RULES & REGULATIONS
PUBLICATIONS & FORMS
PROGRAMS
To increase ground water protection, a federal Underground Injection Control (UIC) program was established under the provisions of the Safe Drinking Water Act of 1974. Since then, state and federal regulatory agencies have modified existing programs or developed new strategies to protect ground water by establishing even more effective regulations to control permitting, construction, operation, monitoring and closure of injection wells. Delegation of the federal program to the State of Oklahoma can be found in 40 CFR 147, Subpart LL.
Federal regulations for the UIC program can be found in 40 CFR 144-148. State Rules can be found in Oklahoma Administrative Code (OAC) 252:652.
The UIC program has divided the injection wells into five classifications. They are as follows:
CLASS I: Wells used to inject liquid hazardous and non-hazardous wastes beneath the lower most Underground Sources of Drinking Water (USDW).
CLASS II: Wells used to dispose of fluids associated with the production of oil and natural gas, enhanced oil recovery, and storage of liquid hydrocarbons.
CLASS III: Wells used to inject fluids for the extraction of minerals.
CLASS IV: Wells used to dispose of hazardous or radioactive wastes into or above USDW (banned).
CLASS V: Wells not included in the other classes generally injecting non-hazardous fluid into or above a USDW.
Agency Note: The Oklahoma Corporation Commission (OCC) presides over (1) Class II wells which include salt water disposal wells (contact Charles Lord at the OCC 405-522-2751), (2) Class V wells utilized in the remediation of groundwater associated with underground or aboveground storage tanks that are regulated by the OCC, and (3) wells used for the recovery, injection or disposal of mineral brines as defined in the Oklahoma Brine Development Act regulated by the OCC.
If you have any questions you can contact Saba Tahmassebi, Engineering Manager at (405) 702-5142.
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