Oil and Gas Extraction Effluent Guidelines

EPA promulgated the Oil and Gas Extraction (O&G) effluent guidelines and standards (40 CFR Part 435) in 1979, and amended the regulation in 1993, 1996, and 2001. The regulation covers wastewater discharges from field exploration, drilling, production, well treatment and well completion activities. These activities take place on land, in coastal areas and offshore. The O&G effluent guidelines and standards are incorporated into NPDES permits.

What is the Oil and Gas Extraction Industry?

Oil and Gas Extraction is the exploration and production of petroleum and natural gas from wells. The industry generates wastewater from the water extracted from the geological formations and from chemicals used during exploration, well drilling and production of oil and gas.

These activities are included within North American Industrial Classification System (NAICS) code 211111, Crude Petroleum and Natural Gas Extraction. (Note: the NAICS group listings are provided as a guide and do not define the coverage of the O&G rule. For precise definitions of coverage, see the applicability sections in 40 CFR Part 435.)

Facilities Covered

The O&G regulation applies to facilities organized into 5 subcategories:

• Subpart A: Offshore
• Subpart C: Onshore
• Subpart D: Coastal
• Subpart E: Agricultural and Wildlife Water Use
• Subpart F: Stripper Wells

Wastestreams Covered

Produced water Produced sand Drilling fluids Drill cuttings Well treatment, workover and completion fluids

Domestic* Sanitary* Deck drainage* * Subparts A and D only

Amendments: Unconventional Extraction

EPA is developing a proposed rule to address wastewater discharges produced by:

• coalbed methane extraction facilities, and
• natural gas extraction from underground shale formations.

Rulemaking History

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• 2001 Amendment
  Added requirements for the discharge of synthetic-based drilling fluids (SBFs) and other non-aqueous drilling fluids.
  • Clarification Memo: Standards for Controlling SBF Discharges (PDF) (16 pp, 271K) (10/10/2003)
  • Final Rule: 66 FR 6850 (PDF) (70 pp, 1.1MB) 1/22/2001
    • Technical correction: 66 FR 30807 (PDF) (5 pp, 177K) 6/8/2001
    • Development Document (518 pp, 1.2MB) (EPA-821-B-00-013; December 2000)
  • Proposed Rule: 67 FR 5488 (PDF) (67 pp, 629K) 2/3/1999
• 1996 Amendment
  Added BAT, BCT, NSPS, PSES and PSNS, and revised BPT limitations for coastal facilities.
  • Final Rule: 61 FR 66086 (PDF) (45 pp, 463K) 12/16/1996
  • Development Document (PDF) (640 pp, 29MB) (EPA-821-R-96-023, October 1996)
  • Proposed Rule: 60 FR 9428 (PDF) (54 pp, 505K) 2/17/1995
• 1993 Amendment
  Added BAT, BCT and NSPS requirements for offshore facilities.
  • Final Rule: 58 FR 12454 (PDF) (59 pp, 8MB) 3/4/1993
  • Development Document (PDF) (407 pp, 21MB) (EPA-821-R-93-003, January 1993)
  • Proposed Rules:
    • 56 FR 10664 (PDF) (52 pp, 6.3MB) 3/13/1991
    • 55 FR 49094 (PDF) (3 pp, 397K) 11/26/1990
    • 53 FR 41356 (PDF) (35 pp, 4.2MB) 10/21/1988 (Notice of Data Availability)
    • 50 FR 34592 (PDF) (45 pp, 5.5MB) 8/26/1985
• 1979 Initial Rulemaking
  BPT limitations for Offshore; Onshore; Coastal; and Agricultural and Wildlife Water Use subcategories.
• Final Rule: 44 FR 22069 (PDF) (10 pp, 1.2MB) 4/13/1979
• Interim Final Rules:
• 41 FR 44942 (PDF) (7 pp, 1.3MB) 10/13/1976 (Subparts C through F)
• 40 FR 42543 (PDF) (9 pp, 1.4MB) 9/15/1975 (Subparts A and B)
• Development Document (PDF) (156 pp, 5.7MB) (EPA-440/1-76/055a, September 1976)

Additional Information

For additional information on existing Oil and Gas Extraction subcategories, please contact Ron Jordan (jordan.ronald@epa.gov) or 202-566-1003.  For additional information on Unconventional Extraction, please contact Lisa Biddle (biddle.lisa@epa.gov) or 202-566-0350.