--> Prevention: Ground Water Contamination at Martha Oil Field, Lawrence and Johnson Counties, Kentucky, by Charles K. Eger and John S. Vargo; #91024 (1989)

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Prevention: Ground Water Contamination at Martha Oil Field, Lawrence and Johnson Counties, Kentucky

Charles K. Eger, John S. Vargo

The Martha oil field, located in Lawrence and Johnson Counties, Kentucky, is comprised of three acres totaling over 50 mi2. Production at the Martha oil field from the Weir oil sands (lower Borden Formation, Osage Series, and Mississippian System) began at the turn of the century. Secondary recovery, which consisted of waterflooding, commenced in 1955 in the eastern portion of the field. The Martha main field area occupies approximately 4,500 ac. Almost 3,200 ac were under the waterflood program until 1986. Tertiary recovery methods have been proposed.

The upwelling of brine/oil (via breached well casings, uncemented annuli, and improperly plugged and abandoned wells) resulted in widespread contamination of the three (Alluvium, Breathitt, and Lee Formations) underground sources of drinking water (USDW). Causal effects of this pollution upwelling include increased potentiometric head within the Weir oil sands by fresh water injection and cones of depression in the Lee aquifer resulting from pumping of industrial water supply wells.

Field investigations by the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) and the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers (COE) in 1986 confirmed the prevalent nature of pollution in all three of the USDW. As a result of these actions, EPA Region IV determined that the responsible party was in violation of the Safe Drinking Water Act (SDWA) and underground injection control regulations (UIC). Violations included operating and/or maintaining injection activities in a manner that allowed the moveout of fluids containing contaminants into USDW; failure to properly plug and abandon injection wells that had been temporarily abandoned for two years or more; and injecting at a pressure that resulted in the movement of injected and/or formation fluids into a USDW.

In response to EPA's notice of violations and other requirements, the responsible party proposed a program to properly plug and abandon all injection wells, oil production wells, industrial water supply wells, and most gas production wells in the Martha main field area. The responsible party is in the process of plugging 1,433 wells following standards established by EPA. Additionally, 45 injection wells within adjoining acreage have been identified for plugging and abandonment. The responsible party is undertaking a comprehensive program of monitoring and remediation that will address effects of oil production activities on USDW. This program will achieve full compliance with all SDWA requirements and implementing regulations.

AAPG Search and Discovery Article #91024©1989 AAPG Pacific Section, May 10-12, 1989, Palm Springs, California.