HEAVY IRON NEWS
EPA Approves Ohio's Injection Well Program
- By Design Team
- •
- 06 Sep, 2015
Ohio's injection well program, run since 1983, has been approved by the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency, though the approval has come with a few caveats. Every state manages and runs its own injection well programs, but the EPA provides regulatory oversight to ensure that each well program meets minimum federal standards. The last examination of Ohio's injection well program took place in 2009, when the program was found to be lacking. The most recent reports from the EPA have determined that the injection well program in Ohio has improved and that the regulations cited have been implemented.
THE EPA FINDS A STRONGER PROGRAM IN OHIO
According to the EPA, the Ohio Department of Natural Resources was able to improve its injection well program in a few major ways. Ohio has taken steps in earthquake reduction and improved the number of inspectors. Additionally, they added automatic shut-off switches and continuous pressure monitoring requirements for wells developed after 2012. Nevertheless, the EPA did state that there were some improvements that they still wanted to see. Specifically, the EPA wanted both better record keeping and stronger enforcement of current regulations. In particular, the EPA wanted more stringent enforcement against those who repeatedly violated regulatory standards. The Ohio Department of Natural Resources has acknowledged these requests and stated that it will improve upon its reporting.
PROTECTING THE GROUND WATER IN OHIO
Ohio's program was shown to either meet or exceed federal standards in 17 out of the 20 criteria that was reviewed by the EPA. In particular, the program was stated to provide significant protection for the drinking water resources located in Ohio. Ohio has more stringent standards for well injection than many other states, now requiring the seismic monitoring for all Class II injection wells. The ODNR has also repeatedly stated a commitment to protecting the state from both earthquakes and ground water infiltration. And though the EPA has asked for more enforcement of regulations, the report stated that the program was "strong in several areas including permitting, inspections and resolving violations."
OHIO CONTINUES TO BUILD ITS OIL INDUSTRY
Interest in oil and gas has been steadily rising in Ohio since 2009, following extensive wet gas and oil production in the Utica shale. Oil production in Ohio has rapidly become more fruitful since the development and widespread use of hydraulic fracturing technologies. Starting in 2005, both horizontal drilling and fracking contributed to a resurgence of the Ohio oil and gas industry. Following this positive review of Ohio's injection well program, it's likely that even more injection well sites will be able to be developed with less potential harm to the environment.
Despite the EPA's praise of Ohio's injection well program, there has still been some dissent. The FreshWater Accountability Project, in addition to other fracking-related activists, have been seeking to suspend the program in Ohio until a full safety audit can be completed. However, there has not yet been any reason to believe such an audit would be necessary or fruitful. According to the EPA, Ohio falls under federal guidelines and regulatory standards for maintaining and continuing its own injection well program.
Subscribe to Email Updates
Recent Post
| A new project in development in Oman may be able to revolutionize the way that people think about solar energy and oil and gas. The Miraah project currently being developed will use solar power in order to produce oil, thereby reducing the amount of natural gas Oman residences will need to rely upon. Ideally, the Miraah project will be able to address many of the outstanding issues with solar technology related to energy capture, while creating a more efficient and effective method of oil production. |
Xodus Group, an international group of energy consultants, has now completed the first stage of its multiphase flow research project
, and is now entering the second. Multiphase flow is designed to research, simulate, and predict how dynamic forces act within the piping that is commonly used throughout the oil and gas industry, for a better understanding of the technology's potential improvements.
Reports have revealed that two-thirds of the natural gas in the United States are now coming from fracking
, thanks to the extensive shale gas resources and the proliferation of unconventional drilling throughout the country. Natural gas is increasingly being used throughout the globe as a more environmentally-friendly alternative to goal, and the domestic energy markets are seeing a significant reduction in utility costs.
As the oil and gas industry has been hard at work decreasing its oil production costs, the oil transportation industry has been similarly engaged. The need for oil transportation on a national and global level has been increasing alongside the need for oil throughout the world. As oil production ramps up in the United States, the old oil transportation methods have become insufficient and inefficient for the new volume of materials that need to be moved. New technologies are presently being developed to make it easier and faster to transport oil, thereby reducing overhead for the industry as a whole.
The Gulf of Mexico has been steadily increasing its oil production despite concerns regarding plummeting oil prices. In fact, production has increased enough that the Gulf of Mexico is expected to reach a record high in 2017. Many oil production companies and unconventional drillers have increased production throughout the United States rather than slowing down. Despite this, oil and gas remains a big and booming business.
