North Dakota Administrative Code
Title 43 - Industrial Commission
Article 43-02 - Mineral Exploration and Development
Chapter 43-02-03 - Oil and Gas Conservation
Section 43-02-03-19.4 - Drilling pits
Current through Supplement No. 392, April, 2024
A pit may be utilized to bury drill cuttings and solids generated during well drilling and completion operations, providing the pit can be constructed, used, and reclaimed in a manner that will prevent pollution of the land surface and freshwaters. In special circumstances, the director may prohibit construction of a cuttings pit or may impose more stringent pit construction and reclamation requirements. Reserve and circulation of mud system through earthen pits are prohibited unless a waiver is granted by the director. All pits shall be inspected by an authorized representative of the director prior to lining and use. Under no circumstances shall pits be used for disposal, dumping, or storage of fluids, wastes, and debris other than drill cuttings and solids recovered while drilling and completing the well.
Drill cuttings and solids must be stabilized in a manner approved by the director prior to placement in a cuttings pit. Any liquid accumulating in the cuttings pit shall be promptly removed. The pit shall be diked in a manner to prevent surface water from running into the pit.
A small lined pit can be authorized by the director for temporary containment of incidental fluids such as trench water and rig wash, if emptied and covered prior to the rig leaving the site.
Pits shall not be located in, or hazardously near, bodies of water, nor shall they block natural drainages. No pit shall be wholly or partially constructed in fill dirt unless approved by the director.
When required by the director, the drilling pit or appropriate parts thereof shall be fenced.
Within thirty days after the drilling of a well or expiration of a drilling permit, drilling pits shall be reclaimed. The director may grant an extension of the thirty-day time period to no more than one year for good reason. Prior to reclaiming the pit, the operator or the operator's agent shall obtain verbal approval from the director of a pit reclamation plan.
A subsequent sundry notice (form 4) shall be filed detailing the pit reclamation and shall include:
1. The name and address of the reclamation contractor;
2. The name and address of the surface owner; and
3. A description of the work completed, including details on treatment and disposition of the drilling waste.
Any water or oil accumulated on the pit must be removed prior to reclamation. Drilling waste shall be encapsulated in the pit and covered with at least four feet [1.22 meters] of backfill and topsoil and surface sloped, when practicable, to promote surface drainage away from the reclaimed pit area.
General Authority: NDCC 38-08-04
Law Implemented: NDCC 38-08-04
