WorldWide Drilling Resource

Environmental Monitoring by Thomas Kwader, Ph.D., P.G. Injection Wells - They are not all the Same An injection well is a device which places fluid deep underground into porous rock formations, such as sandstone or limestone, or into or below the shallow soil layer. The fluid may be water, wastewater, brine (saltwater), or water mixed with other chemicals. (Please note this article is not discussing hydraulic fracturing, which is injecting fluids at very high pressures.) The Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) requires all injection wells must have a permit issued by the EPA; or sometimes the EPA will delegate this authority to a state agency to implement the permitting function. In some cases, a state may delegate the permitting of small or shallow wells to the local city or county government (such as Class V wells, to be discussed below). The EPA classifies the permitting of injection wells into the following Underground Injection Control (UIC) classes: • Class I - (hazardous and nonhazardous) industrial and municipal waste disposal wells. • Class II - oil- and gas-related injection wells. • Class III - solution mining wells (such as; salt, uranium, copper, sulfur, etc.). • Class IV - shallow hazardous and radioactive waste injection wells. Most states have outlawed these wells. • Class V - wells that inject nonhazardous fluids into or above an underground source of drinking water. This is the largest class of wells and includes all other injections wells not included in the above classes. Note: An underground source of drinking water (USDW) is defined as any source of water having a concentration of less than 10,000 mg/L Total Dissolved Solids (<10,000 mg/L TDS) and are “off-limits” to injection. Class V wells can range from a two-inch PVC well, 10 feet deep, used to dispose of rain water or swimming pool water, to large-diameter, deep recharge wells. Class V also includes wells used for artificial storage and recovery (ASR) of excess water often used to replenish water during rainy seasons and then withdrawn during dry seasons. Properly constructed injection wells can provide: 1. A temporary “reservoir” for the storage and later recovery of water for potable use, irrigation, or cooling purposes. 2. An important and safe method for the disposal of contaminated water which would otherwise be discharged to surface waters. 3. A permanent place of storage in a saline zone isolated from overlying aquifers. For more on injection wells, visit the EPA website www.epa.gov Tom Tom Kwader may be contacted via e-mail to michele@worldwidedrillingresource.com Brewery Mixes a Touch of the Past with a Grain of the Future Adapted from Information by Old Bust Head Brewing Company In beautiful Fauqier County, Virginia, the Army once had a secret listening post installed on an old Virgina farm named Vint Hill; when the troup moved out, they left behind warehouse buildings full of history, which have been reclaimed for use as a brewhouse, warehouse, offices, and taproom. Old Bust Head Brewing Company is equipped with a 30-barrel, four-vessel brewhouse, six 60-barrel fermenters, and two 120-barrel fermenters, giving the company a capacity to brew 10,000 barrels a year in their 30,000-square-foot facility with room to expand. The company installed a state-of-the-art geothermal system, which heats and cools the taproom and offices, preheats the hot water used for dishwashing and bathrooms, and provides refrigeration for drive-in and walk-in coolers where the beer is stored. The geothermal system includes 18 boreholes drilled to a depth of 500 feet. The geothermal wells are connected to 12 heat pumps for heating, cooling, and refrigeration used throughout the facility. As a result of the system, a nearly 60% reduction in overall energy use is anticipated. Since hot water is used throughout the brewing process, the company also makes an effort to conserve both heat and water as they brew. Where needed, equipment and systems are used to recapture heat during the process. Before hot wort can move to the fermentation stage, it must be cooled so the yeast won’t be killed. To cool the wort, the company runs cold water through a coil of pipes adjacent to the pipes which transport the wort into fer- mentation tanks. The cold water absorbs the heat where it is unwanted, and the cool water, which is now heated, is pumped to a hot liquor tank, which conserves the heat and saves energy as water is boiled for the next brew. The company also uses a special heat exchanger installed on their boiler to capture heat from exhaust, which would oth- erwise escape into the air. With the help of a pump and some extra piping, this heat is recycled and used to preheat water during the brewing process. 47 WorldWide Drilling Resource ® MAY 2017