1. 1. During the drilling and construction of an injection well, the storage operator shall run appropriate logs, surveys, and tests to determine or verify the depth, thickness, porosity, permeability, lithology, and salinity of any formation fluids in all relevant geologic formations to ensure conformance with the injection well construction requirements, and to establish accurate baseline data against which future measurements may be compared. The storage operator shall submit to the Board a descriptive report prepared by a log analyst that includes an interpretation of the results of such logs and tests. At a minimum, such Logs and tests must include:

   1. a. Deviation surveys.
      b. Before and upon installing the surface casing:

      1. i. Resistivity, spontaneous potential, and caliper logs before the casing is installed; and
         ii. A cement bond and variable density log to evaluate cement quality radially and a temperature log after the casing is set and cemented.

   2. c. Before and upon installation of the long string casing:

      1. i. Resistivity, spontaneous potential, porosity, caliper, gamma ray, fracture finder logs, and any other logs the Board requires for the given geology before the casing is installed; and
         ii. A cement bond and variable density log, and a temperature log after the casing is set and cemented.

   3. d. A series of tests designed to demonstrate the internal and external mechanical integrity of injection wells, which may include:

      1. i. A pressure test with liquid or gas;
         ii. A tracer survey;
         iii. A temperature or noise Log;
         iv. A casing inspection log; and
   4. e. Any alternative methods that provide equivalent or better information and that the Board requires or approves.

2. 2. The storage operator shall take whole cores or sidewall cores of the injection zone and confining zone and formation fluid samples from the injection zone, and shall submit to the Board a detailed report prepared by a log analyst that includes well log analyses (including well logs), core analyses, and formation fluid sample information. The Board may accept information on cores from nearby wells if the storage operator can demonstrate that core retrieval is not possible and that such cores are representative of conditions at the well. The Board may require the storage operator to core other formations in the borehole.
   3. The storage operator shall record the fluid temperature, pH, conductivity, reservoir pressure, and static fluid level of the injection zone.
   4. At a minimum, the storage operator shall determine or calculate the following information concerning the injection and confining zone:

   1. a. Fracture pressure;
      b. Other physical and chemical characteristics of the injection and confining zone; and
      c. Physical and chemical characteristics of the formation fluids in the injection zone.

3. 5. Upon completion, but prior to operation, the storage operator shall conduct the following tests to verify hydrogeologic characteristics of the injection zone:

   1. a. Pressure fall-off test; and
      b. Pump test; or
      c. lnjectivity test.
4. 6. The storage operator shall provide the Board with the opportunity to witness all logging and testing carried out under this section. The storage operator shall submit a schedule of such activities to the Board thirty days prior to conducting the first test and submit any changes to the schedule thirty days prior to the next scheduled test.

Author: S. Marvin Rogers

Statutory Authority: 9-17-150 et seq. of the Code of Alabama (1975)

History: New Rule: Published November 27, 2024; effective January 11, 2025.