ACEP Researchers Meet with Pilgrim Hot Springs Land Owners

Gwen Holdmann and Chris Pike met with members of Unaatuq, LLC last week to present the results of the recent flow testing of the well at Pilgrim Hot Springs that was drilled in 2013. 

This last summer well PS 13-1 (drilled in fall 2013) was successfully airlift pumped for 7 hours at an average rate of 300 gpm.  ACEP researchers believe that this most likely represents the largest flow that could be achieved with the pumping equipment that was used.  Repeated productivity measurements with flow rate changes of 60 to 240 gpm all gave values of 20.4 to 27.5 gpm/psi.  This indicates PS 13-1 is a productive well.  

The airlift pumping test impacted the nearby PS 13-2 and PS 13-3 wells with a 0.2 psi pressure decline.  Additionally, there were also temperature impacts on these wells but were not convincingly explicable with the available data.

After the presentation of the pump test conclusions, a discussion on the future on site was also held specifically focused on the development of the hot springs and about the different options that the landowners are considering.

Photo: Gwen Holdmann lays out a possible development plan for Unaatuq members with 3D printed structure models and a large aerial photograph of Pilgrim Hot Springs.  Photo courtesy C.Pike, ACEP/UAF.