Alabama Administrative Code › Title 400 - STATE OIL AND GAS BOARD OF ALABAMA › GOVERNING ONSHORE LANDS OPERATIONS › Chapter 400-1-4 - DRILLING › Section 400-1-4-.11 - Recycling Or Disposal Of Pit Fluids And Pit Closure

Current through Register Vol. 42, No. 9, June 28, 2024
(1) Recycling or Disposal of Pit Fluids.
(a) After a well is drilled, completed, or
				worked over, all fluids and recoverable slurry that remain in pits shall be
				recycled or disposed of in accordance with this rule within thirty (30) days of
				completion, unless otherwise approved by the Supervisor. The Supervisor may
				require that a pit be agitated in order to remove recoverable slurry. Prior to
				the subsurface disposal of pit fluids down the surface casing or first
				intermediate casing/production casing annulus, any oil that is present in the
				pit must be skimmed immediately after drilling operations cease and recycled or
				disposed of in accordance with appropriate permit(s) and regulations. If pit
				fluids and recoverable slurry are transported off location, except for disposal
				in an approved well, then these materials should be disposed of in a lawfully
				approved disposal facility, or recycled or disposed of in accordance with
				appropriate permit(s) and regulation(s).
(b) The following procedures shall be
				implemented regarding the subsurface disposal of pit fluids down the surface
				casing or first intermediate casing/production casing annulus. These procedures
				are applicable for subsurface disposal into the well on location or to an
				approved well.
1. Approval must be obtained
				from the Supervisor prior to implementing subsurface disposal
				operations.
2. Pressure testing for
				subsurface disposal of pit fluids shall be conducted and recorded in accordance
				with applicable requirements of Rule
				400-1-4-.09(4),
				relating to Pressure Testing, and Rule
				400-1-4-.10(5),
				relating to Recording Test Pressures.
3. During disposal operations the injection
				pressure shall not exceed ninety percent (90%) of the mechanical integrity test
				pressure of the casing. A pressure relief valve, set to the authorized maximum
				disposal pressure, shall be installed. Verification of the pressure setting of
				the relief valve may be requested by the Supervisor.
4. If surface or first intermediate casing is
				not set below the base of the underground source of drinking water (USDW)
				containing fluids of less than ten thousand (10,000) milligrams per liter total
				dissolved solids in the well to be used for subsurface disposal of pit fluids,
				then in addition to section (1)(b)1, (1)(b)2, (1)(b)3, and (1)(b)4. the
				following may apply:
(i) The operator shall
				submit a schematic showing the downhole construction of such well and the
				approximate location and construction of all known water wells, core holes and
				oil and gas wells within a one-quarter (1/4) mile radius; and
(ii) The operator shall submit an affidavit
				certifying that the disposal fluids contain only materials that are exempt
				under the Resource Conservation and Recovery Act, that the chloride
				concentration of the disposal fluids does not exceed two thousand (2,000) parts
				per million (ppm), and that the pH of the disposal fluids ranges between 6.0
				and 9.0 standard units.
(c) Alternative methods may be used, if
				approved by the Supervisor.