Section 312 IAC 29-22-2 - Baseline groundwater monitoring for well stimulation treatments exceeding 5,000 barrelsAuthority: IC 14-10-2-4; IC 14-37-3
Affected: IC 14-37
Sec. 2.
(a) The requirements of this section apply to all operations proposing to utilize five thousand (5,000) barrels or more of well stimulation treatment fluid into any formation that is within five hundred (500) feet vertically of any aquifer currently being used for domestic water supply from a water well located within one-fourth (1/4) mile of the surface well location or of any portion of the horizontal drain hole that is to receive fluid from the well stimulation.(b) At least forty-eight (48) hours before conducting any well stimulation, the owner or operator shall provide written or verbal notice to the owner or operator of any unplugged offset well within one-fourth (1/4) mile that is completed in the same formation.(c) Before conducting any well stimulation, the owner or operator shall collect baseline water samples from water wells existing within a one-fourth (1/4) mile radius of the well surface location or any portion of the horizontal drain hole as follows:(1) If ten (10) or fewer water wells exist the baseline water samples shall be collected from each water well.(2) If more than ten (10) water wells exist the owner or operator shall select ten (10) sampling locations based on the following criteria:(A) Except as necessary to comply with clauses (B) and (C) water wells closest to the surface well location or any portion of the horizontal drain hole proposed for well stimulation shall be sampled in a radial pattern around the surface well location.(B) To the extent groundwater flow direction is known or can reasonably be determined, water wells both downgradient and up-gradient locations from the surface well location shall be sampled. Where groundwater flow direction is not ascertainable sample locations should be chosen in a radial pattern from the surface well location.(C) When multiple defined aquifers are present, water wells drilled into each aquifer shall be sampled.(d) The collection of baseline water samples and laboratory analysis shall be conducted at the expense of the owner or operator of the well to receive the well stimulation treatment.(e) Water samples shall be collected by a qualified professional utilizing proper sampling protocol and analyzed by a laboratory certified by the Indiana state department of health.(f) Water sampling shall be conducted not less than seven (7) days nor more than three (3) years prior to initiation of the well stimulation. The results of samples collected under the requirements of this section may be used to satisfy sampling requirements for subsequent oil or gas wells on the same or contiguous drilling sites for a period of up to three (3) years.(g) If a landowner denies permission for sampling a well, the operator shall document the reasonable and good faith efforts taken to secure such permission.(h) Samples shall be analyzed for the following minimum parameters using laboratory methods approved by the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency under 40 CFR 136: (2) Total dissolved solids.(3) Specific conductance.(i) Copies of all final laboratory analytical results shall be provided to the landowner within forty-five (45) days of collecting the samples.Natural Resources Commission; 312 IAC 29-22-2; filed 12/1/2017, 10:35 a.m.: 20171227-IR-312160230FRAReadopted filed 1/17/2023, 1:53 p.m.: 20230215-IR-312220328RFA