Download Storing Waste (Flowback Water)

Storing Waste (Flowback Water)
Colorado
Tank (pitless drilling) for existing operations within 300 feet of public water supply, and new operations within 301-500 feet. Synthetic liner
farther from water supply.
Louisiana
Natural, soil mixture and synthetic for produced water pits must be “equivalent of three continuous feet of recompacted or natural clay,” with
hydraulic conductivity not > 1 x 107 cm/sec.”
North Dakota
Lined and “sufficiently impermeable to provide adequate temporary containment of the oil, water or fluids.”
New York
No pits allowed; water-tight steel tanks required.
Ohio
Pits must be “liquid tight.”
Pennsylvania
“Synthetic flexible liner with a coefficient of permeability of no greater than 1 x 107 cm/sec.”
Texas
No liner requirement unless Railroad Commission requires.
West Virginia
Impervious liner required if soil does not prevent seepage, leakage, overflows.
Wyoming
Tanks required for non-Resource Conservation Recovery Act exempt wastes and where groundwater is less than 20 feet below surface.
Synthetic lining for exempt wastes. 328 Liner or tank required for flowback water.
BLM
Storage of all recovered fluids must be in either tanks or lined pits. Authorized officer can require additional protection of wildlife or other
resources.
NGWA
Best management practices or appropriate regulations to address surface spills and waste management related to hydraulic fracturing.
EPA
In some cases, operators use surface storage tanks and pits to temporarily store hydraulic fracturing fluids for re-use or until arrangements
are made for disposal. States, tribes and some local governments have primary responsibility for adopting and implementing programs to
ensure proper management of these wastes. EPA currently is evaluating industry practices and state requirements, and is considering the
need for technical guidance on the design, operation, maintenance and closure of pits under the Resource Conservation and Recovery Act
(RCRA) in order to minimize potential environmental impacts.
Well Integrity
Casing Depth (Below Lowest Fresh Water)
Colorado
50 feet casing must be set in a manner sufficient to protect all fresh water and to ensure against blowouts or uncontrolled flows; individual
casing program adopted for each well.
Louisiana
Casing lengths and strengths differ depending on “total depth of contact”; standard lengths and strengths only apply “where no danger of
pollution of fresh water sources exists.” Below 9,000 feet, more than 1,800 feet of casing required and test pressure at least 1,000 lbs. per
square inch.
North Dakota
At sufficient depths to adequately protect and isolate all formations containing water, oil, or gas or any combination of these.
New York
75 feet or into bedrock, whichever is deeper (100 feet primary and principal aquifers).
Ohio
50 feet, no agency specific review if at least 500 feet between highest perforated portion of casing and lowest groundwater.
Pennsylvania
50 feet or into consolidated rock, whichever deeper; if encounters additional freshwater, centralizers required.
Texas
Set and cement sufficient surface casing to protect all usable-quality water strata.
West Virginia
30 feet below the deepest fresh water horizon (that being the deepest horizon that will replenish itself and from which fresh water or usable
water for household, domestic, industrial, agricultural or public use may be economically and feasibly recovered).
Wyoming
Below all known or reasonably estimated utilizable groundwater (use may be economically and feasibly recovered).
Casing Strength (Of Surface and Other Casings)
Colorado
Protect any potential oil or gas bearing horizons penetrated during drilling from infiltration of injurious waters from other sources, and to
prevent the migration of oil, gas or water from one horizon to another, that may result in the degradation of ground water.
Louisiana
Casing lengths and strengths differ depending on “total depth of contact”; standard lengths and strengths only apply “where no danger of
pollution of fresh water sources exists.” Below 9,000 feet, more than 1,800 feet of casing required and test pressure at least 1,000 lbs. per
square inch.
North Dakota
New or reconditioned pipe that has been previously tested to one thousand pounds per square inch (6,900 kilopascals).
New York
Surface casing: mill test of at least 1,000 psi.*
Ohio
Steel production casing.
Pennsylvania
Internal pressure rating 20 percent greater than anticipated maximum pressure.
Texas
Steel casing that has been hydrostatically pressure tested with an applied pressure at least equal to the maximum pressure to which the
pipe will be subjected in the well; mill test for new casing. “Good and sufficient wrought iron or steel casing.”*
West Virginia
No casing strength required.
Wyoming
Search did not locate statute, regulation or policy addressing this issue.
General Casing Statement
BLM
Prior to the well stimulation, the operator must perform a successful mechanical integrity test (MIT) of the casing. 1) If well stimulation
through the casing is proposed, the casing must be tested to not less than the maximum anticipated treating pressure. 2) The MIT will be
considered successful if the pressure applied holds for 30 minutes with no more than 10 percent pressure loss.
NGWA
Proper construction and regular maintenance of oil or gas production wells to prevent the migration of natural and injected fluids that could
endanger current or future drinking water sources.
*Mill Test – Certifies that the produced cement meets the requirements of the applicable ASTM and AASHTO cement standards.