Section 312 IAC 29-31-2 - Management, treatment, and disposal options for commonly encountered oil and gas waste materialsAuthority: IC 14-10-2-4; IC 14-37-3
Affected: IC 4-21.5; IC 14-37
Sec. 2.
(a) This section establishes requirements for the management, treatment, and disposal of commonly encountered oil and gas waste materials.(b) An owner's or operator's use of disposal methods other than those specified in this section, shall be considered a violation of this article subject to enforcement action, unless: (1) prior written authorization is received from the division director after consultation with the department of environmental management; or(2) the owner or operator demonstrates that the disposal method is permissible under local, state, and federal waste management laws and regulations.(c) Except as otherwise required in this article, oil and gas waste materials: (1) shall be stored in above ground tanks, vessels, or other containers that are leak-free and suitable for the storage and containment of the waste material;(2) of different types shall not be mixed or commingled except as expressly authorized in this article or as allowed under local, state, or federal waste management laws and regulations;(3) shall be covered or otherwise protected from exposure to precipitation or surface water runoff; and(4) may only be stored temporarily until arrangements can be made for reuse, recycling, or proper disposal.(d) Produced water, including produced water recovered during spill response operations and well blowdown fluids, shall be managed and disposed of by any of the following methods: (1) Recycled into existing produced water storage tanks.(2) Underground injection into a permitted Class II well.(3) Treated at a facility authorized to accept this type of waste by the department of environmental management.(e) Crude oil, including crude oil recovered during spill response operations and hydrocarbons skimmed from drilling, completion, production, workover, or plugging pits shall be managed and disposed of by the following methods: (1) Recycled into existing crude oil storage tanks.(2) Underground injection into a permitted Class II well.(3) Application to lease road or county road for dust suppression in accordance with 312 IAC 29-25-6.(4) Treatment at a permitted waste oil recovery facility authorized to accept this type of waste.(5) Disposal at a solid waste landfill or other waste management facility permitted by the department of environmental management to accept this type of waste.(f) Crude oil tank bottoms, bottom sediments, and paraffin shall be managed and disposed of by the following methods: (1) Underground injection into a permitted Class II disposal well.(2) Application to lease road or county road for dust suppression in accordance with 312 IAC 29-25-6.(3) Treatment at a permitted waste oil recovery facility authorized to accept this type of waste.(4) Disposal at a solid waste landfill or other waste management facility permitted by the department of environmental management to accept this type of waste.(g) Storm water that accumulates inside crude oil storage and production tank batteries shall be managed in accordance with the requirements of 312 IAC 29-24-2(c)(6) and disposed of by the following methods: (1) Recycled into existing produced water storage tanks.(2) Underground injection into a permitted Class II well.(3) Where authorized under 312 IAC 29-24-2(e), discharged in accordance with the requirements of 312 IAC 29-24-2(f).(4) Treatment at a facility authorized to accept this type of waste by the department of environmental management.(h) Water resulting from hydrostatic testing of casing, tubing, flow lines, or other pipelines shall be managed and disposed of by the following methods: (1) Recycled into existing produced water storage tanks.(2) Recycled or reused at another well site or testing site.(3) Underground injection into a permitted Class II well.(4) Land application if the fluid meets the following criteria:(A) Chloride shall be less than one thousand (1,000) milligrams per liter.(B) Total dissolved solids shall be less than one thousand five hundred (1,500) milligrams per liter.(C) pH shall be greater than 6.5 and less than 9.0.(D) No visible sheen shall be present on the fluids prior to land application.(i) The following types of oil and gas waste materials shall be managed and disposed of at a solid waste landfill or other waste management facility permitted by the department of environmental management to accept this type of waste:(1) Spent filters or filter media resulting from treatment of produced water.(2) Used absorbent pads and absorbent materials.(j) The following types of oil and gas waste materials shall be managed and disposed of in accordance with subsection (h) or be reclaimed or recycled for reuse:(1) Iron sponge, molecular sieve, and other solids resulting from gas treatment operations.(2) Spent amine, glycol, and other gas treatment fluids.(3) Spent charcoal or other solids used in conjunction with vapor recovery or vapor control processes.(4) Used solvents, motor oil, gear oil, lubricants, compressor oil, and hydraulic oil.(5) Unused treatment chemicals or products used in drilling, completion, workover, or plugging operations.(6) After being cleaned of any residual product, unused drums, totes, and other containers.(k) Tanks, process or treatment vessels, casing, tubing, rods, well heads, valves, flow lines, pumps, pumping units, cables, tools, and all other metallic equipment that are unusable, unserviceable, or otherwise considered to be oil and gas waste material shall be managed and disposed of by any of the following methods: (1) After being cleaned to remove residual soil or other contamination, transportation to metal recycling facility.(2) Disposal at a solid waste landfill or other waste management facility permitted by the department of environmental management to accept this type of waste.(l) The division shall issue notice of approval or denial of an application submitted under subsection (b) in accordance with 312 IAC 29-3-5.(m) A decision to approve or deny an application is subject to IC 4-21.5. Natural Resources Commission; 312 IAC 29-31-2; filed 12/1/2017, 10:35 a.m.: 20171227-IR-312160230FRAReadopted filed 1/17/2023, 1:53 p.m.: 20230215-IR-312220328RFA