| (a) General operating requirements.
(1) Injection pressure at the wellhead shall not exceed
a maximum, which shall be calculated, so as to assure that the pressure
in the cavern during injection does not disrupt the bond between the
salt, cement, and the casing seat, initiate new fractures or propagate
existing fractures in the cavern or the confining zone, or cause movement
of fluid or waste out of the injection zone.
(2) Injection between the outermost casing protecting
underground sources of drinking water (USDWs), and fresh or surface
water and the wellbore is prohibited.
(3) The annulus between the outer tubing and long string
casing shall be filled with an inert gas approved by the commission.
The annulus pressure, at all times that the well is in service, shall
be at least 100 pounds per square inch greater than the injection
tubing pressure, to detect well malfunctions, unless the executive
director determines that such a requirement might harm the integrity
of the well.
(4) Chemical and physical characteristics of all injected
materials and cavern contents, including but not limited to, bulk
density and compressive strength of solidified waste, shall protect
and be compatible with the injection well, associated facilities,
and injection zone, and shall ensure proper operation of the facility
to meet the performance standard of §331.162 of this title (relating
to Performance Standard). In addition, after cavern construction is
certified and a cavern is authorized to receive wastes under §331.164(f)
of this title (relating to Cavern Construction Standards), all injected
materials and cavern contents shall not cause further dissolution
of the cavern walls.
(5) The waste stream shall be stabilized, prior to
injection, to minimize the generation of fluids in the cavern.
(6) All injection of waste into a salt cavern shall
be performed through the inner of two removable tubings with a packer
to seal the annulus between the outer tubing and long string casing,
near the bottom of the long string casing.
(7) Unauthorized releases of cavern contents to the
atmosphere are prohibited.
(8) The cavern will be operated so as to control the
extent of the disturbed zone.
(9) If an automatic alarm or shutdown is triggered,
the owner or operator shall immediately investigate and identify as
expeditiously as possible the cause of the alarm or shutoff. If, upon
such investigation, the well or cavern appears to be lacking integrity,
or if monitoring required under §331.166(c) of this title (relating
to Monitoring and Testing Requirements) otherwise indicates that the
well or cavern lacks integrity, the owner or operator shall:
(A) immediately cease injection of waste unless authorized
by the executive director to continue or resume injection;
(B) take all necessary steps to determine the presence
or absence of a leak; and
(C) notify the executive director within 24 hours after
the alarm or shutdown.
(10) If the loss of integrity is discovered pursuant
to paragraph (3) of this subsection or during periodic integrity testing,
the owner or operator shall:
(A) immediately cease injection of waste;
(B) take all steps required to determine whether there
may have been a release of wastes into any unauthorized zone;
(C) notify the executive director within 24 hours after
loss of mechanical integrity is discovered;
(D) notify the executive director when injection can
be expected to resume; and
(E) restore and demonstrate well mechanical integrity
and/or cavern integrity to the satisfaction of the executive director
prior to resuming injection of waste.
(11) Whenever the owner or operator obtains evidence
that there may have been a release of injected wastes into an unauthorized
zone:
(A) the owner or operator shall immediately cease injection
of waste, and:
(i) notify the executive director within 24 hours of
obtaining such evidence;
(ii) take all necessary steps to identify and characterize
the extent of any release;
(iii) propose a remediation plan for executive director
review and approval;
(iv) comply with any remediation plan specified by
the executive director;
(v) implement any remediation plan approved by the
executive director; and
(vi) where such release is into a USDW or freshwater
aquifer currently serving as a water supply, within 24 hours notify
the local health department, place a notice in a newspaper of general
circulation and notify by mail the adjacent landowners;
(B) the executive director may allow the operator to
resume injection prior to completing cleanup action if the owner or
operator demonstrates that the injection operation will not endanger
USDWs or freshwater aquifers.
(12) Cavern contents shall not interfere with the set-up
of any stabilized waste injected after the waste and solidifying agents
have been mixed, but is injected while is still pumpable and has not
set.
(13) Waste emplacement must be performed in such a
manner as to minimize gas or fluid entrapment, so that compaction
of wastes does not disrupt the integrity of the cavern.
(14) A salt cavern disposal well shall be operated
in a manner which will not generate high temperatures that will result
in nonattainment of the performance standard of §331.162 of this
title.
(15) All fluids purged from the cavern after emplacement
of any waste shall be managed at a waste management facility pursuant
to applicable state and federal regulations.
(b) Workovers.
(1) The permittee shall notify the executive director
before commencing any workover operation or corrective maintenance
which involves taking the injection well out of service. The notification
shall be in writing and shall include plans for the proposed work.
The executive director may grant an exception of the prior written
notification when immediate action is required. Approval by the executive
director shall be obtained before the permittee may begin any workover
operation or corrective maintenance that involves taking the well
out of service. Pressure control equipment shall be installed and
maintained during workovers which involve the removal of tubing.
(2) Mechanical integrity of the well shall be demonstrated
following any major operations which involve removal of the injection
tubing, recompletions, or unseating of the packer.
(c) Temporary cessation of operations.
(1) An owner or operator of a Class I salt cavern disposal
well who ceases injection operations temporarily, may keep the well
open provided he:
(A) has received written authorization from the executive
director; and
(B) has described actions or procedures, satisfactory
to the executive director, that the owner or operator will take to
ensure that the well will not endanger USDWs, and fresh or surface
water during the period of temporary disuse. These actions and procedures
shall include compliance with the technical requirements applicable
to active injection wells, including mechanical integrity, and monitoring,
unless waived by the executive director.
(2) The owner or operator of a well that has ceased
operations for more than two years shall notify the executive director,
in writing, 30 days prior to resuming operation of the well.
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| Source Note: The provisions of this §331.165 adopted to be effective June 22, 1992, 17 TexReg 4097; amended to be effective November 23, 2000, 25 TexReg 11433; amended to be effective August 16, 2012, 37 TexReg 6078 |
