Download - Monte Markley, P.G. SCS Aquaterra
Monte Markley, P.G.
SCS Aquaterra
What to do when you need to dispose of high volume fluids?
One way is to drill a disposal well
Part 1 - Major Differences in Kansas and Illinois Permitting Area of ReviewArea PermitsInjection PressuresDifferent focus during permit reviewPermitting Staff ExperienceFORMS!
Area of ReviewKansas is 1 mile vs. 2.5 miles in IllinoisSome parts of state are similar to SE Kansas
and poor well recordsILOIL database is much less user friendly
than KGS siteP&A records harder to obtain in Ill.
Area PermitsMust specify a location for single well or area
permitCan place well anywhere in area permit
boundaryUse conservative AOR based on property
ownership
Allowable Disposal Well Injection Pressure
Kansas is gravity only
In Illinois –Can’t exceed fracture gradient that is site specific. Current well expected to have a 1,700 psi well head pressure as max inj. pressure
Regulatory Background
EPA Region 5 previously used a fracture pressure gradient of 0.80 psi/ft for calculating MIPs for injection well permits in MI & IN, unless a lower pressure was suitable found it was not protective in all situations.
IL set MIPs on a case-by-case basis; all are presently less than 0.60 psi/ft.
Current disposal well in Hamilton County is expected to be around .80 psi/ft
Map of Pressure Increases
Regulatory Focus
Groundwater Flow in Deep Aquifers
Freshwater
Saline
Permitting Staff ExperienceKansas is more hands on and well rounded
Illinois is more departmentalized and permit engineer often does not know what other departments will focus on.
FORMS………Kansas Item # 10 and general guidance
documents much more concise and user friendly
IEPA guidance was often vague and conflicting
IEPA required use of TEN separate forms that were not electronic
And 5 copies of everything
Part 2 – Injection Zone CharacteristicsArbuckle prevalent injection target over most of
Kansas
Knox Mega Group in Ill Basin is stratigraphic equivalent of Arbuckle Group
Primary injection targets in Ill. are Knox and Mt. Simon -Focus in deeper portions of the basin is the Knox
Knox has some excellent potential but not studied much yet. No large scale data set to draw upon.
Coal Mine Class 1 Disposal Well Decided on Knox due to Mt. Simon thinning
or absent in area and no local control
Essentially a wildcat hole to explore feasibility of Knox as disposal zone in the Ill. Basin
Illinois Basin - Basement Structure
WWDW#1
Southern Illinois Geology
J. Crockett PTTC Workshop, March 6, 2013
Geologic Control?
Mt. Simon Isopach
Knox Isopach
Knox Core
Knox Core
Knox Core
Knox as an Injection Interval?Excellent porosity based on logs, core and
cuttingsPermeability ranges from .001 to 400-500 md Highly influenced by vugs, fractures and
secondary quartz overgrowths in pore throatsInjection zone water acidic (pH 5.8-6.4)Creates chemical compatibility concerns and
pretreatment issuesConducting step tests and well stimulation to
determine final disposal capacity and pressures
ConclusionsKansas is much easier regulatory
environmentPermit application was approved with no
deficiencies notedJury is still out on suitability of Knox as
injection zone in deeper portions of the basinWell stimulation and step testing in the next
couple of months will provide more information
Monte Markley, [email protected]