25 Pa. Code § 78a.56 - Temporary storage
(a) Except as
provided in §§
78a.60(b) and
78a.61(b)
(relating to discharge requirements; and disposal of drill cuttings), the
operator shall contain regulated substances and wastes used at or generated at
a well site in a tank, series of tanks or other storage structures approved by
the Department. The operator shall install or construct and maintain the tank
or series of tanks or other approved storage structures in accordance with the
following requirements:
(1) The tank, series
of tanks or other approved storage structure shall be constructed and
maintained with sufficient capacity to contain all regulated substances which
are used or produced during drilling, altering, completing, recompleting,
servicing and plugging the well.
(2) Modular aboveground storage structures
that exceed 20,000 gallons capacity may not be utilized to store regulated
substances without prior Department approval. The Department will maintain a
list of approved modular storage structures on its web site.
(3) The operator shall obtain siting approval
from the Department for site-specific installation of all modular aboveground
storage structures for each individual well site where use of the modular
aboveground storage structure is proposed.
(4) After obtaining approval to utilize a
modular aboveground storage structure at a specific well site, the owner or
operator shall notify the Department at least 3 business days before the
beginning of construction of these storage structures. The notice shall be
submitted electronically to the Department through its web site and include the
date the storage structure installation will begin. If the date of installation
is extended, the operator shall renotify the Department with the date that the
installation will begin, which does not need to be 3 business days in advance.
(5) If open tanks or open storage
structures are used, the tanks and storage structures shall be maintained so
that at least 2 feet of freeboard remain at all times unless the tank or
storage structure is provided with an overflow system to a standby tank with
sufficient volume to contain all excess fluid or regulated substances. If an
open standby tank or standby open storage structure is used, it shall be
maintained with 2 feet of freeboard. If this subsection is violated, the
operator shall immediately take the necessary measures to ensure the structural
stability of the tank or other storage structure, prevent spills and restore
the 2 feet of freeboard.
(6) Tanks
and other approved storage structures shall be designed, constructed and
maintained to be structurally sound and reasonably protected from unauthorized
acts of third parties.
(7) Unless
an individual is continuously present at the well site, operators shall equip
all tank valves and access lids to regulated substances with reasonable
measures to prevent unauthorized access by third parties such as locks, open
end plugs, removable handles, retractable ladders or other measures that
prevent access by third parties. Tanks storing only freshwater, fire prevention
materials and spill response kits are excluded from the requirements of this
paragraph.
(8) The operator shall
display a sign on the tank or other approved storage structure identifying the
contents and an appropriate warning of the contents such as flammable,
corrosive or a similar warning.
(9)
A tank or other approved storage structure that contains drill cuttings from
below the casing seat, regulated substances or fluids other than tophole water,
fresh water and uncontaminated drill cuttings shall be impermeable.
(10) Condensate, whether separated or mixed
with other fluids at a concentration greater than 1% by volume, may not be
stored in any open top structure or pit. Aboveground tanks used for storing or
separating condensate during well completion shall be monitored and have
controls to prevent vapors from exceeding the L.E.L. of the condensate outside
the tank. Tanks used for storing or separating condensate must be
grounded.
(b) The
operator may request to use practices other than those specified in subsection
(a) which provide equivalent or superior protection by submitting a request to
the Department for approval. The request shall be made electronically to the
Department through its web site on forms provided by the Department.
(c) Disposal of uncontaminated drill cuttings
in a pit or by land application shall comply with § 78a.61.
(d) Pits may not be used for temporary
storage. An operator using a pit for temporary storage as of October 8, 2016,
shall properly close the pit in accordance with appropriate restoration
standards no later than April 8, 2017. Any spills or leaks detected shall be
reported and remediated in accordance with §
78a.66 (relating to reporting and
remediating spills and releases) prior to pit closure.
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