Wyo. Code R. 055-0001-4
General Agency, Board or Commission Rules
Chapter 4: Env. includ. Undrgrnd Injection Ctrol Prog. for Enh
Effective Date: 06/03/1996 to 09/03/1996
Rule Type: Superceded Rules & Regulations
Reference Number: 055.0001.4.06031996
Section 1. Pollution and Surface Damage (Forms 14A and 14B). These rules are intended to protect human health and the environment by avoiding contamination of the soils and underground and surface waters at drilling or producing locations. Applications to construct pits, provided for in these rules, shall be approved if the pit will not cause the contamination of surface or underground water, and endanger human health or wildlife. Approval by the Commission of applications for permits for reserve or produced water pits does not relieve the owner or operator of the obligation to comply with the applicable federal, local, or other state permits or regulatory requirements.
The Commission exercises its regulatory authority over the construction, location, operation, and reclamation of oilfield pits within a lease, unit or communitized area which are used solely for the storage, treatment, and disposal of drilling, production and treater unit wastes. The following pits are subject to this regulation:
PERMITS. In addition to the permits required by the Commission and the Bureau of Land Management, the following agencies may also have authorities over the management of oil field wastes.
(a) The Wyoming Department of Environmental Quality administers the following regulatory programs:
Commercial ponds and pits used for the retention and disposal of fluids.
Class I hazardous waste and nonhazardous waste wells under the Underground Injection Control Program.
National Pollutant Discharge Elimination System Program.
Regulations for releases of oil and hazardous substances into waters of the state and Wyoming Contingency Plan.
Roadspreading, landspreading, and landfarming of exploration and production wastes.
Solid waste disposal facilities operated by municipalities and privately by the oil and gas industry.
Cathodic Protection Wells.
Underground Storage Tanks.
Sanitary Waste Treatment Systems.
Air Quality Standards.
(b) The Bureau of Land Management administers surface operating standards for oil and gas exploration and development on federal lands, indian lands and/or leases in Wyoming.
(c) The Office of the State Engineer regulates surface water appropriation and the use of water supply wells, the beneficial use of produced water, and coalbed methane development wells.
(d) The United States Fish and Wildlife Service administers the Migratory Bird Treaty Act in Wyoming. Oil and gas owners or operators have to be aware of the obligation to comply with this regulation as they permit, construct, and maintain all facilities that may contain hydrocarbons or produced waters. Appendix A includes information on that legislation.
OIL AND GAS COMMISSION PIT PERMITS. After (the effective date of the proposed rule change) no retaining pit or below grade structure used for the containment of fluids, as defined in Section 401, shall be constructed unless Form 14A (produced water pits) or 14B (temporary or reserve pits), "Application For Permit To Use Earthen Pit", has been submitted to and approved by the Supervisor. Sumps used for the temporary collection of associated wastes are exempt from this permit requirement.
Optional Form 18, is provided for the operator's use, if they choose, to supplement Forms 14A and 14B to record and document shallow groundwater and subsoil types when they drill shallow holes such as the rat hole, mouse hole or conductor on the drill site. This Form can be used to demonstrate that a well is not in a critical area where groundwater is at a depth of less than twenty feet (20') or in an area that has permeable subsoil.
The Supervisor may administratively approve field-wide or area-wide applications covering the standardized construction and operation of earthen retaining pits.
CENTRALIZED PITS. Owners or operators must obtain approval of the Supervisor for the location, construction and closure of noncommercial centralized pits located within a lease, unit, or communitized area used for field operations. Requirements may be more stringent than individual reserve or produced water pits depending on pit size, waste type, and location. Applicants upon request of the Supervisor, shall provide additional notice, plats and plan views, and information relative to the location of water supplies, residences, schools, hospitals, or other structures where people are known to congregate, site security, groundwater monitoring and leak detection. These permits will be issued for a term of five years and may be renewed at the discretion of the Supervisor.
EMERGENCY PITS. Prior to construction, permanent emergency pits must be approved on Form 14B "Application For Permit To Use And Construct Earthen Pit For Temporary Use Or For Reserve Pit." Within twenty-four (24) hours of the first business day after construction of a temporary emergency pit or use of a permanent emergency pit, the owners or operators shall verbally advise the Supervisor of the existence of the pit and of the estimated time it will be in use.
RESERVE PITS. Form 14B "Application for Permit to Use and Construct Earthen Pit for Temporary Use or For
Reserve Pit" must be submitted and approved in conjunction with an Application for Permit to Drill (Form 1). Approval of this permit must be obtained before drilling commences. The staff must be provided at least one working day to evaluate the location (for distance from surface waters, depth to useable ground water, soils, distance from human habitation, etc.) and to evaluate the fluids which potentially will be retained in the pit (for types of drilling and completion fluids proposed for use, for presence of salt sections, and for the length of time the pit will be in use, etc.). The Commission may request additional information to complete its evaluation. Operators using closed systems who wish to use a pit to receive drill cuttings must apply for and receive permission to construct on Form 14B.
Permits are valid for a term of one year (1) from the date of issuance unless an extension has been approved for the Application for Permit to Drill (Form 1) and for as long as the permit conditions are met. Falsification of information on the application or filing of an incomplete application will result in automatic denial of the request.
WORKOVER AND COMPLETION PITS. Workover pits and pits used for initial completion and recompletion of wells are subject to the following approval and operating requirements.
Pits in critical areas:
Approval of workover and completion pits, meeting any of the following criteria, must be applied for and obtained on Form 14B "Application for Permit to Use and Construct Earthen Pit for Temporary Use or For Reserve Pit" prior to their construction and use.
Application may be done in the following manner:
If the owner or operator complies with the approved Form 14B terms and conditions, no further approval to construct and use workover or completion pits will be required for those well sites. However, subsequent reporting, within thirty (30) days of completion of operations on Form 4, is required each time a pit is constructed and used. Alternative reporting requirements such as annual reporting may be approved by the Supervisor.
Pits in non-critical areas:
Workover and completion pits not meeting any of the criteria listed in Part A will require either:
approval to construct and use workover and completion pits. As long as the owner or operator complies with the approved Form 14B terms and conditions, no further application/notice will be required for future construction and use of workover and completion pits.
(b) Notification to the Supervisor via Sundry Notice Form 4, subsequent to the construction and use of a workover or completion pit. This must be submitted within thirty (30) days of completion of operations and include the following information:
(i) Schematic diagram showing the location of the workover or completion pit in relation to existing production equipment.
(ii) Length of time the pit was in use.
(iii) Statement addressing the types of fluids placed in the pit and that those fluids were removed prior to closure.
Upon review of Form 14B applications, the Commission staff will evaluate well locations (for distances from surface waters, depth to useable groundwater, soils, distances from human habitation, etc.). Special precautions or operational restrictions may be required by the Supervisor at these well facilities in order to avoid contamination of groundwater and surface at the well location.
Workover pits should retain only RCRA exempt wastes. Other wastes should be managed in tanks for later recycling, reuse, or proper disposal. Owners or operators should design workover or completion procedures so that additives will be expended while correcting the down-hole problems. Workover and completion pits shall be open only for the duration of operations and must be closed within thirty (30) days after the operation is complete.
PRODUCED WATER PITS. Form 14A, 'Application For Permit to Use and Construct Earthen Pit for Retention of Produced Water' must be submitted and approved prior to use of a produced water pit. The information required includes a standard water analysis, (Form 17), and oil and grease, maximum and average estimated inflow, size of pit, freeboard capacity, origin of pit contents, method of disposal of pit contents, maximum fluid level above average ground level, distance to closest surface water, depth to groundwater, subsoil type, and type of sealing material. A plan view map and topographic map of sufficient size and detail to determine surface drainage system and all natural waterways and irrigation systems (if applicable) must be attached. The Commission may request additional information.
BELOW GRADE STRUCTURES (TINHORNS). For the purpose of its regulation, the Commission requires below grade structures (including tinhorns) used to receive oil, condensate, or produced water, to be applied for on Form 14A. Construction must be done in accordance with good engineering practice and the staff must be provided the opportunity to inspect prior to any use. A written monitoring program for all permitted below grade structures must be submitted and approved by the staff.
MARKING. The owner shall mark each pit in a conspicuous place with his name and the legal description of the location of the pit and shall take all necessary means and precautions to preserve these markings. Exempted from this requirement are pits in close proximity to injection or producing wells marked in accordance with Rule 319.
LOCATION. When any retaining pit is located in an area with a high potential for communication between the pit contents and surface water or shallow ground water, or to provide additional protection to human beings when operations are conducted in close proximity to water supplies, residences, schools, hospitals, or other places where people are known to congregate, or to provide protection to livestock and wildlife, the Commission may require such modifications or changes in the owner's plans as it deems necessary including, but not limited to, running a closed system, lining the pit, installing monitoring systems and providing additional reporting, or any other reasonable requirement that will facilitate the protection of fresh water. In areas where ground water is less than twenty (20) feet below the surface, a closed system must be utilized.
Unlined pits shall not be constructed in fill. Pits of any kind shall not be constructed in drainages, or in the floodplain of a flowing or intermittent stream, or in an area where there is standing water during any portion of the year. Ground and surface water maps are available for review or consultation at the Commission, the USGS, or State Engineer's Office.
CONSTRUCTION. Lining of the pit with reinforced oilfield grade material, compatible with the waste to be received, will be required by the Supervisor or Commission under certain circumstances including, but not limited to, sandy soils, shallow groundwater, groundwater recharge areas, drilling or production locations immediately adjacent to the Green River or the Colorado River drainage and other sensitive environments or circumstances identified by the Commission. Pits constructed in fill or those used to retain oil base drilling muds, high density brines, and/or completion or treating fluids must be lined. Pits constructed to retain produced water with a total dissolved solids concentrations in excess of 10,000 milligrams per liter must be lined. The Supervisor, on a case-by-case basis, will determine if pits retaining water with a total dissolved solids concentrations less than 10,000 milligrams per liter will be required to be lined.
Additionally, the following construction standards for pits are required to be met or exceeded:
(a) Soil mixture liners, recompacted clay liners, and manufactured liners must be compatible with the waste contained. On request of the Supervisor, the operator must provide evidence of the chemical resistance of the liner selected for use.
(b) Liners constructed of synthetic materials must meet the following specifications: a 9 to 12 mil thickness, greater than 20% elongation at failure, puncture strength of 60 pounds, tear strength of 50 pounds, and permeability less than $10^7$ cm/sec. Joints must be overlapped a minimum of 2 inches and seams sealed as recommended by the manufacturer. Blemishes, holes, or scars must be repaired per manufacturer's recommendation. Breaches in the liner for siphons or other equipment must be reinforced.
The Commission staff must be provided at least twenty-four (24) hours notice of commencement of construction and/or of closure of pits so that an inspection can be made.
(c) Slopes for soil mixture liners or recompacted liners shall not exceed 3:1. Slopes for manufactured liners shall not exceed 1:1.
(d) Reasonable provisions for protection of liners during filling and emptying activities must be included in the construction plans.
(e) Manufactured liners must be installed over smooth fill subgrade which is free of pockets, loose rocks, or other materials which could damage the liner. Sand, sifted dirt, or bentonite are suggested. At no time will straw or any other organic material except synthetic cushion fabric designed for that purpose be used for a liner cushion. Installation of synthetic or soil mixture liners must be in accordance with accepted engineering practice.
(f) Liner edges must be secured. The Commission prefers that liner edges be placed in a trench which is deep enough to receive approximately one foot of compacted soil which will anchor the material.
(g) Monitoring systems may be required for pits constructed in sensitive areas. Such pits must be operated in a manner that avoids damage to liner integrity. Periodic inspections, weekly at a minimum, of pits must be made by the owner or operator and documentation of such inspections may be required to be submitted to the Supervisor at his request.
(h) Liquids must be kept at a level that takes into account extreme precipitation events and prevents overtopping and unpermitted discharges. Appendix A includes average annual precipitation rates for the state.
OPERATION Owners or operators will take such reasonable measures to manage pits so that they are used solely for retention or disposal of fluids associated with the operation for which the pit was originally constructed and for which the permit was granted. Reserve pits cannot be used as production pits; separate pits must be constructed and permitted. Permits are granted taking into consideration the salinity, hydrocarbon content, Ph, and other characteristics of the fluids which may be detrimental to the environment if they were to be directly applied to soils. Use of a pit by persons other than the owner or operator is prohibited unless approved by the Supervisor and by the owner or operator of the pit. Pits shall not receive, collect, store or dispose of any wastes that are listed or defined as hazardous wastes and regulated under Subtitle C of RCRA, except in accordance with state and federal hazardous waste laws and regulations. The pit permit or approval is automatically cancelled if these provisions are not met.
Unused commercial products shall not be disposed with exempt oilfield wastes. The commingling of any listed hazardous waste with the otherwise exempt pit contents may render the entire mixture a hazardous waste and results in closing the pit under the RCRA hazardous waste regulations. All reasonable efforts should be made to completely use commercial products. Products should be returned to the vendor if appropriate, or segregated from other wastes for management or disposal. Oil base muds must be segregated from water base drilling fluids because pit closure is complicated by their presence. Mixing and treating of oil based and water based muds can be allowed with approval of the Supervisor. Rigwash may be routed to the reserve pit provided care is taken to avoid contamination of the pit contents by rig oil and other nonexempt wastes.
Where feasible, operators are encouraged to increase the use of solids removal equipment to minimize drilling fluid waste. The Commission encourages the recycling of drilling fluids and by administrative action approves the transfer of fluids. When removed as a product for use in a drilling operation on another lease, drilling fluid is not classified as a waste. If federal leases are involved, the owner or operator must obtain the approval of the BLM. The Supervisor requires the following information be included on the Form 14B or on a Sundry Notice estimated volume, estimated date of transfer, mud recap, analyses which include at a minimum, Ph, chlorides, and oil and grease. To protect shallow groundwaters, drilling muds with chlorides testing in excess of 3,000 parts per million or those containing hydrocarbons cannot be used in drilling operations until after the surface casing has been set.
Trash and sanitary waste should be properly contained and hauled to approved disposal locations, not retained in or disposed of in pits on location or downhole. Operators should consult the county sanitarian and/or the Department of Environmental Quality regarding appropriate disposal of sanitary wastes.
Reserve pits shall be completely fenced and, if oil or other harmful substances are present, netted or otherwise secured at the time the rig substructure has been moved from the location in a manner that avoids the loss of wildlife, domestic animals or migratory birds. Because of the same concerns, produced water pits must be fenced and, if oil or other harmful substances are present, netted or secured in such a manner as to provide protection to wildlife, domestic animals, or migratory birds. The Commission recommends netting as the preferred means of securing pits. Owners or operators shall provide for devices on hydrogen sulfide flare stacks to discourage birds from perching. The Supervisor may make additional requests for security when operations are conducted in close proximity to residences, schools, hospitals, or other structures or locations where people are known to congregate.
Blowdown, flare, or emergency pits cannot be used for long-term storage or disposal.
All retaining pits shall be kept reasonably free of surface accumulations of oil and other liquid hydrocarbon substances and shall be cleaned within ten (10) days after discovery of the accumulation by the owner or notice from the Supervisor.
The owner or operator shall not pollute streams, underground water, or unreasonably damage or occupy the surface of the leased premises or other lands. At no time will the fluid contents of any pit be discharged or allowed to escape to the surface without prior approval through issuance of an NPDES permit by DEQ and other required authorization. At no time will drilling fluids be discharged into live waters or into any drainages that lead to live waters of the state. If liquid products of wells cannot be treated or destroyed, or if the volume of such products is too great for disposal by the usual method of onsite natural evaporation and burial of solids, the Supervisor must be consulted and the liquids disposed of by an approved method.
TESTING. For the purpose of its regulation of oilfield pits and wastes, the Commission recognizes, and requires when it deems appropriate, the following tests:
Standard Water Analysis - Form 17 Toxicity Characteristic Leaching Procedures Oil and Grease or Total Petroleum Hydrocarbon
Soil borings and soil testing must be performed by an independent engineering or geotechnical soil testing company or laboratory according to sound engineering practice in accordance with established industry standards. The logs of all borings, together with associated laboratory testing to classify soils and to measure soil strength, permeability, and other related parameters shall be submitted to the Supervisor.
Sampling procedures are subject to review by the Supervisor because variations in sampling protocol allow differentiation of waste fluid compositions due to normal distribution.
CLOSURE If the pit is proposed to be closed through the usual method of onsite natural evaporation and subsequent burial of solids, if pit treatment procedures are going to be applied, or if closure plans have changed from the original proposal approved on Form 14A or 14B, or any time wastes are disposed off-site, a Sundry Notice (Form 4) must be submitted and approved prior to closure. A list of approved commercial disposal facilities is
available from the DEQ Water Quality Division. The Commission staff must be provided the opportunity to witness closure operations. Verbal notice at least twenty-four (24) hours prior to closure is required.
Closure must be conducted in accordance with lease and landowner obligations and with local, state, and federal regulations:
(a) Oil, water, and other fluids must be immediately removed from emergency pits and disposed in accordance with the Commission's rules. In the case of temporary emergency pits, evaporation or percolation of fluids prior to closure is not an acceptable disposal method. Permitted permanent emergency pits will not require immediate closure after use and fluid removal.
(b) Trenching or squeezing pits is expressly prohibited. Burial methods cannot compromise the integrity of manufactured, soil mixture, or recompacted clay liners without written approval by the Supervisor. One-time landspreading of reserve pit fluids on the drilling pad may be approved upon submittal of analyses, mud recaps and treating summaries, groundwater identification, and other information that is deemed appropriate. Prior approval must be obtained from the Supervisor if drilling fluid is disposed on the drill pad. A sundry with appropriate supporting detail must be submitted following the operation. Any offsite waste disposal is subject to DEQ regulations.
(c) Closure standards and testing requirements for all pits will be determined by the Supervisor based upon site specific conditions.
(d) Pit solids showing high concentrations of salt (exchangeable sodium percentage above 15 by weight) must be removed from the location and disposed in a permitted facility, encapsulated, or chemically or mechanically treated.
(e) Oil based mud solids must be removed and disposed in a permitted facility, or mixed with soil to less than one percent oil and grease content by weight at burial, or road or landspread or landfarmed in accordance with DEQ rules. Burial after encapsulation or solidification will be approved if the stabilized mixture contains less than one (1) percent leachable oil and grease.
Reserve pits shall be completely fenced and, those which contain oil or other harmful substances, netted or otherwise secured in a manner that prevents the loss of wildlife, domestic animals or migratory birds at the time the rig substructure has been moved from the location.
All trash, paper, and unused structures or equipment must be removed from the location upon completion of operations. With landowner consent, operators may temporarily store equipment (such as drilling rigs) on a location while it awaits transfer. Reserve and produced water pits cannot be used for disposal of refuse, failed equipment parts, or unused chemicals. Proper closure of the pit is compromised by the inappropriate use of the pit for trash disposal and may result in revocation of the permit. Further, operators are encouraged to choose chemical additives which are lower in toxicity or do not exhibit RCRA hazardous characteristics. Additionally, operators are encouraged to refer to Material Safety Data Sheets provided by vendors as products are selected.
The Commission specifically prohibits the use of dispersants, wetting agents, surface reduction agents, surfactants or other chemicals that destroy, remove or reduce the fluid seal of a reserve pit and allow the fluids contained therein to seep, drain, or percolate into the soil underlying the pit.
Landfarming or landspreading and roadspreading must be approved by the DEQ.
The Commission may require testing of wastes and additional disposal requirements prior to closure of a pit if they have reason to believe exempt exploration and production wastes have been commingled with hazardous wastes, upon analysis of an operator's mud program or in previously identified sensitive environments.
COMMERCIAL TREATMENT FOR PIT CLOSURE. Any person, corporation or company desiring to chemically and/or mechanically treat pits in Wyoming must apply for and receive permission to do so from the Commission
after a public hearing. Types of approved treatments include enhanced evaporation, solidification, centrifuging, etc. The Commission will approve those methods that can successfully demonstrate a capability to accomplish some or all of the following criteria:
An operator/owner wishing to treat pits for closure must submit, to the Commission on a Sundry Notice (Form 4), a plan outlining the objectives (e.g. waste volume reduction, toxicity reduction/removal, chemical fixation, etc.) that the treatment is designed to achieve. The Commission's approval, will be based upon the selected method's demonstrated capability to achieve the objectives described in the sundry notice. Consideration must be given to applicable federal, local, or state permits or regulatory requirements when performing mechanical or chemical treatment of pit wastes. A list of approved methods and vendors is available from the Commission.
RECLAMATION. Reclamation of unused production pits or any other temporary retaining pits, including reserve pits, shall be completed in as timely a manner as climatic conditions allow. Production pit areas and reserve pits will be reclaimed no later than one year after the date of last use unless the Supervisor grants an administrative variance for just cause.
Site rehabilitation should be in accordance with reasonable landowner's wishes, and/or resemble the original vegetation and contour of the adjoining lands. Where practical, topsoil must be stockpiled during construction for use in rehabilitation. All disturbed areas on state lands will be reseeded. The appendix includes information on seeding. The owner or operator shall advise the Supervisor of the completion of reclamation of a production or reserve pit by submitting a Sundry Notice (Form 4).
ONE TIME DOWNHOLE DISPOSAL. By formal order or by administrative action the Commission may approve of one-time disposal of a limited volume of fluid produced in the course of drilling operations from one specific well. This is not an operation designed for downhole disposal of drilling fluids from offsetting or additional wells. This application is not to be confused with the approval of a Class II well for underground disposal of water produced in association with the recovery of hydrocarbons under the Underground Injection Control Program. Disposal by injection shall not be initiated until such time as approval has been granted by the Commission.
An application for approval of reserve pit fluid injection shall demonstrate that water in the proposed disposal interval is in excess of 10,000 milligrams per liter total dissolved solids or has received an aquifer exemption under Rule 412 and that fresh water or underground sources of drinking waters will not be influenced by the disposal operation. Data to support this finding shall include, but not be limited to the following:
(f) The statement that the owner or operator will make arrangements to provide at least twenty-four (24) hours notice of disposal operation so that a Commission technician might be present as a witness.
(g) Statement that on completion of the work a temperature survey or suitable alternative will be run to show fluid was placed in the proposed interval.
On completion of the work, the applicant must file a Sundry Notice (Form 4), summarizing the disposal operation.
The Commission or its staff may designate conditions other than those listed in this rule as it seems necessary to ensure safe disposal of these fluids. The application shall be approved if the application for a permit is complete and if water in the proposed interval has total dissolved solids in excess of 10,000 milligrams per liter and fresh water or underground sources of drinking water will not be influenced by the disposal operation.
Waterflooding and other recovery operations involving the introduction of extraneous forms of energy into any pool, repressuring, cycling or recycling operations, including the extraction and separation of liquid hydrocarbons from natural gas in connection therewith, is permitted only upon order of the Commission, or upon approval of the Supervisor, obtained pursuant to an application therefor filed in accordance with the Rules of Practice and Procedure, as amended herein. This provision is applicable to wells which are proposed to be converted to injection as well as new wells drilled solely for the purpose of underground injection. Orders authorizing existing injection wells shall remain valid unless revoked by the Commission for just cause. In addition, there is assessed an annual fee of twenty-five dollars ($25.00) on all new and old enhanced recovery wells, effective July 1, 1996. The current fee will be Twenty-five Dollars ($25.00) effective July 1, 1996.
The applicant shall have the burden of demonstrating that the proposed injection operation will not endanger fresh water sources. Injection wells shall be cased and the casing cemented in such a manner that damage will not be cause to oil, gas, or fresh water sources.
An application for injection shall contain:
(a) A plat showing the area involved together with the well or wells which includes drilling wells and dry and abandoned wells located thereon, all properly designated.
(b) A list of all lease operators or owners and surface owners within a one-half (1/2) mile radius of the proposed injection well or wells.
(c) An affidavit showing that said lease operators or owners and surface owners within a one-half (1/2) mile radius have been provided a copy of the application for injection.
(d) A full description of the particular operations for which approval is requested.
(e) The pools from which wells are producing or have produced.
(f) The names, description, and depth of the pool or pools to be affected.
(g) The log of the injection well or wells, or such information with respect thereto as is available.
(h) A description of the casing of the injection well, or the proposed casing program, and the proposed method for testing casing before use of the injection wells.
(i) A statement as to the type of fluid to be used for injection, its sources, and the estimated amounts to be injected daily.
(j) The average and maximum injection pressure.
(k) Evidence and data to support a Commission finding that the proposed injection well will not initiate fractures through the overlying strata or confining zone which could enable the injection fluid or formation fluid to enter the fresh water strata.
(l) Standard laboratory analyses of the (1) water to be injected and (2) the water in the formation into which fluid is being injected. The method of water analysis is subject to review by the Commission or the Supervisor. Form 17 - Water Analysis Report found in the back of this book - illustrates the minimum parameters for which water must be analyzed. Other reporting formats which include this minimum information may be accepted.
(m) The name and address of the operator or the names and addresses of the operators of the project.
(n) A reference to the Commission order exempting the aquifer that is to receive the fluid.
(o) The applicant shall provide for a quarter (1/4) mile radius of investigation for mechanical conditions of all wells which have penetrated the injection zone surrounding a proposed injection well. Specifically known and documented geological features may limit the need to review all wells within a quarter (1/4) mile radius.
(p) The depth and areal extent of all usable fresh and potable water (USDW) underlying the area proposed for exemption.
For the purpose of this rule, a mechanical integrity test of an injection well is a test designed to determine: 1) if there is a significant leak in the casing, tubing, or packer of the well, and 2) if there is significant fluid movement into an underground source of drinking water through vertical channels adjacent to the well bore.
Mechanical integrity must be established by the owner or operator no less than once every five (5) years. A mechanical integrity test shall include one of the following tests to determine whether significant leaks are present in the casing, tubing, or packer:
(a) The owner or operator may test the casing-tubing annulus above the packer at the greater of a minimum pressure of 300 psi or a pressure equivalent to the maximum injection pressure, but no higher than 1,000 psi. For the purpose of pressure testing, packers or bridge plugs must be set within one hundred (100) feet of perforations. A retrievable bridge plug may be utilized in casing to test tubingless completions. Operators must provide the Commission staff the opportunity to witness all integrity tests. In the event a representative of the Commission is unable to witness the test, the owner or operator is required to provide documentation of the test to the Commission.
(b) As an alternative to the pressure test, the owner or operator may use any test or combination of tests approved by EPA.
(c) The initial mechanical integrity test for all injection wells approved after February 1, 1993, shall include one of the following tests to determine whether there are significant fluid movements in vertical channels adjacent to the well bore:
(i) Cementing records which shall only be valid for injection wells in existence prior to present date.
(ii) Tracer surveys.
(iii) Cementing records with a cement bond log or other acceptable cement evaluation log.
(iv) Temperature surveys.
(v) In lieu of (i) through (iv), any other test or combination of tests approved by EPA as an alternative.
(d) As provided in Rule 207, if normal testing, surveys, or monitoring schedules provide inconclusive proof of mechanical reliability, the Commission shall require that other appropriate logs, or additional well tests be performed.
(e) All injection wells are required to maintain mechanical integrity as defined by these rules. Any well which fails a mechanical integrity test, or which has been determined through other means to not have mechanical integrity, is required to be shut-in immediately. Once an injection well is determined to lack mechanical integrity, within ninety (90) days of the determination, it must be repaired and retested or plugged and abandoned. For just cause, in order to continue injection operations or to extend the deadlines for repairing or plugging the wells, owners or operators may request variances. These requests must demonstrate that the leaks do not pose a threat to any underground sources of drinking water.
New owners are obligated to carry out previously approved programs in the manner originally approved. Change of ownership must be filed in accordance with Chapter III, Section 11.
Modifications or variances of existing or pending injection operations may be approved by the Supervisor under Chapter III, Section 7 upon application containing sufficient detail for the Supervisor to evaluate the proposed modification. Permits for remedial work under this section are only valid for ninety (90) days, but can be extended on request by the operator's filing a Sundry Notice (Form 4) with the Supervisor assuming there has been no change in geologic, regulatory, or environmental situations. No such variance shall be approved unless the applicant proves to the Supervisor or the Commission that the variance will not endanger fresh water.
The Commission shall publish notice of the injection application fifteen (15) days before approval in (1) a newspaper of general circulation in Natrona County and in (2) a newspaper of general circulation in the county in which the injection well is located.
Injection operations must commence within one year of the approval date of the injection application or the approval shall be null and void.
Section 3. Unit Operations. Any person desiring to obtain the benefits of Section 4, Chapter 94, Session Laws of Wyoming, 1951, insofar as the same relates to any method of unit or cooperative development or operation of a field or pool or a part of either, shall file an application with the Supervisor for approval of such agreement which shall have attached a copy of such agreement.
Notice of the hearing of such application shall be given by publication in a newspaper of general circulation in Natrona County, Wyoming, pursuant to the requirements of Section 5(d), Chapter 94, Session Laws of Wyoming, 1951.
Section 4. Casing and Cementing of Injection Wells. Wells used for injection of gas, air, water, or other extraneous fluid into the producing formation shall be cased with safe and adequate casing or tubing so as to prevent leakage, and shall be so set or cemented that damage will not be caused to oil, gas, or fresh water sources.
The provisions of Chapter III, Section 20, General Drilling Rules, shall apply to all injection wells.
Before a new well drilled for injection or disposal is operated, the casing outside the tubing shall be tested at the greater of a minimum pressure of 300 psi or a pressure equivalent to the maximum injection pressure, but no higher than 1,000 psi. For the purpose of pressure testing, packers must be set within one hundred (100) feet of perforations. The same rules apply to testing existing wells newly converted to injection or disposal. Operators must provide the Commission staff the opportunity to witness all integrity tests. In the event a representative of the
Commission is unable to witness the test, the operator is required to provide documentation of the test to the Commission. A retrievable bridge plug will be utilized in casing to test tubingless completions.
Before an existing well newly converted to injection or disposal is operated, the casing outside the tubing shall be tested at a pressure of 1,000 psi or maximum authorized injection pressure, whichever is greater, provided no testing pressure shall be less than 300 psi.
A retrievable bridge plug will be utilized in casing to test tubingless completions.
Section 5. Notice of Commencement and Discontinuance of Injection Operations. The following provisions shall apply to all injection operations:
Section 6. Report of Subsurface Injections (Form 2). Whenever any operator shall inject water, air, gas, or any substance into a pool for any purpose (excluding fracturing, acidizing, or other similar treatment elsewhere required to be reported on Form 4), he shall report to the Supervisor the type and source of the injected substance, the total amount injected, and the injected pressures and casing-tubing annulus pressure during injection if the operator elects the monitoring test requirements of Rule 401 on a monthly basis. Computerized forms submitted in lieu of Form 2 or Form 16 must contain the same information as that required on the forms and must be approved for format by the Commission staff. Enhanced recovery projects shall be reported on the Form 2 and disposal well operations shall be reported on Form 16A or Form 16B.
Section 7. UIC Variances. The Supervisor shall have the latitude to grant variances to the regulations for standard fresh water protection for good cause and to provide that unnecessary hardship not be imposed. No such variance shall be approved unless the applicant proves to the Supervisor, if no hearing is necessary, or to the Commission, if a hearing is necessary, that the variance will in no way endanger fresh water.
Section 8. Aquifer Exemption. The Commission may, after due and legal notice and public hearing, exempt from the definition of fresh and potable water in Chapter I, Section 45, by order an aquifer which contains fresh and potable water because of any of the following:
Interested parties wishing to have an aquifer exemption must submit to the Commission an application which includes sufficient data to justify the proposal. At a minimum a structure or isopach map, geologic description, and legal description of the area to be exempt needs to be filed. The Commission will provide thirty (30) days legal notice prior to a public hearing on the matter.