Wyoming Administrative Code › Agency 020 - Environmental Quality, Dept. of › Sub-Agency 0011 - Water Quality › Chapter 2 - DISCHARGES, PERMIT REGS › Appendix H - Additional Requirements Applicable to Produced Water Discharges from Oil and Gas Production Facilities

Current through July 13, 2024
(a) Application requirements specific to all produced water
				  discharges from oil and gas production facilities must provide the following
				  information in addition to that described in Section
				  5(a)
				  (v), to the administrator, using the
				  application form provided by the administrator.
(i) The produced water discharged into surface waters of the
				  state shall have use in agriculture or wildlife propagation. The produced water
				  shall be of good enough quality to be used for wildlife or livestock watering
				  or other agricultural uses and actually be put to such use during periods of
				  discharge.
(b) Permits for all produced water discharges from oil and
				  gas production facilities shall include the following conditions and
				  limitations:
(i) In no case shall any produced water discharge contain
				  toxic materials in concentrations or combinations which are toxic to human,
				  animal or aquatic life.
(ii) Diffuse discharges. Water shall not be discharged in a
				  diffuse manner such that damage to land and/or vegetation occurs.
(iii) Facility identification. All facilities authorized to
				  discharge produced water shall be clearly identified with an all-weather sign
				  posted at a visually prominent location. The sign shall be securely mounted and
				  maintained to prevent the sign from being knocked down by livestock or wind. In
				  the case where multiple outfalls are permitted or authorized, a sign shall be
				  posted to identify each outfall. Signs shall, as a minimum, convey the
				  following information:
(A) The name of the company, corporation, person or persons
				  who hold(s) the discharge permit;
(B) The name of the facility (lease, tank battery number,
				  etc.) as identified by the discharge permit; and
(C) The WYPDES permit number assigned to the facility and
				  outfall identification number assigned to each outfall.
(iv) Measures must be implemented to minimize erosion of the
				  drainage at the point of discharge.
(v) Discharges of produced water will not contain substances
				  that will settle to form sludge, bank or bottom deposits in quantities
				  sufficient to result in significant aesthetic degradation, significant
				  degradation of habitat for aquatic life or adversely affect public water
				  supplies, agricultural or industrial water use, plant life or wildlife.
(vi) Discharges of produced water may not result in the
				  formation of a visible hydrocarbon sheen on the receiving water.
(vii) The following effluent limitations are protective for
				  stock and wildlife consumption. Limitations on additional parameters or
				  limitations more stringent will be imposed when such limitations are necessary
				  to assure compliance with Wyoming Water Quality Rules and Regulations, Chapter
				  1.
(A) Chlorides. The chloride content of any produced water
				  discharge shall not exceed 2,000 mg/l in any single properly preserved grab
				  sample except in those cases where a modification is granted in accordance with
				  paragraph (c) of this appendix.
(B) Sulfates. The sulfate content of any produced water
				  discharge shall not exceed 3,000 mg/l in any single properly preserved grab
				  sample except in those cases where a modification is granted in accordance with
				  paragraph (c) of this appendix.
(C) Total dissolved solids and specific conductance. The
				  total dissolved solids content of any produced water discharge shall not exceed
				  5,000 mg/l for total dissolved solids or 7500 µmhos/cm for specific
				  conductance in any single properly preserved grab sample except in those cases
				  where a modification has been granted in accordance with paragraph (c) of this
				  appendix.
(D) pH. In no case shall the pH of any produced water
				  discharge be less than 6.5 or greater than 9.0 standard units as measured by a
				  single grab sample.
(viii) Samples collected to demonstrate compliance with
				  effluent limitations specified in this appendix shall be collected as grab
				  samples and reported as an instantaneous maximum, unless otherwise
				  specified.
(Ix) There shall be no discharge of waste pollutants into
				  surface waters of the state from any source (other than produced water)
				  associated with production, field exploration, drilling, well completion, or
				  well treatment (i.e., drilling muds, drill cuttings, and produced sands). These
				  materials shall be managed in accordance with applicable state and federal
				  regulations.
(x) All water quality samples collected by the Department and
				  discharge permit holders subject to this Appendix shall be taken from the free
				  fall of water from the last treatment unit which is located out of the natural
				  drainage. The sample must not be mixed with waters of any other surface water
				  or with water from another discharge point.
(c) Additional Permit Conditions and Limitations Specific to
				  Oil and Natural Gas (other than coal bed natural gas) Production
				  Facilities.
(i) For existing permits where the original permit
				  application was submitted prior to September 5, 1978, modification of the
				  effluent limits described in paragraphs (b) (vii) of this appendix may be
				  granted on a case-by-case basis if a signed "letter of beneficial use" from the
				  land owner was provided specifically requesting that the discharge in question
				  be allowed to continue; or a signed statement by the Wyoming Game and Fish
				  Department was provided in which it was stated that the discharge in question
				  is of value to fish or wildlife; or documentation was provided by the owner or
				  operator of the discharging facility that, because of extenuating circumstances
				  (volume of discharge, individual chemical constituents, nature of the area in
				  which the discharge occurs, etc.), an exemption should be considered. The user
				  must have indicated the exact beneficial use of the water (stock watering,
				  irrigation, etc.) and the history of such use. No action taken by the
				  department under this paragraph or any other paragraph of these regulations
				  shall be interpreted as the granting of a water right or any other water use
				  authority.
(ii) For discharge permit applications filed after the date
				  of adoption of these regulations, modification of effluent limits described in
				  paragraph (b) (vii) of this appendix may be granted on a case-by-case basis.
				  The Water Quality Administrator shall review all requests for modification of
				  effluent limits submitted under this section and make a determination based
				  upon the technical merits of a Use Attainability Analysis. Such requests shall
				  also provide a signed "letter of agricultural or wildlife use" by the land
				  owner specifically requesting that the discharge will serve a specific
				  agricultural or wildlife use.
(iii) In no case will a modification as described in
				  paragraph (b) (i) or (b) (ii) of this appendix be permitted which would result
				  in a violation of Wyoming Water Quality Rules and Regulations, Chapter
				  1.
(iv) Location of skim ponds and disposal pits. Location of
				  skim ponds and disposal pits shall be managed in accordance with applicable
				  state (e.g. Oil and Gas Conservation Commission) and federal (e.g. Bureau of
				  Land Management) regulations.
(v) An effluent limitation of 10 mg/l for oil and grease as
				  measured by EPA method 1664 or 10 mg/l for net oil and grease as measured by
				  alternate test procedure method 1664-Cu.
(d) Additional Permit Conditions and Limitations Specific to
				  Coal Bed Natural Gas Production Facilities.
(i) Where discharge water is accessible to livestock and/or
				  wildlife; meets the effluent limitations as specified in this appendix; and
				  meets the criteria for the protection of livestock and wildlife as specified in
				  Wyoming Water Quality Rules and Regulations Chapter 1, Wyoming Surface Water
				  Quality Standards, the discharge will be considered in compliance with the
				  requirements of Appendix H (a) (i) of these regulations.
(ii) For discharge permit applications filed after the date
				  of adoption of these regulations, modification of effluent limits described in
				  paragraph (b) (vii) of this appendix may be granted on a case by case basis.
				  The Water Quality Administrator shall review all requests for modification of
				  effluent limits submitted under this section and make a determination based
				  upon the technical merits of a Use Attainability Analysis. Such requests shall
				  also provide a signed "letter of agricultural or wildlife use" by the land
				  owner specifically requesting that the discharge will serve a specific
				  agricultural or wildlife use or a demonstration that the conditions of Appendix
				  (H) (d) (i) have been met.
(iii) Location of disposal pits. Location of disposal pits
				  shall be managed in accordance with applicable state (e.g. Oil and Gas
				  Conservation Commission) and federal (e.g. Bureau of Land Management)
				  regulations.
(iv) The permittee shall take all reasonable measures to
				  prevent downstream erosion that would be attributable to the discharge of
				  produced water.