Ala. Admin. Code r. 400-2-5-.03

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

Section 400-2-5-.03 - Production Tests

(1) All production tests shall be made only after approval by the Supervisor. An operator completing a new well or recompleting an old well shall test the well to determine if the well is capable of producing and the amount it can produce up to and including any allowable if assigned. Such test shall be at stabilized rates for a minimum of four (4) hours' duration, shall not exceed seventy two (72) hours, and shall be taken in a manner prescribed by the Board in its rules and regulations. An operator shall submit a request in writing to, and receive approval from, the Supervisor pursuant to Rule 400-2-5-.04 for extended testing beyond seventy-two (72) hours. The results thereof shall be verbally reported to the Supervisor immediately and filed with the Board on Form OGB-9, First Production or Retest Report, within fifteen (15) days after such test is completed. When more than one test is made, the reverse side of Form OGB-9 may be used to give complete test data. The test shown on the front side shall be considered the official test results for such well.

(2)Gas Well Capacity Tests. The capacity of a producing gas well shall be determined at the time the well goes on production and on an annual basis thereafter, as follows:

(a)Initial Capacity Test. Capacity flow shall be determined by the stabilized multipoint back-pressure method in accordance with the procedures set out in the Interstate Oil and Gas Compact Commission (IOGCC) "Manual of back-pressure testing of gas wells." The capacity shall be the calculated bottom-hole absolute open-flow potential of the well and shall indicate the capacity of the well to produce against zero pounds per square inch absolute (psia) at the formation. The results of capacity tests shall be reported to the Board on Form OGB-10 within fifteen (15) days after such tests have been completed. All field data, calculation, and a plot of the backpressure curve shall be submitted with this form.

(b)Annual Capacity Tests. Capacity flow shall be determined by the stabilized one-point back-pressure method in accordance with the procedure set out in the Interstate Oil and Gas Compact Commission (IOGCC) "Manual of back-pressure testing of gas wells." The most recently determined exponent "n" established by a stabilized multipoint-back pressure test shall be used with this stabilized one-point test to determine the absolute open flow. The results of this capacity test shall be reported to the Board within fifteen (15) days of its completion on Form OGB-10A. All field data calculations and a plot of the backpressure curve shall be submitted with this form. The Board may approve some other method of testing, but under no circumstances shall the open-flow method be used.

(3) Measurements shall be taken under the following requirements:

(a) All pressures used in test calculations shall be corrected to pounds per square inch absolute (psia), using 14.65 psia as the average barometric pressure.

(b) Basic orifice coefficients used in the calculation of gas flow shall be those contained in the American Gas Association's Gas Measurement Committee Report No. 3, or some other basic orifice coefficients generally accepted in the industry and approved by the Board.

(c) Gas measurements with pitot tubes shall be based on Reid's formula and shall follow recommendations similar to those set forth in Appendix 4 of the U.S. Bureau of Mines Monograph 7. Corrections for base pressure and base temperature shall be made as in orifice measurements.

(d) Gas measurements with orifice well testers shall follow recommendations similar to that set forth in Bulletin No. E-7 of the American Meter Company. Corrections for base pressure and base temperature and gravity shall be made as in orifice measurements.

Author: State Oil and Gas Board

Ala. Admin. Code r. 400-2-5-.03

New Rule: Filed April 11, 2000; effective May 16, 2000.

Statutory Authority:Code of Ala. 1975, §§ 9-17-1, etseq.