Nikaitchuq Unit (NU), Beaufort Sea, Alaska Underground Injection Control Draft Permit Public Notice. Comment Period ends September 15, 2008.
United States Environmental Protection Agency, Region 10
Park Place Building, 12th Floor
1200 Sixth Avenue, Suite 900
Seattle, Washington 98101
Underground Injection Control (UIC) Program
Ground Water Protection Unit, OCE-127
NOTICE OF PROPOSED ISSUANCE OF A CLASS I UIC PERMIT FOR THE DISPOSAL OF
OIL-FIELD FLUIDS AND NON-HAZARDOUS INDUSTRIAL WASTE FLUIDS AT THE NIKAITCHUQ UNIT, BEAUFORT SEA, ALASKA
Public Notice Issuance Date: August 15, 2008
Closure Date: September 15, 2008
1. Applicant
Eni US Operating Company, Inc. (Eni)
101 West Benson Street, Suite 201
Anchorage, Alaska 99503-3974
EPA Permit Number: AK-1I011-A
The U.S. Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) has direct implementation responsibility in Alaska for the regulation of Class I injection wells through the Underground Injection Control (UIC) program, which is authorized by Part C of the Safe Drinking Water Act. Class I injection wells are used for the deep disposal of industrial waste into naturally saline ground water, beneath any aquifers which could serve as current or future underground sources of drinking water (USDWs).
EPA is proposing to grant a Class I UIC permit to Eni US Operating Co. Inc., also known as Eni, to drill and operate up to four (4) Class I non-hazardous waste injection wells for disposal of Class I non-hazardous fluids at the Nikaitchuq Unit, which is approximately 12 miles northeast of the mouth of the Colville River Delta offshore in State of Alaska tideland waters of the Beaufort Sea and approximately 3 miles north of Oliktok Point, Alaska. Up to 2 wells are planned at Oliktok Point Pad (OPP) and up to 2 wells at Spy Island Drillsite (SID). The injection zone is about 5000 feet true vertical depth subsea (TVDss) below the surface with the base of the permafrost at approximately 1860 feet TVDss at the Oliktok Point location. No Class I well shall begin underground injection prior to successfully demonstrating its mechanical integrity and approval from EPA.
EPA has considered available waste disposal options and determined that underground injection is the most appropriate disposal method for the non-hazardous waste fluids and the fluids generated at the Nikaitchuq Unit facility. The Class I injection well is an environmentally sound method for disposal of the non-hazardous industrial waste fluids (including produced reservoir fluids that will not be used for enhanced oil recovery purposes - EOR). The Class I injection well will also meet the objective of minimum storage and zero discharge of production and domestic wastes to the surface waters of the Beaufort Sea. The Class I wells will increase safety and reduce environmental risks by reducing handling and transportation activities and will provide safe subsurface disposal in a controlled manner. The Class I classification will increase EPA oversight and inspections of the Class I wells.
The geologic setting at the Nikaitchuq Unit is compatible for waste disposal. The disposal option would address approximately 2.3 million barrels of fluids to be injected into the Canning and Hue Shale formations over the life of the field. EPA has determined that the proposed injection intervals which lie deeper than 4300 feet below sea level are not an underground source of drinking water. The proposed EPA Class I permit limits injection to the existing and naturally saline (greater than 10,000 milligrams/liter (mg/l) total dissolved solids (TDS)) injection intervals in the Canning and Hue Shale formations.
2. Tentative Determination
EPA has tentatively determined to issue a ten (10) year UIC permit to the above listed applicant.
3. Public Comments
Persons wishing to comment must do so in writing by the close of the Public Comment period, September 15, 2008 at 5 pm Pacific Daylight Time (PDT). All comments should include the name, address, and telephone number of the person commenting, a concise statement of the exact basis of any comment, and the relevant facts upon which it is based. All written comments and requests should be submitted to Thor Cutler of the UIC program at the above address or via E-mail to cutler.thor@epa.gov.
4. Public Hearings
The Environmental Protection Agency has tentatively scheduled a public hearing to be held on Monday, September 15, 2008 at 2 p.m. in the EPA Alaska Operations Office, Room 537, Federal Building, located at 222 West 7th Avenue in Anchorage, Alaska. However, this hearing may be canceled in the absence of any specific written requests for such a hearing. Written requests for a hearing on the proposed permit must be received by Thor Cutler at the above street address or via E-mail at cutler.thor@epa.gov not later than September 5, 2008 at 5 p.m. PDT.
5. Administrative Record
Copies of the proposed UIC permit, fact sheet, and permit application are on file and may be viewed at EPA’s Regional Office Library between 9:00 a.m. and 4:00 p.m. PDT, Monday through Friday. Copies of the proposed permit and fact sheet may be requested from Thor Cutler at (206) 553-1673 or via e-mail: cutler.thor@epa.gov. Copies may also be obtained from the EPA Alaska Operations Office, Room 537, Federal Building, 222 West 7th Avenue, #19, Anchorage, Alaska (907) 271-5083 or through the Internet at www.epa.gov/r10earth/uic.htm.
Nikaitchuq Unit Draft Permit (PDF) (25 pp. 101K, About PDF)
Nikaitchuq Unit Fact Sheet (PDF) (8 pp. 44K, About PDF)