La. Admin. Code tit. 43 § XVII-3323

Current through Register Vol. 50, No. 11, November 20, 2024

Section XVII-3323 - Monitoring Requirements

A. Pressure Gauges, Pressure Sensors, Flow Sensors

1. Pressure gauges or pressure sensors/transmitters that show pressure on the fluid injection string, fluid withdrawal string, and any annulus of the well, including the blanket material annulus, shall be installed at each wellhead. Gauges or pressure sensors/transmitters shall be designed to read gauge pressure in 10 PSIG increments. All gauges or pressure sensors/transmitters shall be properly calibrated and shall always be maintained in good working order. The pressure valves onto which the pressure gauges are affixed shall have 1/2 inch female fittings.

2. Pressure sensors designed to actuate the automatic closure of all emergency shutdown valves in response to a preset pressure (high) shall be installed and properly maintained for all fluid injection and fluid withdrawal strings, and blanket material annulus.

3. Flow sensors designed to actuate the automatic closure of all emergency shutdown valves in response to abnormal increases in cavern injection and withdrawal flow rates shall be installed and properly maintained on each solution-mining well.

B. Continuous Recording Instruments. Continuous recording instrumentation shall be installed and properly maintained for each solution-mining well. Continuous recordings may consist of circular charts, digital recordings, or similar type. Unless otherwise specified by the commissioner, digital instruments shall record the required information at no greater than one minute intervals. Mechanical charts shall not exceed a clock period of 24-hour duration. The chart shall be selected such that its scaling is of sufficient sensitivity to record all fluctuations of pressure or any other parameter being monitored. The chart shall be scaled such that the parameter being recorded is 30 percent to 70 percent of full scale. Instruments shall be housed in weatherproof enclosures when located in areas exposed to climatic conditions. All fluid volumes shall be determined by metering or an alternate method approved by the Office of Conservation. Minimum data recorded shall include the following:

1. wellhead pressures on both the fluid injection and fluid withdrawal strings;

2. wellhead pressure on the blanket material annulus;

3. volume and flow rate of fluid injected; and

4. volume of fluid withdrawn;

C. Casing Inspection.

1. For all Class III Brine Wells, a casing inspection or similar log shall be run on the entire length of the innermost cemented casing in each well at least once every 10 years. Casing inspection logs shall be submitted to the Office of Conservation and shall include an interpretive report.

2. Equivalent alternate monitoring programs to ensure the integrity of the innermost, cemented casing may be approved by the Office of Conservation in place of §3323.C 1

D. Subsidence Monitoring.

1. The owner or operator shall prepare and carry out a plan approved by the commissioner to monitor subsidence at and in the vicinity of the solution-mining cavern(s). The monitoring plan should include at a minimum all wells/caverns belonging to the owner or operator regardless of the status of the cavern. Subsidence monitoring shall be scheduled to occur annually during the same period each year. A monitoring report shall be prepared and submitted to the Office of Conservation after completion of each monitoring event.

E. Monitor Wells. Quarterly monitoring of the monitor wells required by 3317.A.2.a.

F. All Class III wells may be monitored on a field or project basis rather than an individual well basis by manifold monitoring. Manifold monitoring may be used in cases of facilities consisting of more than one injection well, operating with a common manifold. Separate monitoring systems for each well are not required provided the owner or operator demonstrates that manifold monitoring is comparable to individual well monitoring.

La. Admin. Code tit. 43, § XVII-3323

Promulgated by the Department of Natural Resources, Office of Conservation, LR 40:336 (February 2014), Amended LR 42418 (3/1/2016), Amended LR 482312 (9/1/2022).

AUTHORITY NOTE: Promulgated in accordance with R.S. 30:4 et seq.