SCS Engineers has provided wastewater/fluid treatment, isolation, storage, and deep well disposal solutions for over 30 years. During this time, the treatment and disposal of liquid wastes have become increasingly challenging. This is due in part to regulations designed to protect surface and groundwater. But one solution that is often overlooked is deep well injection.
Deep well injection is the process of safely storing or disposing of liquids deep underground. It involves drilling beneath drinking water aquifers (1,500 to >3,000 feet deep) to trap the liquid waste under multiple impermeable layers of rock. It requires favorable geology, so it is not suitable for all locations.
However, where the geology permits, deep well injection has considerable advantages, such as:
Quickly removes large volumes of liquid – eliminates NPDES permits
Provides a long-term solution that can operate over decades
Uses proven methods and technologies from the oil and gas industry
Provides a financially competitive solution, with low ongoing operation and maintenance costs
Does not impact drinking water sources, thereby avoiding regulatory issues that affect other alternatives
SCS Engineers has extensive experience with a broad range of successful deep well injection projects, including clients working in these business sectors and industries:
Chemical industry
Food processing
Landfills
Mining industry
Oil and gas operations
Power plants and utilities
Stormwater management
SCS can provide a turnkey solution or assist at any stage of a deep well injection project, including:
An underground longwall coal mine in Illinois that uses a regulated Class I underground injection well for sequestration of native brine groundwater.
Planning and Regulation: Our experienced geological engineering team can assess the viability of deep well injection and produce fully costed project plans. Having worked across five EPA regions, we have developed a thorough understanding of the complexities of the Underground Injection Control (UIC) program and its regional variations. Our professionals have also built up good working relationships with many of the regulatory bodies.
Drilling and Operation: SCS staff have worked on liquid waste injection wells in fifteen states, and supervised the drilling of over 100 deep wells with both horizontal and vertical completion. Whether the liquid waste requires pre-treatment or must be injected under pressure, we have the required knowledge base, built up over three decades, to deliver projects safely, on time and within budget.
Monitoring and Safety: SCS can monitor wells during injection and afterward for leakage or contamination. Our commitment to the safety of our clients, employees and the wider public has earned us an excellent reputation with outside stakeholders and regulators.
