055-3 Wyo. Code R. § 3-45

Current through April 27, 2019

Section 3-45 - Well Stimulation

(a) An approved Application for Permit to Drill (APD, Form 1) or an approved Sundry Notice (Form 4) is required prior to the initiation of any well stimulation activity. Additional stimulation fluid information shall be provided to the Commission as an addendum to the APD (Form 1), or as part of a comprehensive drilling/completion/recompletion plan, or on a Sundry Notice (Form 4). A federal fieldwide development document or similar document may be accepted by the Supervisor. The Supervisor may require, prior to the well stimulation, the Owner or Operator to perform a suitable mechanical integrity test of the casing or of the casing-tubing annulus or other mechanical integrity test methods using procedures set forth in Chapter 2, Section 6 and Chapter 4, Section 7(e)(i).

(b) Where multiple stimulation activities will be undertaken for several wells proposed to be drilled to the same zone(s) within an area of geologic similarity, approval may be sought from the Supervisor to accept a comprehensive master drilling/completion/recompletion plan containing the information required. The approved master drilling/completion/recompletion plan will then be referenced on each individual well's Application for Permit to Drill (Form 1).

(c) The Owner or Operator shall provide geological names, geological description and depth of the formation into which well stimulation fluids are to be injected.

(d) The Owner or Operator shall provide detailed information to the Supervisor as to the base stimulation fluid source. The Owner or Operator or service company shall provide to the Supervisor, for each stage of the well stimulation program, the chemical additives, compounds and concentrations or rates proposed to be mixed and injected, including:

(i) Stimulation fluid identified by additive type (such as but not limited to acid, biocide, breaker, brine, corrosion inhibitor, crosslinker, demulsifier, friction reducer, gel, iron control, oxygen scavenger, pH adjusting agent, proppant, scale inhibitor, surfactant);

(ii) The chemical compound name and Chemical Abstracts Service (CAS) number shall be identified (such as the additive biocide is glutaraldehyde, or the additive breaker is aluminum persulfate, or the proppant is silica or quartz sand, and so on for each additive used);

(iii) The proposed rate or concentration for each additive shall be provided (such as gel as pounds per thousand gallons, or biocide at gallons per thousand gallons, or proppant at pounds per gallon, or expressed as percent by weight or percent by volume, or parts per million, or parts per billion);

(iv) The Owner or Operator or service company may also provide a copy of the contractor's proposed well stimulation program design including the above detail;

(v) The Supervisor may request additional information under this subsection prior to the approval of the Application for Permit to Drill (Form 1) or of the Sundry Notice (Form 4);

(vi) The Supervisor retains discretion to request from the Owner or Operator and/or the service company, the formulary disclosure for the chemical compounds used in the well stimulation(s).

(e) The Owner or Operator shall provide a detailed description of the proposed well stimulation design, which shall include:

(i) The anticipated surface treating pressure range;

(ii) The maximum injection treating pressure;

(iii) The estimated or calculated fracture length and fracture height.

(f) Upon prior request via Application for Permit to Drill (Form 1), and/or a comprehensive drilling/completion/recompletion plan, or by Well Completion Report (Form 3), or by Sundry Notice (Form 4), and/or by written letter to the Supervisor justifying and documenting the nature and extent of the proprietary information, confidentiality protection shall be provided consistent with Wyo. Stat. Ann. § 16-4-203(d)(v) of the Wyoming Public Records Act for the following records: "trade secrets, privileged information and confidential commercial, financial, geological or geophysical data furnished by or obtained from any person."

(g) The injection of volatile organic compounds, such as benzene, toluene, ethylbenzene and xylene, also known as BTEX compounds or any petroleum distillates, into groundwater is prohibited. The proposed use of volatile organic compounds, such as benzene, toluene, ethylbenzene and xylene, also known as BTEX compounds or any petroleum distillates for well stimulation into hydrocarbon bearing zones is authorized with prior approval of the Supervisor. It is accepted practice to use produced water that may contain small amounts of naturally occurring petroleum distillates as well stimulation fluid in hydrocarbon bearing zones.

(h) The Owner or Operator or service company shall provide the Supervisor, on a Well Completion or Recompletion Log (Form 3), or on a Sundry Notice (Form 4) for an existing well, the following post well stimulation detail:

(i) The actual total well stimulation treatment volume pumped;

(ii) Detail as to each fluid stage pumped, including actual volume by fluid stage, proppant rate or concentration, actual chemical additive name, type, concentration or rate, and amounts;

(iii) The actual surface pressure and rate at the end of each fluid stage and the actual flush volume, rate and final pump pressure;

(iv) The instantaneous shut-in pressure, and the actual 15-minute and 30-minute shut-in pressures when these pressure measurements are available;

(v) In lieu of (i) through (iv) above, Owner or Operator shall submit the actual well stimulation service contractor's job log, without any cost/pricing data from the field ticket, or an Owner or Operator representative's well treatment job log or any report providing the above required information. If information on the actual field ticket describes the Owner's or Operator's proprietary completion design and/or well stimulation design, confidentiality may be afforded per subsection (f) above.

(i) During the well stimulation operation, the Owner or Operator shall monitor and record the annulus pressure at the bradenhead. If intermediate casing has been set on the well being stimulated, the pressure in the annulus between the intermediate casing and the production casing shall also be monitored and recorded. A continuous record of the annulus pressure during the well stimulation shall be submitted on Well Completion or Recompletion Log (Form 3) or on a Sundry Notice (Form 4).

(i) If during the stimulation, the annulus pressure increases by more than five hundred (500) pounds per square inch gauge (psig) as compared to the pressure immediately preceding the stimulation, the Owner or Operator shall verbally notify the Supervisor as soon as practicable but no later than twenty-four (24) hours following the incident. The Owner or Operator shall include a report containing all details pertaining to the incident, including corrective actions taken, as an attachment to the Well Completion Report (Form 3).

(j) The Owner or Operator shall provide information to the Supervisor on Well Completion Report (Form 3) or on Sundry Notice (Form 4) as to the amounts, handling, and if necessary, disposal at an identified appropriate disposal facility, or reuse of the well stimulation fluid load recovered during flow back, swabbing, and/or recovery from production facility vessels. Storage of such fluid shall be protective of groundwater as demonstrated by the use of either tanks or lined pits. If lined pits are utilized to store fluid for use in well stimulation, or for reconditioning, for reuse, or to hold for appropriate disposal, then the requirements of Chapter 4, Section 1 of these rules shall be met to protect wildlife and migratory birds.

055-3 Wyo. Code R. § 3-45

Amended, Eff. 6/3/2015.

Amended, Eff. 1/19/2016.

Amended, Eff. 4/1/2016.