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Effluent Guidelines
Oil and Gas Extraction (Synthetic-Based Drilling Fluids)
Effective February 21, 2001, EPA published final regulations establishing technology-based effluent limitations guidelines and standards for the discharge of synthetic-based drilling fluids (SBFs) and other non-aqueous drilling fluids from oil and gas drilling operations into waters of the United States.
Oil and gas extraction facilities generate cuttings wastes from drilling operations. This regulation applies to existing and new sources that perform oil and natural gas extraction drilling in certain offshore and coastal waters.
The final rule allows a controlled discharge of SBF-cuttings anywhere offshore of Alaska and offshore of the rest of the United States beyond three miles from shore. This regulation prohibits discharge of such fluids in coastal Cook Inlet, Alaska, unless certain findings are made by the permit authority. The final rule prohibits the discharge of SBFs not associated with drill cuttings into all waters of the United States.
Compliance with this rule is estimated to reduce the annual discharge of cuttings by 118 million pounds per year for new and existing sources. This rule will also lead to a decrease of 2,927 tons of air emissions and 200,817 barrels of oil equivalent (BOE) per year for new and existing sources. EPA estimates that the rule will result in annual savings of $48.9 million and no adverse economic impacts to the industry as a whole. EPA also incorporated Best Management Practices (BMPs) into the final rule to provide industry with additional flexibility in meeting today's final rule. Read More »
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Final Rule
- Clarification Memo: Standards for Controlling Synthetic-based Drilling Fluid Discharges (PDF) (271 K, 16 pages) (Oct. 10, 2003)
- Overview briefing package (PDF) (218 KB, 21 slides) (March 8, 2001)
- Final rule published in the Federal Register | Print version (PDF) (1.4 MB, 71 pages) (January 22, 2001)
- Technical correction published in the Federal Register (June 8, 2001)
- Fact Sheet—brief summary of the final rule (December 2000)
Support Documents
- Technical Development Document
- Economic Analysis
- Environmental Assessment
- Statistical Support Document
- Record Index (PDF) (229 K, 115 pages)
- Notice of Data Availability published in the Federal Register (April 21, 2000)
- Public meeting briefing package (PDF) (274 K, 58 slides) (April 25, 2000)
Other resources
- Biennial plan and schedule to consider developing and revising effluent guidelines
- Effluent Guidelines home page
Note: EPA no longer updates this information, but it may be useful as a reference or resource.
Proposed Rule
- Proposed Rule published in the Federal Register (February 3, 1999)
- Correction published in the Federal Register (March 3, 1999)
- Fact Sheet—brief summary of the proposed rule (February 1999)
Support Documents
- Technical Development Document (PDF) (1.0 MB, 289 pages)
- Economic Analysis (PDF) (718 K, 82 pages)
- Environmental Assessment (PDF) (1.0 MB, 248 pages)