Water Boards Interaction with DOGGR on UIC Huntington

Water Boards Interaction with DOGGR on UIC Huntington Beach, CA May 29, 2018 John Borkovich Groundwater Monitoring Section Chief State Water Resources Control Board

California Water Boards Consists of: • State Water Resources Control Board (State Water Board), and • Nine Regional Water Quality Control Boards (Regional Boards)

Historical Collaboration with DOGGR • 1988 Memorandum of Agreement (MOA) between Division of Oil, Gas and Geothermal Resources (DOGGR) and State Water Board Ø Ø Water Boards to consult on underground injection control (UIC) project permitting Oversee surface discharges (produced water ponds)

Changes Since 1988 • Public concern about water quality and hydraulic fracturing led to Senate Bill 4 (Pavely, Statutes of 2013) which required: Well Stimulation MOA between DOGGR and State Water Board (2014) Ø State Water Board adopted Model Criteria for groundwater monitoring associated with (2015) Ø

Changes Since 1988 • UIC wells were identified within non-exempt aquifers Ø Ø California Public Resources Code 3131 Requires State Water Board co-review aquifer exemption proposals with DOGGR • Senate Bill 83 (statutes 2015) requires status of UIC projects, pond permitting, and any enforcement actions • Revision to 1988 MOA – out for public comment

Elements: Water Boards Monitoring Program • Underground Injection Control (UIC) ØUIC Project Review ØAquifer Exemption Proposal Review • Well Stimulation Treatment • Produced Water Ponds • Produced Water Reuse/Food Safety

UIC Project Review • • Injection well Review UIC projects with DOGGR Water Boards concern: Ø Ø Injected fluids contained in zone Current and future beneficial use waters are protected Problem oil well Aquifer of Beneficial Use Water Supply well

UIC Project Reviews since 2014 • 85 projects reviewed (100 s of UIC wells) • Water Boards conditions on projects are usually associated with monitoring for containment

Aquifer Exemption Proposal Review Process DOGGR Water Boards Public Comments US EPA Review Criteria • • US EPA Criteria– 40 CFR 146. 4, and California Public Resources Code 3131 Ø Current and future beneficial use waters will not be affected Ø Injection fluids to remain in the exempted aquifer

Aquifer Exemption Proposals 35 proposals received from DOGGR 21 reviews completed by Water Boards Ø 2 currently under review Ø 12 with DOGGR for additional information Ø

Concurrence on Aquifer Exemption Proposals - conditions and limitations Disposal Ø Monitoring to demonstrate containment of injected fluids* Enhanced Oil Recovery Ø Monitoring to demonstrate containment of injected fluids* • Volume of fluids injected not to exceed the volume of fluids extracted Ø Injected fluids must be similar or better quality than the existing groundwater quality in aquifer* *can be case by case at project level

Thank You For more information visit: http: //www. waterboards. ca. gov/water_issues/programs/groundwater/sb 4/i ndex. shtml