The underground injection of oil field waste has been permitted through the CaliforniarnDivision of Oil, Gas and Geothermal Resources’ Underground Injection Control Programrnsince the early 1990’s.rnOil field wastes approved for underground disposal must be integrally associated with oilrnexploration or production operations. Approved wastes include drilling mud and cuttings,rnproduced sand, tank bottoms, crude oil saturated soil and produced water. Wasternstreams from refineries, agriculture and other industries are prohibited from thesernprojects.rnThe high cost of land in Southern California, urban development, increasingrnenvironmental regulations and long-term liability are factors driving the disposal of ClassrnII wastes into depleted oil zones.rnActive disposal projects are located in the Wilmington, Inglewood, Oxnard, Ventura andrnSouth Elwood Offshore fields. All projects except Wilmington inject waste at pressuresrnnot exceeding the formation fracture pressure. One project in the Oxnard oil field isrnoperated commercially and except waste from several oil operators.rnSince 1994, the Wilmington project has disposed of 2 million barrels of waste into onerndedicated injection well. This is the only disposal project in California with approval torninject over the formation fracture gradient.rnThe presentation will discuss the Division’s process for project approval andrnrequirements for on-going monitoring.
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