BERGOSH, JERRY, and THOMAS TORONTO, RUI Analytical, Salt Lake City, UT, and KEN KECKLER, BP Chemicals, Lima, OH

ABSTRACT: Geological Methods for Demonstration of No Migration of Hazardous Waste in Class 1 Underground Disposal Wells

Safe disposal of industrial waste is a primary consideration of all businesses, and an effective method has been developed that allows extremely large volumes of liquid waste to be safely isolated from culinary water sources. This disposal technique relies on injection of these wastes into underground formations via class 1 injection wells and requires the approval by the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency. Approval is obtained by successful preparation of a No-Migration Exemption Petition as codified at 40 CFR 148.20. Regulations state that before underground disposal can commence, one of the following conditions must be demonstrated: (1) no migration of hazardous concentrations from the injection zone can occur for as long as the waste remains hazardous or (2) that the hazardous w ste constituents are transformed into nonhazardous constituents.

This DEG presentation focuses on the geological and engineering methods that can be used to successfully demonstrate that no migration of the hazardous waste can be achieved to a reasonable degree of certainty. Using BP Chemicals' 3400-ft deep $5 million stratigraphic test hole as a case study, the authors describe the analytical steps taken to make this location one of the most thoroughly characterized geological disposal sites in the nation.

Specific discussion includes all of the methods involved in analyzing the nearly continuously cored test hole from the USDW (underground source of drinking water) through the secondary aquitard/aquifer sequence to the main confining zone, the injection zone, and lower flow barrier. Core material is available for examination. The purpose of this presentation is to disseminate the geological methodology successfully employed to obtain U.S. Environmental Protection Agency approval for this class 1 disposal-well system and provide others with direction should they undertake a similar effort.

AAPG Search and Discovery Article #90993©1993 AAPG Rocky Mountain Section Meeting, Salt Lake City, Utah, September 12-15, 1993.