EPA v. SERVICE DRILLING COMPANY

Case summary

OPERATOR FAILED TO MAINTAIN TWO INJECTION WELLS INA MANNER THAT WOULD PREVENT THE MOVEMENT OF FLUID INTO A USDW. (40 C.F.R. SEC. 147.2903(B), 147.2905, AND 147.2909). OPERATOR FAILED TO MAINTAIN INE INJECTION WELL SO HE COULD MONITOR TO ASSURE THAT NO FLUID MOVEMENT INTO USDWS COULD OCCUR. (40 C.F.R. SEC. 147.2903(B), 147.2905 AND 147.2909). THE OPERA- TOR PLANS TO REPAIR AND TEST ONE WELL AND PLUG THE OTHER TWO WELLS. SERVICE DRILLING COMPANY ( RESPONDENT ) IS A COMPANY AUTHOR- IZED TO DO BUSINESS IN THE STATE OF OKLAHOMA AND AS SUCH IS A PERSON WITHIN THE MEANING OF SECTION 1401 (12) OF THE ACT. RESPONDENT IS SUBJECT TO UNDERGROUND INJECTION CONTROL ( UIC ) PROGRAM REQUIREMENTS. RESPONDENT IS THE OWNER/OPERATOR OF INJECTION WELLS WHICH ARE EXISTING CLASS II WELLS AS THOSE TERMS ARE DE- FINED. THE INJECTION WELLS ARE LOCATED IN OSAGE COUNTY, OK. THE WELLS HAVE NOT BEEN USED SINCE ON OR BEFORE JAN. 28, 1986. RESPONDENT SUBMITTED A VIABLE PLAN FOR FUTURE USE OF SWD #2 ON JUL. 1, 1986. RESPONDENT SUBMITTED VIABLE PLANS FOR FU- TURE USE FOR BAKER 4 AND BAKER 5 ON SEPT. 19, 1988. ON NOV. 10, 1986, THE EPA APPROVED RESPONDENT'S PLAN FOR FU- TURE USE OF SWD #2. ON JAN. 13, 1989, EPA APPROVED RESPON- DENT'S PLANS OF FUTURE USE FOR BAKER 4 AND BAKER 5. THESE APPROVALS REQUIRED RESPONDENT TO CONDUCT MONITORING TO AS- SURE THAT NO FLUID MOVEMENT INTO A USDW COULD OCCUR AND RE- PORT TO EPA IF CONDITIONS EXIST WHICH WOULD ALLOW FLUID MOVEMENT INTO A USDW. ON MAR. 2, 1993, AN EPA REPRESENTATIVE OBSERVED THAT THE STATIC LEVEL IN SWD #2 WAS AT THE SURFACE. ON JAN. 8, 1993, AN EPA REPRESENTATIVE OBSERVED THAT THE STATIC FLUID LEVEL IN BAKER 5 WAS 215 FEET SUBSURFACE. THESE STATIC LEVELS WERE ABOVE THE BASE OF USDWS IN THE AREA AND INDICATED FLUID MOVEMENT. ON JAN. 8, 1993, AN EPA REPRESENTATIVE OBSERVED THAT BECAUSE FITTINGS ON THE WELLHEAD OF BAKER 4 WERE SO CORRODED THE STATIC FLUID LEVEL IN BAKER 4 COULD NOT BE MEASURED. A PROPOSED PENALTY OF $125,000 WAS ASSESSED.

Defendants (1)

• SERVICE DRILLING COMPANYNamed in complaintNamed in settlement

Facilities (1)

• SERVICE DRILLING CO

  1800 FOURTH NATL BANK BLDG, TULSA, OK, 741195448

  Registry ID: 110010698940

Statutes cited

• SDWA 1421 — UIC Regulations

Enforcement conclusions (1)

• SERVICE DRILLING COMPANYentered 1993-11-04

  Primary law: SDWA

  Federal penalty: $10,200

Timeline (5 milestones)

• 1993-11-04Enforcement Action Data Entered
• 1993-11-04Complaint Filed/Proposed Order
• 1993-11-04Final Order Issued
• 1994-05-10Compliance Achieved
• 1994-10-04Enforcement Action Closed