Earthen Pit Wall Sloping
Earthen Pit Wall Sloping
(OP)
Looking for regulatory restrictions regarding the maximum sloping of earthen pit walls.
Industry: Oil/Gas/Geothermal
Application: Drilling "reserve" pit, or Geothermal flow "test" pit
Concerned about functional AND safety requirements/regulations.
Industry: Oil/Gas/Geothermal
Application: Drilling "reserve" pit, or Geothermal flow "test" pit
Concerned about functional AND safety requirements/regulations.





RE: Earthen Pit Wall Sloping
You need a geotech involved.
Mike McCann
MMC Engineering
Motto: KISS
Motivation: Don't ask
RE: Earthen Pit Wall Sloping
Assuming soil classification A or B (per 29CFR1929), can the walls be shear/near vertical? Do all walls have to be sloped?
RE: Earthen Pit Wall Sloping
However, I would be concerned with erosion if the wall is exposed to the elements. Do you have any bank stabalization measures available to prevent erosion?
Mike McCann
MMC Engineering
Motto: KISS
Motivation: Don't ask
RE: Earthen Pit Wall Sloping
It is a lined pit, depth ~20 feet, ~130 x 130 ft dimensions.
It is in the cut portion of a wellpad.
RE: Earthen Pit Wall Sloping
www.PeirceEngineering.com
RE: Earthen Pit Wall Sloping
The pit is lined to prevent brine loss to the surrounding landscape during drilling or flow testing of new geothermal wells.
Typical liner is 30 mil PVC.
Please review the pictures, as they may better tell the story. The pits are "spec'd" by a Civ Eng, but I'm not sure all requirements are being taken into account.
The shear walls of the pit seem to be in opposition of OSHA excavation regulations, and may pose a safety hazard should livestock or personnel accidentally enter the pit.
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RE: Earthen Pit Wall Sloping
The fact that the pit is lined is irrelevant. The pit must stand safely open in order to install the liner.
www.PeirceEngineering.com
RE: Earthen Pit Wall Sloping
www.PeirceEngineering.com
RE: Earthen Pit Wall Sloping
RE: Earthen Pit Wall Sloping
Unless I am mistaken, the 20 ft pit with 130'x130' size is not considered an "excavation" in the sense of OSHA - I thought (though I may be fuzzy on this as I am relying on memory) that this applies when the base of the pit would be less than 15 ft wide. I'll
Still, it should be designed for either temporary or permanent conditions whichever applies.
RE: Earthen Pit Wall Sloping
If you are correct on the comment of 'excavation', would I still have the expectations that the earthen pit should have:
1. Engineered retention/shoring for vertical walls
OR
2. Sloped walls chosen with respect to the soil type/classification
?
RE: Earthen Pit Wall Sloping
RE: Earthen Pit Wall Sloping
Richard A. Cornelius, P.E.
WWW.amlinereast.com