Induced Seismicity Potential in Energy Technologies (2013) / Chapter Skim
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4 Governmental Roles and Responsibilities Related to Underground Injection and Induced Seismicity
4 Governmental Roles and Responsibilities Related to Underground Injection and Induced Seismicity
Pages 117-138
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From page 117... ...
Although seismic events induced by the underground injection of fluids have been recognized for many decades, few of these events have captured national attention. However, the recent debate concerning hydraulic fracturing has brought the issue of induced seismicity to a higher level of public attention.
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From page 118... ...
program.3 It is important to note that the SDWA gives authority to the EPA to protect underground sources of drinking water from contamination due to underground injection and does not explicitly address the issue of seismicity induced by underground injection. UIC regulations requiring information on locating and describing faults in the area of a proposed disposal well are concerned with containment of the injected fluid, not the possibility of induced seismicity.
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From page 119... ...
States, territories, and tribes can submit an application to the EPA to obtain primary enforcement responsibility, or "primacy," to implement the UIC program within their borders.5 Agencies that have been granted this authority oversee the injection activities 4 A deep injection well is a well that injects fluid below all underground sources of drinking water. 5 See water.epa.gov/type/groundwater/uic/Primacy.cfm.
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From page 120... ...
The 15 states not listed here have no deep injection wells. No Class VI wells are currently in operation; however, 6-10 are estimated by 2016.
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From page 121... ...
The EPA remains responsible for issuing permits in states that have not been delegated primacy and for the UIC programs on most tribal lands. Primacy for all classes of injection wells does not need to be granted to a state in order for a state to exercise regulatory authority over a single class of wells.
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From page 122... ...
In practice, the well construction requirements shown above are almost always met by using standard oil and gas well construction techniques, such as setting surface casing below all underground sources of drinking water and cementing casing high above all injection horizons. This method of setting and cementing casing strings at strategic depths ensures underground sources of drinking water are protected by at least two strings of steel casing (sometimes more)
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From page 123... ...
. Confining zones fractures within the area of review (a free of transmissive faults or fracture and confining zone is a formation that is of sufficient areal extent and integrity capable of limiting fluid movement to contain the injected carbon dioxide above an injection zone)
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From page 124... ...
. Required At a minimum, the following Minimum federal UIC requirements A map showing the injection well for which information information concerning the injection are defined in 40 CFR 144–147.
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From page 125... ...
b Most Class V wells are unsophisticated shallow disposal systems that include storm water drainage wells, cesspools, and septic system leach fields. Wells used for fluid injection in association with the recovery of geothermal resources are included in this class because they are an injec tion well "not included in Classes I-IV." c A review of geothermal injection wells performed by the EPA in 1999 notes, "The permits [for Class V wells]
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From page 126... ...
vvvv vv vvvv vv vvvv vv vvvv vv vvvv vv vvvv vv vvvv vv vvvv vv vvvv vvvv vv vv Drilled Hole vvvv vv vvvv vv vvvv vv vvvv vv vvvv vv vvvv vv vvvv vvvv vv vv Confining zone vvvv vv vvvv vv vvvv vvvv vv vv Cement vvvv vv vvvv vv vvvv vv vvvv vv vvvv vv vvvv vv Injection tubing vv vv vv vv vv Packer (a device that seals the vv vv area between the tubing and the vv vv casing) vv vv vv Confining zone vv vv vv Injection zone vv vv vv vv Confining zone vv vv vv Holes perforated through vv vv Steel casing set at total depth steel casing and cement vv vv and is cemented across and to allow injection into vv vv above the injection zone formation vv vv vv vv vv vv vv vv FIGURE 4.1 Typical construction of a Class II underground injection well.
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From page 127... ...
. The BLM regulatory framework governing oil and gas extraction operations for federal and tribal lands is contained in 43 CFR Part 3160 (Onshore Oil and Gas Operations)
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From page 128... ...
U.S. Geological Survey The USGS provides scientific information to describe and understand the Earth; minimize loss of life and property from natural disasters; manage water, biological, energy, and mineral resources; and enhance and protect quality of life in the United States.9 It is the only federal agency with responsibility for recording and reporting earthquake activity worldwide, and it is often asked to aid state agencies in the investigation of possible induced seismicity.
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From page 129... ...
. STATE EFFORTS Although the concerns surrounding induced seismicity are relatively new, at least two states have now adopted, or are in the process of adopting, regulations or approval procedures to address the issue.
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From page 130... ...
By augmenting the regional seismic stations with a dense temporary seismic network, seismologists can carry out detailed analyses on the earthquake waveforms and improve the earthquake location accuracy in the subsurface. Additionally, if the data and station coverage around an induced seismic event is appropriate, a better understanding of the earthquake's size and failure mechanism can be determined.
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From page 131... ...
For example, NEIC in 2011 simultaneously and seamlessly reported on the 2011 M 9.0 Japanese earthquake and its aftershocks and multiple earthquake sequences in the United States that included Guy, Arkansas; Mineral, Virginia; Prague, Oklahoma; and Trinidad, Colorado. In later cases, the existing seismic monitoring system was augmented by dense local seismic stations that enabled automatic detection and locations to magnitudes less than about 1.5.
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From page 132... ...
. Central Arkansas commonly experiences diffuse swarm seismicity, which is thought to be associated with the New Madrid Seismic Zone (NMSZ)
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From page 133... ...
Seismic stations installed by the Arkansas Geological Survey and the Center for Earthquake Research at the University of Memphis are marked by black squares; injection wells are marked by red dots; seismic events between October 1, 2010, and February 15, 2011, are marked by dark gray dots; and seismic events between February 16, 2011, and March 8, 2011, are marked by white dots. Named faults penetrate to the Precambrian basement (faults from AGS and AOGC)
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From page 134... ...
a See AOGC (2011) for a detailed map of the AOGC's proposed Permanent Moratorium Area for disposal wells.
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From page 135... ...
, but fluid withdrawal is usually not curtailed due to induced seismicity. This is because the pumping of fluids from underground reservoirs can be divided among many different oil companies, and states only require permits to drill oil and gas wells, not to produce fluid from them.
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From page 136... ...
These might include conservation of the oil and gas resource, limited injection of fluid, or induced seismic events. Although many oil and gas fields have been unitized in the United States, we know of no instance where produced fluid volumes have been curtailed to limit induced seismicity.
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From page 137... ...
1989. Land Use Planning and Oil and Gas Leasing on Onshore Federal Lands.
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