West Virginia's Groundwater Is Not Adequately Protected From Underground Injection
This report was published by the National Resources Defense Council in April 2019. The report examines 19 wells that were in the state's UIC Class 2 program in 2015, almost a third. These wells ranged in status from abandoned to active.
Major findings include:
Roughly one-quarter of the wells submitted reports indicating continued injection under an expired permit.
Mechanical integrity tests (MITs) were often not conducted as frequently as required, and far fewer operators than required conducted their mandatory MITs in the presence of a qualified state witness.
More than half of the wells appear to have been abandoned without being plugged as required, some for more than 10 years.
Four Class 2 wells for which we have records on this site were amongst the 19 wells examined: 2D03900798, 2D07302523, 2D08701623, and 2D10901433. Materials for these and the other wells covered in the report are also available at this website.
Evidence from inspectors' reports, violations, Orders, and other materials was used to closely examine the Office of Oil and Gas' compliance enforcement program and permitting within the framework of state law and regulation and the state's primacy application to and memorandum of agreement with the Environmenal Protection Agency.
Underground Injection Control Class 2 Wells
Introduction to Class 2 Wells in West Virginia
Collected documents and information for a number of Class 2 disposal wells and secondary recovery area permits
Searchable tables for UIC inspections, UIC permitting and MITs based on a copy of the Office of Oil and Gas' online UIC databases made in 2016.
Background materials related to West Virginia's primacy (including the primacy application), EPA guidance documents, and a lot more.
Select wells which present important issues
A UIC well constructed without any cement behind the steel casing strings to protect groundwater.
A commercial UIC well where activity on the site contaminated groundwater.
A UIC well whose use led to earthquakes in the area.
Gas Well Study is the examination of natural gas wells in West Virginia.
Underground Injection Control Class 2 Wells
These wells are used either for the disposal of oil and gas liquid waste or for the enhanced recovery of oil or natural gas.
Gas Well Study Site Visits
Annual reports, environmental assessments, and individual well information.
YouTube Videos
Select videos from the Gas Well Study YouTube channel.
What Happened at Fernow
An investigation into what caused the vegetation death in the land application area after landspraying hydraulic fracture flowback waste.
The Spill at Buckeye Creek
An investigation into a spill from a Marcellus well site into Buckeye Creek in Doddridge county.
The Details
Plunger Lift Technology on Gas Wells
Fluids Brought to the Surface during Production
Plugging a Well
How To Read a Lab Report
Information the Completion Report Provides
Casing and Cementing