Pennsylvania Code › Title 25 - ENVIRONMENTAL PROTECTION › Part I - Department of Environmental Protection › Subpart C - Protection of Natural Resources › Article I - Land Resources › Chapter 78a - UNCONVENTIONAL WELLS › Subchapter C - ENVIRONMENTAL PROTECTION PERFORMANCE STANDARDS › Section 78a.68a - Horizontal directional drilling for oil and gas pipelines

Current through Register Vol. 54, No. 28, July 13, 2024
(a) Horizontal directional drilling
						activities associated with pipeline construction related to oil and gas
						operations, including gathering and transmission pipelines, that occur beneath
						any body of water or watercourse may not begin prior to authorization by the
						Department in accordance with Chapters 102 and 105 (relating to erosion and
						sediment control; and dam safety and waterway management).
(b) Prior to beginning of any horizontal
						directional drilling activity, the person planning to conduct those activities
						shall develop a PPC plan under §
												102.5(l)
						(relating to permit requirements). The PPC plan must include a site-specific
						contingency plan that describes the measures to be taken to control, contain
						and collect any discharge of drilling fluids and minimize impacts to waters of
						the Commonwealth. The PPC plan must be present onsite during drilling
						operations and shall be made available to the Department upon
						request.
(c) The Department shall
						be notified at least 24 hours prior to beginning of any horizontal directional
						drilling activities, including conventional boring, beneath any body of water
						or watercourse. Notice shall be made electronically to the Department through
						its web site and include the name of the municipality where the activities will
						occur, GPS coordinates of the entry point of the drilling operation and the
						date when drilling will begin.
(d)
						All required permits and Safety Data Sheets must be onsite during horizontal
						directional drilling activities and shall be made available to the Department
						upon request.
(e) Materials staging
						areas shall be located outside of a floodway, as defined in §
												105.1 (relating to definitions),
						of any watercourse or greater than 50 feet from any body of water, unless
						otherwise approved in writing by the Department.
(f) Drilling fluid additives other than
						bentonite and water shall be approved by the Department prior to use. All
						approved horizontal directional drilling fluid additives will be listed on the
						Department's web site. Use of a preapproved horizontal directional drilling
						fluid additive does not require separate Department approval.
(g) Horizontal directional drilling
						activities shall be monitored for pressure and loss of drilling fluid returns.
						Bodies of water and watercourses over and adjacent to horizontal directional
						drilling activities shall also be monitored for any signs of drilling fluid
						discharges. Monitoring shall be in accordance with the PPC plan.
(h) Horizontal directional drilling
						activities may not result in a discharge of drilling fluids to waters of the
						Commonwealth. If a discharge occurs during horizontal directional drilling
						activities, the person subject to subsection (a) shall immediately implement
						the contingency plan developed under subsection (b).
(i) When a drilling fluid discharge or loss
						of drilling fluid circulation is discovered, the loss or discharge shall be
						immediately reported to the Department, and the person subject to subsection
						(a) shall request an emergency permit under §
												105.64 (relating to emergency
						permits), if necessary for emergency response or remedial activities to be
						conducted.
(j) Any water supply
						complaints received by the person subject to subsection (a) shall be reported
						to the Department within 24 hours electronically through its web
						site.
(k) Horizontal directional
						drilling fluid returns and drilling fluid discharges shall be managed in
						accordance with Subpart D, Article IX (relating to residual waste
						management).