Nebraska Administrative Code
Topic - ENVIRONMENT AND ENERGY
Title 122 - NEBRASKA DEPARTMENT OF ENVIRONMENTAL QUALITY
Chapter 17 - CONSTRUCTION AND SITING REQUIREMENTS; CLASS I, III, and V INJECTION WELLS AND MINERAL PRODUCTION WELLS
Section 122-17-003 - Specific Requirements for Class III Injection Wells
Current through March 20, 2024
003.01 All Class III well designs shall be submitted by a professional engineer.
003.02 All new Class III wells shall be cased and cemented to prevent the migration of fluids into or between underground sources of drinking water. The casing and cement used in construction of each newly drilled well shall be designed for the life expectancy of the well. In determining and specifying casing and cementing requirements, the following factors shall be considered:
003.03 Each Class III well or group of wells utilizing a positive displacement pump shall be equipped with both high and low pressure safety switches which will shut down the pump in case of pressure increase over the authorized pressure or sudden pressure loss.
003.04 Appropriate logs and other tests shall be conducted during the drilling and construction of new Class III wells. A descriptive report interpreting the results of such logs and tests shall be prepared by a qualified log analyst and submitted to the Director. The logs and tests appropriate to each type of Class III well shall be determined based on the intended function, depth, construction and other characteristics of the well, availability of similar data in the area of the drilling site and the need for additional information that may arise from time to time as the construction of the well progresses. At a minimum, such logs and tests shall include deviation checks conducted on all holes where pilot holes and reaming are used, at sufficiently frequent intervals to assure that vertical avenues for fluid migration in the form of diverging holes are not created during drilling.
003.05 Where the injection zone is a water bearing formation, the following information concerning the injection zone shall be determined or calculated for new Class III wells:
003.06 Where the injection formation is not a water bearing formation, the information in Section 002.02D3 of this Chapter must be submitted.
003.07 Where injection is into a formation which contains water with less than 10,000 mg/l TDS, monitoring wells shall be completed into the injection zone and into any underground sources of drinking water above the injection zone which could be affected by the mining operation. These wells shall be located in such a fashion as to detect any migration of injection fluids, process by-products, or formation fluids outside the mining area or zone. If the operation may be affected by subsidence or catastrophic collapse, the monitoring wells shall be located so that they will not be physically affected.
003.08 Where injection is into a formation which does not contain water with less than 10,000 mg/l TDS, no monitoring wells are necessary in the injection stratum.
003.09 Where the injection wells penetrate an USDW in an area subject to subsidence or catastrophic collapse an adequate number of monitoring wells shall be completed into the USDW to detect any movement of injected fluids, process by-products or formation fluids into the USDW. The monitoring wells shall be located outside the physical influence of the subsidence or catastrophic collapse.
003.10 In determining the number, location, construction and frequency of monitoring of the monitoring wells the following criteria shall be considered:
