oai:commons.und.edu:senior-projects-1024

Chain of custody

source
Harvested from
University of North Dakota
Base URL
commons.und.edu/do/oai/
Last updated
2026-07-24
Source record
OAI-PMH GetRecord
related terms
citation

Alkofer, Anton R.. Salt Drilling Problems in North Dakota. Thesis thesis, 1958. https://commons.und.edu/senior-projects/25