33 AUGUST 2025 WorldWide Drilling Resource® Enhanced Guidelines for Permian Basin Disposal Wells Adapted from Information by the Railroad Commission of Texas The Railroad Commission of Texas (RRC) introduced updated guidelines, leveraging scientific and engineering assessments, to enhance the permitting process for disposal wells in the Permian Basin. These new requirements aim to bolster the safety of underground produced water disposal. As produced water is a by-product of gas and oil extraction, it is typically injected into saltwater disposal wells (SWDs). The revised permit applications for SWDs in the region will now be assessed based on three key criteria: j An expanded area of review (AOR) surrounding the injection site. j Restrictions on the maximum surface injection pressure determined by geological characteristics. j Constraints on the maximum daily injection volume dictated by reservoir pressure. Operators must now evaluate older or inactive wells within the AOR to ensure produced water does not leak through the wellbores. Moreover, the new guidelines require operators to confirm the injection pressure will not compromise the integrity of confining layers in the reservoirs receiving produced water. They will also impose limitations on the maximum injection volumes for SWDs, based on the pressures present in the disposal reservoirs. Commission staff has indicated additional information will be necessary for applications seeking to dispose of gas and oil waste into both productive and nonproductive formations within districts 7C, 8A, and 8. This information is essential for the commission to establish: (1) the injection well’s use or installation serves the public interest, (2) it will not pose a threat to any gas, oil, or other mineral formations, and (3) adequate safeguards are in place to protect both ground and surface freshwater from contamination. Applicants for disposal well permits may be required to submit supplement data, such as geological logs, cross-sections, calculations of pressure front boundaries, and structural maps. This information will help demonstrate that fluids will remain confined, particularly in areas where conditions may heighten the risk of fluid migration outside the intended injection zone. Such conditions may include complex geological formations, the proximity of basement rock to injection interval, the presence of transmissive faults, and a history of seismic activity in the region, as indicated by data from the United States Geological Survey. All disposal well applications within districts 7C, 8A, and 8 will undergo a thorough Permian Basin Disposal Well review. It is important to note injection wells used for purposes other than gas and oil waste disposal, such as water flooding, enhanced recovery, pressure maintenance, or storage are excluded from the review process. These revisions to the permitting standards aim to ensure injected fluids remain contained within designated disposal formations, thereby protecting both ground and surface freshwater resources. The updated SWD permitting guidelines for the Permian Basin went into effect on June 1. These guidelines apply to both new and amended permit applications for deep and shallow disposal wells. The guidelines are explained in detail on the Injection-disposal permit procedures website under “Permian Basin Disposal Well Review.” G&O Looking for Events? Click on this box in our online issue worldwidedrillingresource.com
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