Ohio Administrative Code
Title 3745 - Ohio Environmental Protection Agency
Chapter 3745-9 - Water Well Standards
Section 3745-9-07 - Well grouting for construction or sealing
Universal Citation: OH Admin Code 3745-9-07
Current through all regulations passed and filed through December 16, 2024
(A) One of the following grouts shall be used for sealing a well, or annular space:
(1) Cement grouts that meet
standard ASTM C150, Standard Specification for Portland Cement, have
standard ANSI/NSF 61 certification, and include one of the following types of
cement:
(a) Type I, general purpose
cement.
(b) Type II, for use in
water with moderate sulfate content between one hundred fifty to fifteen
hundred milligrams per liter, and conditions requiring lower heat of
hydration.
(c) Type III, for use in
conditions requiring high early strength.
(d) Type IV, for use in conditions requiring
low heat of hydration.
(e) Type V,
for use in ground water with a high sulfate content greater than fifteen
hundred milligrams per liter.
(2) Bentonite grouts that have standard
ANSI/NSF 60 certification, and include one of the following:
(a) High solids bentonite grout using
powdered bentonite clay or granular bentonite.
(b) Coarse grade or pelletized bentonite.
Bentonite grout shall not contain bentonite drilling mud or cuttings.
(B) Grout shall be processed and placed in a well, or annular space in accordance with the following:
(1) Cement
grout shall be mixed using potable water and cured according to the following
specifications:
(a) Type I, II, IV and V
cement shall be mixed by adding not more than 5.2 gallons of water per
ninety-four pounds of cement, with a minimum density of fifteen pounds per
gallon.
(b) Type III cement shall
be mixed by adding 6.3 to seven gallons of water per ninety-four pounds of
cement.
(c) Concrete with a minimum
density of 17.5 pounds per gallon shall be mixed by adding ninety-four pounds
of cement, an equal amount of sand, and not more than six gallons of
water.
(d) Cement with a minimum
density of fifteen pounds per gallon that has calcium chloride added as an
accelerator to speed up the rate of curing shall be mixed by adding two to four
pounds of calcium chloride per ninety-four pounds of cement and not more than
six gallons of water.
(e) Cement
grout shall cure a minimum of twenty-four hours before drilling operations are
resumed either when standard type I and type II cement is used or when calcium
chloride additive is used. Cement grout shall cure a minimum of twelve hours
before drilling operations are resumed when high early type III cement grout is
used.
(2) Bentonite
grout shall be mixed according to the manufacturer's recommendations to achieve
at least twenty per cent solids. Synthetic organic polymers that have standard
ANSI/NSF 60 certification may be added to bentonite grout to suppress hydration
of the bentonite particles and shall be mixed according to the manufacturer's
recommendations.
(3) When using
coarse grade or pelletized bentonite, the bentonite shall be poured slowly into
the top of the well to prevent bridging in the casing or borehole, in
accordance with the following procedures:
(a)
Coarse grade or pelletized bentonite shall be poured over a wire one fourth
inch mesh screen to keep the fine bentonite powder from entering the well. Fine
bentonite particles that accumulate in the shipping container shall not be
used.
(b) Coarse grade or
pelletized bentonite shall be poured at a continuous rate, no faster than fifty
pounds per three minutes.
(c) The
pouring process shall be halted intermittently in order to lower a weighted
measuring tape into the well to determine the top of the grout and confirm that
bridging has not occurred. Where possible, a tamping device shall be used to
break any bridges that may form.
(d) Coarse grade or pelletized bentonite
shall be periodically hydrated when poured above the static water
level.
(4) When pressure
grouting, the grout shall be placed in a continuous operation without
interruption until the cement or bentonite grout of approximately the same
density as the grout being placed into the borehole is coming out of the
annular space.
(5) After grout has
been placed, the grout shall cure a minimum of twelve hours to assess whether
any settling of the grout has occurred. If settling has occurred, then
additional grout shall be placed.
(C) An annular space shall be completely filled with grout from the bottom of the annular space, or from the top of the filter pack or formation stabilizer, upward to the ground surface. (See the appendix to this rule for the volume of annular space between casing and borehole.) The annular space shall be completely filled in accordance with the following:
(1) If a pitless adapter or pitless
unit will be installed and if well construction is not completed when casing is
set, compacted clean clay may be temporarily used from the expected point of
attachment to the ground surface.
(2) Except as otherwise provided in this
rule, and rule
3745-9-06 of the Administrative
Code, the annular space shall be filled with cement grout or bentonite grout,
which shall be placed in the annular space of a well by pressure
grouting.
(3) An annular space
between a permanent casing and a temporary casing shall be filled with grout
during temporary casing removal. Where temporary casing removal is not possible
or practical, temporary casing shall be withdrawn at least five feet to ensure
grout contact with the formation.
(4) Cement grout may be placed into the
annular space of a well using the conductor pipe-gravity method where the
annular space is greater than or equal to two inches, no greater than fifty
feet below ground surface, and where a minimal amount of water is in the
borehole. The conductor pipe shall be lowered to the bottom of the annular
space and the grout placed from the bottom up with the conductor pipe submerged
at all times.
(5) Coarse grade or
pelletized bentonite may be poured into the annular space where the annular
space is greater than or equal to two inches, no greater than fifty feet below
ground surface, and where a minimal amount of water is in the borehole. Coarse
grade bentonite may be poured into the annular space between a permanent casing
and temporary casing during temporary casing removal.
(6) The dry driven grouting method may be
used under the following conditions. Well
construction using a cable tool, driven casing hammer or any other method where
the permanent casing is driven, and where temporary outer casing or an
oversized borehole is not used, a collar, flared joint or well bead shall
extend beyond the outside diameter of the permanent casing and dry granular
bentonite shall be poured around the permanent casing as it is being driven.
The well site shall be where thick deposits of low permeable clayey glacial
till or other low permeable materials overlie the aquifer and where the well
site is not located in an area of microbiological or chemical contamination.
[Comment: For dates of non-regulatory government publications, publications of recognized organizations and associations, test methods, federal rules, and federal statutory provisions referenced in this rule, see paragraph (AA) of rule 3745-9-01 of the Administrative Code titled "Incorporation by reference."]
Disclaimer: These regulations may not be the most recent version. Ohio may have more current or accurate information. We make no warranties or guarantees about the accuracy, completeness, or adequacy of the information contained on this site or the information linked to on the state site. Please check official sources.
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