Disposal of Fluids by Injection

PURPOSE: In some phases of the producing life of some reservoirs, large quantities of formation water may be produced along with the oil and gas. Adequate protection of underground sources of drinking water lies in the proper disposal of this produced water. Rather than allowing the produced water to flow onto the land surface and into streams and rivers, a more satisfactory method of disposal is to inject this water into permeable subsurface strata that do not contain underground sources of drinking water. This rule provides details such as quality and quantity of the water and well construction that are to be submitted to the state geologist for approval prior to such injection to ensure that underground sources of drinking water are adequately protected. (1) Other than within the original production strata, disposal of produced fluid from an oil or gas operation is prohibited into an oil or gas reservoir, a potential oil or gas reservoir, or an underground source of drinking water unless that drinking water source has been exempted, or unless otherwise approved by the state geologist. (2) An injection well for the disposal of fluids must be located a minimum of one hundred sixty-five feet (165') from a unit boundary. AUTHORITY: section 259.070, RSMo 2016.* Original rule filed Oct. 11, 1966, effective Oct. 21, 1966. Amended: Filed Sept. 12, 1973, effective Sept. 22, 1973. Amended: Filed Oct. 14, 1981, effective Feb. 11, 1982. Amended: Filed Sept. 15, 2015, effective March 30, 2016. Amended: Filed June 27, 2018, effective Feb. 28, 2019. *Original authority: 259.070, RSMo 1965, amended 1972, 1983, 1987, 1993, 1995, 2012, 2015.