The Division of Oil and Gas Conservation (DOG) in the Department of Natural Resources (DNR) fosters conservation of all mineral resources, encourages exploration of such resources, protects the correlative rights of land and mineral owners, prohibits waste and unnecessary surface loss and damage, and encourages the maximum recovery of oil and gas from all deposits. The Environmental and Public Protection Cabinet brings together various Kentucky agencies. It is tasked with protecting and enhancing Kentucky 's natural resources. The Department for Environmental Protection (DEP) administers the major environmental protection laws. The U.S. Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) Region 4 administers Class II underground injection control (UIC) programs in Kentucky in direct implementation.

Contact

Division of Oil and Gas Conservation
1025 Capital Center Drive
Frankfort, KY
(502) 573-0147 (phone)
(502) 573-1099 (fax)
(Staff Directory)

Kentucky Environmental and Public Protection Cabinet
500 Mero Street 5th Floor, CPT
Frankfort, KY 40601
(502) 564-3350 ext 214 (phone)
(502) 564-3354 (fax)

Kentucky Department for Environmental Protection
14 Reilly Road
Frankfort, KY 40601
(502) 564-2150 (phone)
(502) 564-4245 (fax)

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 rules administered by the Division of Oil and Gas (DOG) rules are contained in Chapter 1 of Title 805 of the Kentucky Administrative Regulations. Chapters 4–6, 8, 30-40, 42–53, 55, 57–61, 63, 65, 68, and 100 of Title 401 of the Kentucky Administrative Regulations contain the rules administered by the Kentucky Natural Resources and Environmental Protection Cabinet (NREPC) Department for Environmental Protection (KDEP).

• Produced Water Disposal — 401 KAR 5:090, Section 5. The disposal of produced water shall be accomplished in a manner that does not contaminate the waters of the Commonwealth of Kentucky. The following are approved methods for disposing of produced water:
  • Into an enhanced recovery well,
  • Into a disposal well permitted under 401 KAR 5:090, Section 11(3),
  • Into an underground injection control (UIC) well permitted under the 40 CFR 146,
  • By a surface discharge permitted under 401 KAR 5:090, Section 8,
  • By evaporation,
  • By reverse osmosis, or
  • By any other approved method provided that no such method will violate water quality standards or other KPDES requirements as applicable.

• Disposal of Produced Water Away from the Facility — 401 KAR 5:090, Section 6:
  • No person shall transport produced water away from a tank battery to any location other than a permitted disposal system or an individual UIC-permitted site, or a disposal system in another state.
  • No operator shall authorize or allow the transportation of produced water away from a facility where it is produced unless such operator has first submitted the following information to the director and obtained approval:
• Operator's name, mailing address, and telephone number;
• Transporter's name, mailing address, telephone number;
• Name of disposer, mailing address, telephone number, disposal site, and permit number;
• Vehicle identification information, including license number and vehicle description; and
• Quantity of produced water to be transported.
• The operator of a disposal well may receive produced water from other facilities in accordance with the above notification procedures.
• Spills during transfer of produced water shall be reported.

Other Relevant Resources

• KPDES Permit Application Forms
• Commonwealth of Kentucky, Oil and Gas Operators Manual