Flowing Artesian Wells: Control and Closure In British Columbia

British Columbia is the westernmost province of Canada—its mountainous and complex geology results in many flowing artesian wells.  Some of these wells are extremely difficult to control due to very high pressures, shallow and brittle confining layers, discharge rates of several hundred gallons per minute, and the presence of gas. Our contractor and engineer team will outline the strategies it used to successfully bring several flowing wells in the province under control the thus safely decommission These approaches may be useful to others faced with similar challenges, especially out-of-control wells as they can affect the long-term viability of businesses if not successfully addressed.