Virginia Administrative Code
Title 9 - ENVIRONMENT
Agency 15 - DEPARTMENT OF ENVIRONMENTAL QUALITY
Chapter 20 - GUIDELINES FOR THE PREPARATION OF ENVIRONMENTAL IMPACT ASSESSMENTS FOR OIL OR GAS WELL DRILLING OPERATIONS IN TIDEWATER VIRGINIA
Part II - Information Requirements
Section 9VAC15-20-60 - Description of the gas or oil operation

Universal Citation: 9 VA Admin Code 15-20-60

Current through Register Vol. 41, No. 3, September 23, 2024

A. The applicant shall describe the gas or oil operation to be performed. The description of the operation should include information on the location, size (length, height, width and area), and number of such facilities and related land requirements (including easements or rights-of-way). The information should also include a timetable for establishing, completing and removing drilling operations and constructing, operating and removing production facilities.

B. The discussion of the operation shall be accompanied by:

1. A general location map depicting the operations area and surrounding areas at a map scale which is as detailed or more detailed than a map at a scale of 1:24,000; and

2. Detailed site plats of the proposed operations area at a scale no greater than 1:600 depicting the location of:
a. Proposed land-disturbing activities;

b. Facilities and equipment, pipeline corridors, and natural resource features discussed in 9VAC15-20-70 that can be graphically presented and that will be or could be affected by the proposed operation; and

c. Any existing manmade features within the proposed operations area, including but not limited to buildings, water wells, roads, drainage ditches, ponds, etc.

C. The description of the operation shall include a discussion of the following:

1. The type of drilling operation;

2. Power systems, energy or fuel sources necessary for drilling and associated facilities equipment operation;

3. Fluid circulation systems including a discussion of and a list of the proposed drilling fluids, fluid components, toxicity classification, and information on the projected amount and rate of drilling fluid production;

4. Well control and blowout prevention devices including a description of the proposed methods of containment of potential oil, gas or waste fluid releases;

5. Any proposed utility connections for water supply or sewage disposal purposes;

6. Projected types, quantities, and chemical characteristics of waste from gas, oil or geophysical operations, including any planned surface water or groundwater emissions referencing where possible information available from previous gas or oil operations conducted in Tidewater Virginia;

7. Projected types, quantities, and chemical characteristics of solid wastes produced by the operation referencing where possible information from previous gas or oil operations conducted in Tidewater Virginia;

8. Proposed on-site and off-site solid and liquid waste management procedures including waste transfer areas and procedures, disposal areas or facilities, handling facilities and equipment, storage areas and related facilities and equipment, and proposed methods of disposal whether by land application, burying, injection or by other means;

9. Any planned enhanced recovery activities related to the production of gas or oil from the proposed well;

10. Projected air emissions by source, quantity, chemical characteristics, and duration resulting from the proposed operation on an average daily basis referencing where possible information available from previous gas or oil operations conducted in Tidewater Virginia;

11. Methods which will be used to acquire necessary water supplies to conduct the proposed operation including the amount of daily withdrawals, daily or weekly fluctuations in withdrawal rates, duration of withdrawals, and any effects on stream flow, how much water will be needed to support the operation, and how such water supplies will be used in the proposed operation;

12. Descriptions, presented in narrative and graphic format as appropriate, of proposed erosion and sediment control practices and stormwater management practices which will be installed to manage surface water quality;

13. Descriptions, presented in narrative and graphic format as appropriate, of proposed site reclamation and revegetation plans for all operations areas; and

14. Descriptions of proposed gas or oil production and transportation facilities and equipment.

D. A description of land-disturbing activities which will result from the proposed operation should include a discussion of the size, extent and location of activities including the following activities:

1. The clearing of vegetation, including a description of the types of vegetation to be cleared;

2. Land grading and filling activities;

3. Constructing new or expanded access roads;

4. Constructing fluid reserve pits, sumps, dikes, tanks or similar devices;

5. Constructing associated facilities whether inside or outside of the operations area;

6. Constructing and installing pipeline systems including proposed trenching, earth-moving, or vegetation clearing activities; and

7. Constructing and installing gas or oil production facilities and equipment.

Statutory Authority

§§ 10.1-1188 et seq. and 62.1-195.1 of the Code of Virginia.

Disclaimer: These regulations may not be the most recent version. Virginia 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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