Nuclear Blast Unleashed for Gas: A 1967 Experiment

In a unique 1967 initiative, the United States detonated a 29-kiloton nuclear device 4,227 feet underground in Rio Arriba County, New Mexico. This event, known as Project Gasbuggy, was part of the Plowshare Program, exploring peaceful uses of nuclear energy.

The primary goal was to fracture a gas-bearing rock formation, thereby enhancing natural gas flow. The explosion created a cavity and a rubble-filled chimney, with some molten rock solidifying into a glass-like material that trapped radionuclides.

Production testing from July 1968 to October 1969 yielded 213 million cubic feet of natural gas, exceeding conventional well output. However, significant issues emerged, including radioactive constituents in the gas and a reduced heat value.

Furthermore, the underground fractures did not extend into the gas formation as expected, limiting the overall stimulation effect. Consequently, officials decided in 1976 to cease further testing at the site.

The project site was decommissioned in 1978, with contaminated waste managed and test wells plugged. Surface remediation was completed in September 2004, with contaminated soil removed. Although the surface is clean, underground radioactive contamination persists near the original test well.

Ongoing monitoring by the DOE indicates that contamination is expected to remain contained within the blast area and not spread to nearby natural gas wells. Water and gas samples from active wells around the site have not shown Gasbuggy-related radionuclides since monitoring began.