SEARCH FOR SEISMIC ACTIVITY IN OIL/GAS FIELD NEAR SALAVAT, USSR

• Document Type: CREST
• Collection: NGA Records (Formerly NIMA)
• Document Number (FOIA) /ESDN (CREST): CIA-RDP78T05161A000500010022-0
• Release Decision: RIPPUB
• Original Classification: T
• Document Page Count: 15
• Document Creation Date: December 28, 2016
• Document Release Date: April 26, 2004
• Sequence Number: 22
• Publication Date: February 1, 1966
• Content Type: IR

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SEARCH FOR SED SAID C ACCTD VOTY
DN ODLl,/GAS HELD NEAR SAOJVAT, USSR
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M~GERY
NALYSIS
63038
FEB1966
90
42-
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CIA PIR- 303
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APP OX I MA
A ION U.S.S.R.
WESTERN SIBERIA
F SEI S I O E
TP E 10 UN 1965
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SEARCH FOR SEISMIC ACTIVITY
IN OIL CAS FIELD NEAR SALAVAT, USSR
cIA PIR- 303
This report is in response to a request for a detailed analysis
of an oil/gas field (53-04N 55-50E) approximately 17 nautical miles
(nm) SSW of the city of Salavat, USSR. The analysis of the field!. in-
volved a well-by-well study for evidence of activity which might be
related to a seismic event which occured on 10 June 1965. An attempt
was made to find indications of the detonation of a nuclear device to
recover oil/gas in a Plowshare-type experiment or the detonation of
very large amounts of chemical explosives for the same purpose.
The seismic event of 10 June 1965 was reported to have occurred
within the area enclosed by an imaginary ellipse centered on the geo-
graphic coordinates 53-09N 55-34E. The ellipse had a semimajor axis
of 29 kilometers (km) and a semimanor axis of 16 km. There are 4 and
possibly 5 oil/gas fields located within the ellipse. For photographic
search purposes the area of the ellipse is shown in rectangular form
in Figure 2. The oil/gas fields in the area of search have been given
the letter designators A through E. Field A is the northernmost field
and Field E the southernmost. Of the five fields in the search area
only Field D exhibited any significant drilling activity and therefore
detailed investigation was limited to this field.
In response to an earlier requirement the entire area of the ellipse
was searched for evidence of a seismic event; the results of the earlier
search were negative. Ufa was used as the reference point in this re-
quirement.
Size and Well Spacing of Field D
Field D is a small oil/gas field. It covers 210-250 acres. Well
spacing is very close. The exact spacing cannot be determined since
identification of probab]_e "christmas trees" (well heads) was based
mainly on ground activity and road patterns. The "christmas tree1' piping
and valves were not visible. It was possible to make a positive iden-
tification of service rigs. The average well spacing is 1 well per 6
acres, plus or minus 2 acres.
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Age of Field D
J
The majority of the oil fields in the Ishimbay area are re-
latively old. In the immediate vicinity of the city at least one
field was in existence in the mid-1930's. There are some indica-
tions that Oil/Gas Field D is an old field. They are:
1. The field was very well defined on the photography
Photography of revealed extensive seismic
1
i
work in Field D. Two separate shot patterns were visible on this
photography. The older of the two patterns consisted of a series
of straight scars visible through snow cover. Because of the snow
cover the placement and distance between shot holes in this pattern
could not be determined. The second and more recent seismic pat-
tern is laid out in a plus configuration. This pattern has been
laid out over, and oblique to, the scars of the first seismic pat-
tern. In the plus configuration the distance between the shot holes,
which are laid out in an approximate NNE-SSW line, is about 610 feet.
The distance between the majority of holes which are laid out in an
approximate WNW-ESE line also is about 610 feet; however, the spac-
ing between the final two holes at either end of this line is 1220
feet or twice the distance between the interior holes. The center of
the plus-shaped pattern is located near the site of the largest drill
rig in the field. The seismic plus-shaped pattern used in this field
is similar to the pattern used by the Soviets in their marine seismic
work at Cayo Frances, Cuba. (Figure 3)
Indications of Drilling and Drill Rigs
of
2. There are permanent service rigs located over many
of the wells. In modern fields permanent service
rigs are not left over the wells.
3. The wells are very closely spaced contrary to mo-
dern conservation practice.
Ca
No large drill rigs were visible on photography prior to
Large drilling rigs and seismic activity appeared si-
multaneously for the first time on On all inter-
pretable photography since drilling rigs have been
visible. No more than 4 drill rigs have been visible at any one time
within the field. Of the 4 rigs being used in the field, 3 are
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approximately 0 high (excluding the base platform). These
rigs probably have a maximum drilling depth of 4000-7000 feet. The
fourth rig (Rig C) measures approximately 0 high excluding;
the base platform. It probably has a maximum drilling depth of
7000-10,000 feet. Of course, all four of the drill rigs could be
used to drill holes to depths less than their maximum. Two of the
rigs have not been moved since The other rigs appear
to have been moved about the field (Figure 5 and Table 1). No new
drilling activity was noted in Fields A, B, C, B (Figure 2). The
drilling activity in Field D appears to have resulted in dry holes
(if in fact the purpose of the drilling was to locate and produce
oil). Using stereo-microscopic techniques the mud pits and support
structures for the drilling operations are identifiable on photo-
graphy. However, no unusual buildings or equipment were noted on
photography and therefore this information was not included in
Figure 8.
Depth of Field D
The original producing horizon in Field D was probably less than
4000 feet from the surface. This depth estimate was arrived at pri-
marily on the bases of well spacing. The cost of drilling deep wells
on the basis of 1 well per 4-8 acres would appear to be prohibitive.
An exception to this cost-versus-depth concept might be made in the
case of a national emergency such as existed in the Soviet Union
during World War II.
The most obvious purpose of the seismic and drilling activity at
Field D would appear to be a search for an oil/gas bearing horizon at
a greater depth than the original producing horizon. If this is the
case, the search does not appear to have been successful as of ^
The possibility of this field being used for a Plowshare experi-
ment, that is, the detonation of a nuclear device for the recovery of
gas/oil cannot be confirmed or negated. The surface indications are
that the field is probably old and therefore possibly depleted or
nearly depleted, making it a good prospect for such an experiment
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from the viewpoint of additional oil/gas recovery. The extensive
seismic work and drilling activity might be necessary to obtain de-
tails of the subsurface structure for such an experiment. The lar-
gest of the four drill rigs in the field would probably have suffi-
cient structural strength to drill or enlarge a well to the proper
diameter for a nuclear device and to emplace the device. The loca-
tion of the field is within the search area as defined by the ellipse
discussed in paragraph 2 and is located 11 rim SW of the epicenter of
the seismic event of 10 June 1965.
All height measurements have been made by the NPIC Technical
Intelligence Division, and are considered to be accurate within + 15
feet.
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Maps and Charts
AMS. Series DESPA-1, NN40-7, Sterlitamak, USSR, scale 1:250,000,
1st ed., July 1963. (TOP SECRET
0
1. CIA. PIR-63021, Search for Seismic Event of 10 June 1965
in the USSR, November 1965. TOP SECRET
Requirement No.
C-S15-83,223
CIA/TAD Project No.
30643-6
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 ,GAS/OIL FIELD D
v d
DRILL RIG - C
a a / DRILL RIG - E
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FIGURE 7 TOP SECRET
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 DRILL RIGS
PRESENT
FIG
NOS
QUALITY
MISSION
DATE
.
.
A
B
C
D
E
F
G
X
X
X
X
X
X
X
--
FAIR
X
X
X
X
X
X
X
--
FAIR
0
x
*
X
X
X
X
3
FAIR
0
X
0
0
0
X
X
--
POOR
X
0
0
0
0
X
X
4
GOOD
x
0
0
X
0
0
x
5
GOOD
SEISMIC EVENT 10 JUNE 1965
X
X
0
X
0
X
x
6
FAIR
x
x
0
x
0
X
0
3& 7
GOOD
L
TOTAL TIMES
DRILL RIG VISIBLE
5
6
17
2
17
-
-
(In Months)
X - Drill rigs not, present.
0 - Drill rigs present.
* - Although Drill Rig C was not present on 0
there was activity at the site where the rig
was subsequently erected.
O I
O I 10I 0 1 001
co 6 0 ? $I 1
of
? o of 0 I -
-I
-1
II I
IIE I
I 0 0 -
0
I A 0 I I n 0 01 1
10 ~?
? 0 0
b 0
0 0
ooI?
0 0 to
o SERVICE RIG
O LARGE DRILL RIG
C MEDIUM DRILL RIG
o PROBABLE CHRISTMAS TREE
PROBABLE DRY HOLE
o SEISMIC PATTERN SHOT HOLE
--SEISMIC PATTERN
-- ROAD
0?01 0 0
0
0
0
01
0 10
I
TEAS LANE INUYSNO was REDS RNWE ONNROSI}'LLD
sSO[OCiANi. AIL UJUTIOI6 ARE APPNOAIANTE.
TIR' RWNIDO NFPPPuFRl+ THE BTPTIF 01 THE
53-W 55 - 5ff
I O
1 I
GAS/1 I. R[ELD
? 0
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