Historical essay on salt pipes (wells) of Seregovo saltworks (17th-19th centuries)

The article presents the features of drilling and construction of salt pipes (wells) for the extraction of brines at the Seregovo saltworks - the first industrial enterprise in the Komi Region during the 17th-19th centuries. On the basis of historical and archival research, it was established that the brine-lifting pipes had a depth of 158-331 m and were in operation from 20 to 200 or more years. The drilling of dislocated Permian rocks and the equipment of wells with casing pipes could last up to 18 years. Each of the production salt pipes was re-equipped many times. The design of the wooden (pine or larch) casing strings of the wells was of the same type. The drilling and casing of the first ancient pipes were carried out by pipe makers of the saltworks in accordance with the old Russian instructions for salt pipes drilling of the 16th-17th centuries. The article presents the first data on of the chemical composition of Seregovo underground brines. The mineralization of Permian sodium chloride brines, which were used for salt production, varied from 15 to 140 g/l.