Enabling States to Adapt 

to Emerging Industry 

Technologies & 

Challenges

www.rbdms.org
What is RBDMS?

• A suite of integrated software products that assists state 

agencies in the effective regulation, oversight and 

management of oil, natural gas and underground 

injection control (UIC) facilities and activities. 

• Developed by the GWPC and members states, in 

partnership with the U.S. Department of Energy. 

• More than 25 years developing and improving new 

versions of RBDMS and related products. 

• A System that is designed to meet the unique and 

evolving needs of each state’s regulatory and statutory 

requirements.

2

RBDMS

PARTNER STATES
RBDMS provides solutions that allow state programs to more efficiently manage their mission critical activities and responsibilities. 

RBDMS products increase efficiency for state programs thereby increasing production (faster permitting etc.), reduce data errors, 

and ensure environmental protection.

State Regulatory Responsibilities

3

Permitting

Drilling & Completion

Production

Plugging & Abandonment

Inspection & Compliance

Facilities

Environmental Protection Through Well Life Cycle

State Mission Critical Responsibilities RBDMS Capabilities
RBDMS Product Benefits

4

• Streamlines permitting processes, reporting, and oversight; thereby 

facilitating energy development and economic growth

• Increases efficiency and accuracy of industry data reported to the states

• Facilitates access to state-held industry and regulatory data, thereby 

increasing transparency

• Facilitates exchange of ideas, technology advances, and innovative data 

management solutions from state to state

• Helps agencies reduce operating expenses while increasing efficiency
5

State-Driven Solutions: The Products

Core

Primary information storage 

system for agency oil, gas & UIC 

data

eForms

eForm allows for electronic 

permitting and reporting

Data Explorer

Provides an interactive mapping 

interface and robust data 

exploration options

Produced Water 

Tracker

Manages field observations and 

water sampling data

WellFinder Application

Free, publicly-available mobile 

application (iOS & Android) 

displaying neaby oil, gas, and 

injection well information

WellBore Analysis

A visual add-on that generates 

cross-section diagrams of a well

Seismic Monitoring

Queries extensive data from 

multiple databases about specific 

underground injection wells and 

earthquakes

Field Inspection

(Coming Soon) – Allows agency 

field inspectors to make real-time 

critical decisions while performing 

a field inspection
Latest Updates

6
• Primary information storage system for agency oil, gas and UIC data. 

• Provides reliable and time-tested storage for the data needed to make informed decisions. 

• RBDMS 3.0, a major upgrade to RBDMS Core will be web-enabled once complete and mobile friendly.

Business to Government – RBDMS WellStar

• Web-based allows industry systems to talk to state systems directly

• Reduces personnel time and errors

• Increases efficiency of permitting and reporting

• Cyber security upgrades

• Faster permitting & reporting allows for more efficient production, 

directly impacting the economy.

7

RBDMS Core
Purpose

• Displays nearby oil, gas, and injection wells. 

• Used by members of the public, inspectors, emergency responders and others who must 

locate wells in their area and understand basic information about the well. 

• Powered by the same data as the Oil and Gas Data Gateway which is a central location for 

public oil and gas data displayed in both map and tabular formats.

Features

Search wells to display valuable data:

• API (permit) numbers

• Well type (oil, gas, injection, etc.)

• Well status (active or plugged)

• Operator contact information

• Recent & historical production data

• Regulatory agency contacts

Usage

To date, WellFinder contains data for Oklahoma, Nebraska, 

New York, Arkansas, and Mississippi.

8

WellFinder Mobile Application
Purpose

The Seismic Application queries data from multiple databases about specific underground injection wells and earthquakes. Agency 

staff enter search parameters to visualize well and earthquake data on a map, allowing for quick analysis and regulatory action.

A Success Story: Seismic Application in Oklahoma

• In 2013, the state of Oklahoma experienced 109 magnitude 3+ earthquakes. In 2015, that number had increased by 732 percent 

to 907 magnitude 3+ earthquakes. In September 2014, Oklahoma Governor Mary Fallin formed the Coordinating Council on 

Seismic Activity. The Council asked the GWPC to lead development of an application that would visualize data from 

injection wells and earthquakes on a map as well as isolate target wells and locations for analysis.

• With the Seismic Application, Oklahoma Corporation Commission (OCC) staff have access to real-time data. Work formerly 

taking 3 days now takes one staff member minutes, and serves as an essential tool for initial analysis of seismic 

concerns. 

• By reducing the amount of staff time necessary to analyze data, the OCC now has additional time for deeper analysis of presentday and historical seismic/production data, which helps to shape proactive and sound regulatory action if necessary, as well as 

to more easily verify operator compliance. 

• As part of the RBDMS suite of products, the Seismic App is expanding its impact nationally. State regulatory agencies nationwide

now have the opportunity to piggyback on Oklahoma’s success by implementing the application in their programs. 

9

Seismic Application
OK Seismic Application: Dashboard Features

Volume and EQ Occurrence: Custom 

Regions 

Summary: Last 60 days* Graduated Symbols: Blue markers – Wells: Avg Daily Volume (60 days) Well Volume Detail

547 Seismic Events Red markers – EQ Events: Magnitude

Volume Curve Comparison Charts: Custom Well Sets EQ Event Detail
11

OK Seismic Application: Search Filters

Each module has a long list of filters for narrowing the list based 

on location, type, size, etc.

Earthquakes listed 

in red text 

happened within 24 

hours.

Data Feed

UIC Data is from 

OCC via once a 

week report.

Seismic Data is from 

the Oklahoma 

Geological Survey 

and is updated 

every 20 minutes.
Purpose

RBDMS Field Inspection is a web-enabled product designed to assist field 

inspectors in managing their inspections by minimizing data entry and 

maximizing their ability to document site details and problems.

Features

• Offline capabilities

• Secure login

• Available for use in the field on laptops and tablets

• Communicates directly with RBDMS giving supervisors instant results

• Includes a risk matrix to help inspectors prioritize high risk wells

• Access to multilateral and FracFocus data

Usage

Pilot tested in Utah, Michigan and California

12

RBDMS Field Inspection (Coming Soon)

Field Inspection Screen Images: Secure Log in & Facility/Pit Inspection Form 
National Oil & Gas 

Gateway

13
14
15
FracFocus

16
17

FracFocus

FracFocus.org Home Page
18

FracFocus Disclosure Form Example
19

FracFocus (Coming Soon)

• New Design

• Live statistical information 

• Easy to navigate

• Responsive to smart phones 

and tablets

• Each search to pull well 

information directly into site

• Ability to download more 

detailed PDF report on each 

well 
20

RBDMS.org
Produced Water As A 

Resource

Identifying Opportunities & Challenges
GWPC’s Interest in Produced Water

• By identifying opportunities and challenges of using produced 

water and offering options for addressing them, the GWPC hopes 

to facilitate the development of produced water as a supplement 

to freshwater resources and fulfill a part of our mission “to 

promote the protection and conservation of groundwater 

resources for all beneficial uses.”
Produced Water Working Group

• Multi-stakeholder

• Goals: 

• To identify opportunities and challenges 

associated with utilizing produced water as a 

resource

• To provide suggestions that policy makers, 

researchers, regulators and others can use to 

address these opportunities and challenges

• Timeline: 

• Project began mid 2017 

• Draft report to GWPC Board of Directors by 

early spring 2019
A Unique Collaboration

• State Oil & Gas Regulatory 

Officials

• State Water Quality 

Regulatory Officials

• Environmental NGOs

• Industry

• Academics

• Others
Developing Solutions: Modular Approach
Module 1

• Regulatory Oversight – oil and gas activities for the most part are regulated at 

the state level either through state law or cooperative federalism based on state 

implementation of CWA, UIC, NPDES etc

• E&P wastes are exempted from RCRA – Resource Conservation and Recovery Act

• Regulatory Framework – 2 regulatory programs most often historically associated with management of produced 

water are the NPDES and UIC permit programs

• Regulatory Involvement throughout the Oil and Gas Water Cycle

• Ownership of water – state water rights

• Transportation of water – trucks, pipelines, etc

• Water storage

• Hydraulic fracturing

• Disposition of produced water

• Beneficial use of produced water

• State Regulations Relating to Produced Water Management vary from state 

to state as does data availability

• Legal and Policy Challenges to Beneficial Use

• Surface discharges under NPDES

• Subsurface injection under UIC

• Ownership when going from waste to resource

• Water rights laws – what does/doesn’t apply to produced water?

• Riparian vs prior appropriation
Module 2

• Current water management practices – processing, storage, transportation, UIC 

disposal, treatment, reuse, solids management

• Challenges and opportunities related to water management – storage and ponds, 

transport (truck, pipe, right of way), water compatibility for various uses, water 

ownership and liability, regulatory hurdles, residuals management

• Current and evolving business models and trends – water management choices / 

decision tree, trend toward multi-company sharing, emergence of mid-stream 

companies for water, access to local and mobile treatment options and/or centralized 

treatment

• Research needs to facilitate faster growth of use – current tech, emerging tech, next 

gen tech for recycling; treatment and pre-treatment technologies, potential products: 

lithium, iodine, etc that can be pulled out of produced water 

• Policy initiatives that have or can facilitate faster growth of use – regulatory 

improvement, public data gaps, research needs
Module 3

• The most complicated and forward looking piece

• Some small scale efforts exist

• Moving with caution

• Research needs on all fronts – environmental impact
Annual Forum: New Orleans – Sept. 10-13

• Produced Water Track – Three 

sessions focusing on legal & 

regulatory frameworks and use 

inside AND outside the oilfield

• Federal updates

• Water quality/quantity 

monitoring and “big data”

• Emerging groundwater 

contaminants

• Preliminary agenda now online

• Registration coming soon!

Questions?