Ala. Admin. Code r. 335-6-8-.11

Current through Register Vol. 43, No. 1, October 31, 2024

Section 335-6-8-.11 - Class III Well Permit Requirements

(1) A permit for any Class III injection well shall contain the following:

(a) Authorization to operate as follows:

1. Authorization to inject for a period not to exceed the life of the injection well field, but shall be reviewed at least once every five years.

2. When required by the Department, the well density in the permitted field and the area included in the well field shall be limited.

3. Applications for permit reissuance shall comply with Rule 335-6-8-.10, except that previously submitted information need not be submitted unless requested by the Department.

3. The requirements found in subparagraph (a) items 2., 3., 5., and 6. of Rule 335-6-8 -.132 shall apply.

(b) Construction and maintenance requirements as follows:

1. A well head shall be constructed so that a blow out preventer and workover rig can be placed over the well.

2. Injection shall be through casing.

3. Injection wells shall be double cased to a depth below the deepest USDW and shall be cased for the full depth of the well. Casing shall be designed for the expected life of the well when axial loading, diameter of casing, down hole pressures, corrosiveness of injected fluids and/or pollutants and formation fluids, temperatures to be encountered, and any other pertinent conditions are considered.

4. Injection wells shall be cemented from the surface to the upper limit of the injection zone. Cementing shall be conducted in such a manner and shall use a type and grade of cement such that all USDW's are protected from pollution by surface waters, other formation fluids, or fluids and/or pollutants injected and that the injection zone is isolated from all formations above it.

5. Deviation checks on all holes constructed by first drilling a pilot hole and then enlarging the pilot hole by reaming or another method shall be performed at sufficiently frequent intervals to assure that vertical avenues for fluid migration in the form of diverging holes are not created.

6. Any annular spaces formed between casings or casing and injection tubing shall be filled with a noncorrosive fluid or inert gas under pressure.

7. The requirements found in subparagraph (b) items 1. through 3. of Rule 335-6-8 -.132 shall apply.

(c) Monitoring and operating requirements as follows:

1. Operating restrictions shall include, as a minimum, a maximum allowable injection pressure which shall preclude fracturing that could result in migration of fluids and/or pollutants from the injection zone.

2. The requirements found in subparagraph (c) items 1. through 8., and 12. of Rule 335-6-8 -.132 shall apply.

3. When required by the Department, injection pressure, annulus pressure, flow rate, and volume injected shall be monitored. Instrumentation shall be sufficient to provide the data required by the permit.

(d) Logging and well integrity requirements as follows:

1. In the case of a new well, the following logs and their interpretation, or substitute logs as agreed upon by the Department, shall be run before the casing is installed and submitted: resistivity, spontaneous potential, porosity, caliper, and gamma ray. This requirement shall also apply to a new well in a permitted well field.

2. In the case of a new well, the cased hole logs described in subparagraph (2)(b) items 1. through 4. of Rule 335-6-8 -.1009 and their interpretation, or substitute logs as agreed upon by the Department shall be submitted. This requirement shall also apply to a new well in a permitted well field.

3. In the case of a new well, proof of mechanical integrity shall be submitted as described in subparagraph (2)(d) of Rule 335-6-8 -.1009 prior to operation of the well.

4. The following information concerning the injection zone may be required to be calculated or determined:

i. Fluid pressure;

ii. Temperature;

iii. Fracture pressure;

iv. Other physical and chemical characteristics of the injection matrix;

v. Physical and chemical characteristics of the formation fluids.

5. The results obtained in subparagraph (1)(d) item 4. of this Rule shall be used to determine the compatibility of the injection fluids and/or pollutants with the formation fluids and matrix. The Department will consider the results of the testing program prior to granting approval for the injection.

6. Cased hole logs described in subparagraph (2)(b) of Rule 335-6-8 -.1009 or substitute logs as agreed upon by the Department shall be performed every five years and shall demonstrate proof of mechanical integrity. The results and their interpretation shall be submitted to the Department. The Department may require these evaluations to be performed more frequently after considering the nature of the fluids and/or pollutants to be injected, the age of the well, or other conditions that may adversely affect the expected life of the well.

7. Logging requirements may be relaxed by the Department after consideration of the intended function, depth, construction, and other characteristics of the well, availability of similar data in the area of the drilling site, and the need for additional information that may arise from time to time as the construction of the well progresses.

(e) Records, reports and submittals as follows:

1. The permittee shall submit copies of all logs or other analyses performed and their interpretation to the Department not later than 28 days after completion of the logs and/or analyses.

2. The requirements found in subparagraph (d) items 1. through 5.of Rule 335-6-8 -.132.

(f) Plugging and abandonment as follows:

1. The requirements found in subparagraph (e) items 3. through 6. of Rule 335-6-8 -.132.

2. The permittee shall notify the Department at least 180 days prior to actual plugging of the well and submit for approval by the Department an updated plugging and abandonment plan. The plan shall be submitted to the Department at least 90 days prior to actual plugging of the well.

3. The plugging or abandonment plan shall be made a part of the permit.

4. The permittee shall correct any improperly sealed, completed, or abandoned well located within the area of review which extends into the injection zone or any other well which may cause pollution of a USDW. A schedule of compliance for taking corrective action will be established and included in the permit.

(g) Well or well field management as follows:

1. The permittee shall cease injection immediately upon determination that a well has malfunctioned and correct the malfunction prior to resumption of injection. Permittee shall notify the Department in writing within 5 days of the occurrence of any malfunction. This notification shall include a description of the malfunction, its cause, and the corrective action(s) taken. Notification within 24 hours shall be required if the malfunction results in pollution of a surface water or a USDW, when any noncompliance with a permit condition or malfunction of the injection system may cause fluid migration into or between USDW's, or when monitoring or other information indicates that any fluid and/or pollutant may cause a violation of subparagraph (ed) of Rule 335-6-8-.05.

2. In the case of a new well, prior authorization shall be obtained from the Department for any change in the approved construction of the well.

3. Well data required by subparagraph (1)(d) items 1. and 3. of this Rule shall be submitted for each new well constructed in the permitted field.

(h) Permit modification, revocation, suspension, and termination as follows:

1. The requirements found in subparagraph (f) items 1. through 3. of Rule 335-6-8 -.132 shall apply.

(i) General provisions as follows:

1. The requirements found in subparagraph (g) items 1. through 6. of Rule 335-6-8 -.132 shall apply.

2. The best management practices plan shall be made a part of the permit.

3. In the case of an existing well the following may be required:

(i) A schedule of compliance in accordance with 40 CFR §144 . 53.

(ii) Special construction requirements.

4. For a new well, no injection may begin until:

(i) A notice of completion of construction and the information required to be gathered during construction having been received and reviewed by the Department and any changes in permit conditions such as maximum injection pressure, etc., have been determined.

(ii) Notification that all required corrections to other wells in the area of review are complete and have been received by the Department.

(iii) When a permit modification is necessary, the permittee has been issued a modified permit containing any change in permit conditions and has been informed in writing by the Department that injection may begin.

(iv) The permittee has been informed of any intention to inspect the well prior to operation.

Author: Curt Johnson, Thad Pittman, Sonja Massey

Ala. Admin. Code r. 335-6-8-.11

Effective June 10, 1982. Amended: October 10, 1984. Repealed and New Rule: Filed April 11, 2002; effective May 16, 2002.

Statutory Authority:Code of Ala. 1975, §§ 22-22-9, 22-22A-5, 22-22A-6, 22-22A-8.