The Office of Oil and Gas (OOG) in the West Virginia Department of Environmental Protection (DEP) is responsible for monitoring and regulating all actions related to the exploration, drilling, storage, and production of oil and natural gas. The DEP, through various divisions and offices, also administers the general environmental protection regulations.

Contact

Office of Oil and Gas
601 57th Street, SE
Charleston, WV 25304
(304) 926-0450 (phone)
(304) 926-0452 (fax)

West Virginia Department of Environmental Protection
601 57th Street, SE
Charleston, WV 25304

Produced Water Management Practices and Applicable Regulations

Series 1 through Series 7 of Title 35 of the West Virginia Code of State Regulations (select "Oil & Gas" as Agency) contain the legislative rules administered by the Office of Oil and Gas. In addition, other environmental protection state rules (select "Environmental Protection" as Agency) may apply.

• Oil and Gas Wells and Other Wells (Title 35, Series 4)
  • Operational Regulations on Liquid Injection and Waste Disposal Wells (35-4-7)
    • Injection of water, other liquids, or wastes shall be accomplished through a tubing and packer arrangement with the packer set immediately above the injection zone, and the annulus between the tubing and casing shall be monitored by pressure-sensitive devices or through production casing adequately seated and cemented that will allow monitoring of the annulus between the injection casing and the last intermediate casing string or coal-fresh water casing string. Upon a proposal made in detail on Form WR-37, "Pre-Operations Certificate for Liquid Injection or Waste Disposal Well," a variance from any of the foregoing requirements may be granted upon a showing in the application or at the hearing by an individual operator that alternate prudent engineering practices will prevent migration outside the target information.
    • The injection pressure shall be regulated to minimize the possibility of fracturing the confining strata; and the Form WR-37, "Pre-Operation Certificate for Liquid Injection or Waste Disposal Well," submitted for each such well shall set forth the proposed operation in detail so as to demonstrate that this requirement will be satisfied.
    • No discharge of salt water, brackish water, or other water unfit for domestic livestock or other general use shall be made into the waters of the state unless such disposal is approved by permit under applicable state and federal laws. When underground disposal of such water is required, such disposal well and related facilities will be permitted only upon application and approved as required by applicable federal and state laws. Disposal into the same formation from which the water is produced is preferable.
    • Other regulatory requirements include pre-certification, monitoring by the operator, authorization, and re-testing.
  • Surface and Underground Water Pollution (35-4-16.5)
    • Before commencing to drill any well for oil and gas, the well owner or operator shall make proper and adequate provision to prevent surface and underground water pollution.

• Coalbed Methane (CBM) Wells Rule (Title 35, Series 3)
  • Water Protection, Testing and Redemption (35-3-13)
    • Before commencing to drill any CBM well, the well owner or operator shall make proper and adequate provision to prevent surface and underground water pollution.
    • Where the facilities or activities of a CBM well operator cause or contribute to the concentration of a certain constituent in groundwater that exceeds standards of purity and quality for ground water, every reasonable effort shall be made by the CBM well operator to identify, remove, or mitigate the source of such contamination. Within 30 days following written request by the chief, the CBM well operator shall submit to the chief a groundwater remediation plan to strive where practical to reduce the level of contamination over time to support drinking water use. Such a plan shall include such groundwater monitoring as may be necessary to demonstrate the effectiveness of the plan

• Underground Injection Control (Title 47, Series 13) — Class 2 wells include injection wells and wells used for enhanced recovery operations. The regulations provide requirements governing establishment of area of review, corrective action and mechanical integrity, and well permitting.

• National Pollutant Discharge Elimination System (NPDES) Program (Title 47, Series 10) — The regulations establish requirements governing the state NPDES program.

• State Law. In addition to the legislative rules, state regulators encourage viewers to consult the provisions contained in Chapter 22 of the West Virginia Code (accessible through the menu on the left), including:
  • Article 6 (WVC 22-6- et seq.). Office of Oil and Gas; Oil and Gas Wells; Administration; Enforcement
  • Article 7 (WVC 22-7- et seq.). Oil and Gas Production Damage Compensation
  • Article 11 (WVC 22-11- et seq.). Water Pollution Control Act
  • Article 12. (WVC 22-12- et seq.). Groundwater Protection Act
  • Article 13 (WVC 22-13- et seq.). Natural Streams Preservation Act
  • Article 21 (WVC 22-21- et seq.). Coalbed Methane Wells and Units