The Florida Geological Survey (FGS), within the Florida Department of Environmental Protection (FDEP), has the responsibility to conserve the state's oil and gas resources and minimize environmental impacts from exploration and production operations through regulation and inspection activities. The FGS Oil and Gas Section oversees the exploration and production of oil and gas in Florida through a series of permits and inspection activities. The U.S. Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) Region 4 and the state jointly administer underground injection control programs.

Contact

Florida Geological Survey
Gunter Building, MS #720
903 West Tennessee Street
Tallahassee, FL 32304-7700
(850) 488-4191 (phone)
(850) 488-8086 (fax)
(Staff Contacts)

Oil and Gas Section
(850) 488-8217 (phone)

Florida Department of Environmental Protection
3900 Commonwealth Blvd.
Tallahassee, FL 32399
(850) 245-2086 (phone)

U.S. Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) Region 4
Sam Nunn Atlanta Federal Center
61 Forsyth Street, SW
Atlanta, GA 30303
(404) 562-9900 (phone)
(800) 241-1754 (phone)

Produced Water Management Practices and Applicable Regulations

The FDEP has comprehensive jurisdiction over environmental regulation. The FDEP Oil and Gas Rules have been promulgated in Chapters 62C-25 through 30 of the Florida Administrative Code.

• Class II well injection operations — A Class II well includes any well injecting fluids that are brought to the surface in connection with conventional oil or natural gas production, which are an integral part of production operations, unless those waters are classified as a hazardous waste at the time of injection (62C-25.002(12)(a)). In addition, a Class II well is one that injects fluids for enhanced recovery of oil or natural gas (62C-25.002(12)(b)). Construction and operation of Class II wells in Florida require permits from both the EPA Region 4 and FDEP. The principal FDEP injection well requirements are contained in 62C-25.006, 62C-26.003, and 62C-29.002.
  • No subsurface formation or zone will be approved for fluid disposal if total dissolved solids of the formation fluid do not equal or exceed 10,000 parts per million (ppm) and chloride content does not equal or exceed 5,000 ppm.
  • As part of the application for a permit, the operator shall submit to the FDEP a written application containing detailed information with respect to the destination of the injection operation, the location of the proposed wells, the daily volume of saltwater injection volume, the anticipated injection pressure, the chemical analysis of a formation-water sample in the case of proposed brine injection, and the adequacy of protection of freshwater aquifers.
  • The operator shall measure the amount of saltwater injected into each disposal well and shall submit a Monthly Well Injection Report (Form 10A) to the FDEP within 25 days subsequent to the reported period.
  • All injection wells shall be equipped with tubing and packer set no more than 100 feet above the injection zone unless otherwise specified by the Department.
  • No injections shall be permitted using casing as the injection string, in the annulus between casing strings, or between casing and the well bore.
  • The integrity of the casing and tubing strings for injection wells shall be pressure-tested.
  • Each permit for an injection well shall include a condition specifying the upper limit of allowable pressure.
     
• Offshore Areas. At present, Florida offshore areas are off-limits to drilling.
   
• Water Resource and Waste Management. The FDEP regulates water resource management and waste management in general.
   
• Oil and Gas Forms are available from the FDEP.