The operator may dispose and bury drill cuttings in a pit at the well site, such as the mud pit used to circulate drilling fluids once the drilling operation has been completed, if the following requirements are met:

1. (1) The drill cuttings are generated from the well at the well site;
2. (2) The drill cuttings are not contaminated with brines, oil, production fluids, or drilling fluids other than tophole water or fresh water;
3. (3) The pit is backfilled with topsoil replaced, and the site is graded to promote runoff with no depression that would accumulate or pond water on the surface. The stability of the backfilled pit shall be compatible with the adjacent land;
4. (4) The surface of the backfilled pit area is revegetated in accordance with the approved reclamation plan to stabilize the soil surface; and

5. (5) For wells into uranium ore deposits, the surface of the backfilled drill cutting pit will not exceed the following limits:

   1. (a) The concentration of radium-226 or radium-228 in soil may not exceed the background level by more than 5 picocuries per gram (pCi/g) or 0.185 becquerels per gram (Bq/g), averaged over the first 15 centimeters (cm) of soil below the surface; and

   2. (b) The concentration of natural uranium in soil, with no radioactive decay products present may not exceed the background level by more than 30 pCi/g or 1.11 Bq/g, averaged over the top 15 cm of soil below the surface; and 150 pCi/g or 5.55 Bq/g, average concentration at depths greater than 15 cm below the surface, so that no individual member of the public will receive an effective dose equivalent in excess of 0.1 rem per year or 1 millisievert (mSv) per year.

      The department may allow the operator to use alternative drill cutting disposal methods. For wells into uranium deposits, alternative disposal methods may include the segregation and separate disposal of cuttings from the ore zone.

Source: 33 SDR 160, effective April 17, 2007; 34 SDR 323, effective July 2, 2008.

General Authority: SDCL 34-21-15 , 45-6B-81.

Law Implemented: SDCL 45-6B-41 , 45-6B-43.