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TX 75083-3836 U.S.A., fax 01-972-952-9435.

This paper was prepared for presentation at the 1999 SPE/EPA Exploration and Production Environmental Conference held in Austin, Texas, 28 February-3 March 1999.

The Ground Water Protection Council (GWPC), working with agencies that represent the oil and gas producing states, has developed a comprehensive system titled Environmental Information Management Suite (EIMS) to manage data from oil, gas and injection well operations. The EIMS program offers flexible integration of highly customizable data solution tools, including the Risk Based Data Management System (RBDMS), an oil and gas production module, a stand-alone geographic information system (GIS) module, an internet reporting module, a runtime version, a wellbore schematic package, and an economic and engineering module. RBDMS is a complete well database system and has a built-in environmental risk assessment component that is used for injection wells. The cooperative funding for the development of the system has been provided by the U.S. Department of Energy (DOE) and from 17 EIMS user states. EIMS is designed to run on stand-alone and networked PC's that run the Windows 95, 98, 2000, or NT operating systems. Microsoft Access was chosen as the database development tool. EIMS can also attach to backend database management systems such as SQL Server, Oracle, or Sybase. Like Access, EIMS uses the familiar Windows graphical user interface. An important aspect of this project is the cooperative approach used by the team of designers. Personnel from various state agencies, GWPC, and database design consultants have developed this system to be easily customized to meet the varying needs that exist among state environmental regulations. State agency database administrators communicate with each other to solve the problems associated with maintaining the system. This paper describes the EIMS program and some of its applications. New modules are currently being developed that will increase this system's usefulness to the industry and regulatory agencies. EIMS is distributed cost free. Introduction The GWPC is facilitating the development of a comprehensive data management system titled Environmental Information Management Suite. At the core of this Suite, is the Risk Based Data Management System, RBDMS. This program allows state agencies the ability to utilize a flexible integration of highly customizable data solution tools needed for the cost effective management of enormous amounts of data. As the need for information increases, personnel from various state agencies, GWPC, and database design consultants are working to use current technology to provide agencies the software tools to effectively manage this information. New modules are currently being developed that will increase this system's usefulness to the oil and gas industry, the public, and other regulatory agencies. History The evolution of EIMS began in 1989, when the GWPC* completed a research project titled "Evaluation of Injection Well Risk Management Potential in the Williston Basin."1 The DOE and the American Petroleum Institute (API) funded this study. One of the purposes of the study was to develop a methodology to assess the risk of Underground Sources of Drinking Water (USDW) contamination posed by injection well operations. Based on this study, it was determined that state agencies collected sufficient data to construct a risk based information system that could be used to effectively administer UIC programs and operations. The practical aspects of a risk based approach are to prioritize and/or redirect personnel and funds toward those activities that have the greatest risk of contaminating an underground source of drinking water.