| (B) the operator will file a notice of intention to
plug and abandon (Form W-3A) a well with the appropriate Commission
district office and the division in Austin at least five days prior
to the beginning of plugging operations;
(4) a plugging report for monitoring wells that penetrate
the base of usable quality water and all injection wells. The applicant's
plan must ensure that within 30 days after plugging the operator will
file a complete well plugging record (Form W-3) in duplicate with
the appropriate district office. The operator and the person who performed
the plugging operation (if other than the operator) must certify the
report as accurate;
(5) a plan for plugging all monitoring wells that do
not penetrate the base of usable quality water in accordance with
16 TAC Chapter 76 (relating to Water Well Drillers and Water Well
Pump Installers); and
(6) a plan for certifying that all monitoring wells
that do not penetrate the base of usable quality water will be plugged
in accordance with 16 TAC Chapter 76.
(l) Emergency and remedial response plan. The applicant
must submit an emergency and remedial response plan that:
(1) accounts for the entire AOR, regardless of whether
or not corrective action in the AOR is phased;
(2) describes actions to be taken to address escape
from the permitted injection interval or movement of the injection
fluids or formation fluids that may cause an endangerment to USDWs
during construction, operation, closure, and post-closure periods;
(3) includes a safety plan that includes:
(A) emergency response procedures;
(B) provisions to provide security against unauthorized
activity;
(C) CO2 release detection
and prevention measures;
(D) instructions and procedures for alerting the general
public and public safety personnel of the existence of an emergency;
(E) procedures for requesting assistance and for follow-up
action to remove the public from an area of exposure;
(F) provisions for advance briefing of the public within
the AOR on subjects such as the hazards and characteristics of CO2 ,
(G) the manner in which the public will be notified
of an emergency and steps to be taken in case of an emergency; and
(H) if necessary, proposed actions designed to minimize
and respond to risks associated with potential seismic events, including
seismic monitoring; and
(4) includes a description of the training and testing
that will be provided to each employee at the storage facility on
operational safety and emergency response procedures to the extent
applicable to the employee's duties and responsibilities. The operator
must train all employees before commencing injection and storage operations
at the facility. The operator must train each subsequently hired employee
before that employee commences work at the storage facility. The operator
must hold a safety meeting with each contractor prior to the commencement
of any new contract work at a storage facility. Emergency measures
specific to the contractor's work must be explained in the contractor
safety meeting. Training schedules, training dates, and course outlines
must be provided to Commission personnel upon request for the purpose
of Commission review to determine compliance with this paragraph.
(m) Post-injection storage facility care and closure
plan. The applicant must submit a post-injection storage facility
care and closure plan. The plan must include:
(1) a demonstration containing substantial evidence
that the geologic storage project will no longer pose a risk of endangerment
to USDWs at the end of the post-injection storage facility care timeframe.
The demonstration must be based on significant, site-specific data
and information, including all data and information collected pursuant
subsections (b)-(d) of this section and §5.206(b)(5) of this
title;
(2) the pressure differential between pre-injection
and predicted post-injection pressures in the injection zone;
(3) the predicted position of the CO
2 plume and associated pressure front at closure as demonstrated
in the AOR evaluation required under subsection (d) of this section;
(4) a description of the proposed post-injection monitoring
location, methods, and frequency;
(5) a proposed schedule for submitting post-injection
storage facility care monitoring results to the director;
(6) the estimated cost of proposed post-injection storage
facility care and closure; and
(7) consideration and documentation of:
(A) the results of computational modeling performed
pursuant to delineation of the AOR under subsection (d) of this section;
(B) the predicted timeframe for pressure decline within
the injection zone, and any other zones, such that formation fluids
may not be forced into any USDWs, and/or the timeframe for pressure
decline to pre-injection pressures;
(C) the predicted rate of CO2 plume
migration within the injection zone, and the predicted timeframe for
the stabilization of the CO2 plume and
associated pressure front;
(D) a description of the site-specific processes that
will result in CO2 trapping including
immobilization by capillary trapping, dissolution, and mineralization
at the site;
(E) the predicted rate of CO2 trapping
in the immobile capillary phase, dissolved phase, and/or mineral phase;
(F) the results of laboratory analyses, research studies,
and/or field or site-specific studies to verify the information required
in subparagraphs (D) and (E) of this paragraph;
(G) a characterization of the confining zone(s) including
a demonstration that it is free of transmissive faults, fractures,
and micro-fractures and of appropriate thickness, permeability, and
integrity to impede fluid (e.g., CO2 ,
formation fluids) movement;
(H) the presence of potential conduits for fluid movement
including planned injection wells and project monitoring wells associated
with the proposed geologic storage project or any other projects in
proximity to the predicted/modeled, final extent of the CO2 plume and area of elevated pressure;
(I) a description of the well construction and an assessment
of the quality of plugs of all abandoned wells within the AOR;
(J) the distance between the injection zone and the
nearest USDWs above and/or below the injection zone; and
(K) any additional site-specific factors required by
the director; and
(8) information submitted to support the demonstration
in paragraph (1) of this subsection, which shall meet the following
criteria:
(A) all analyses and tests performed to support the
demonstration must be accurate, reproducible, and performed in accordance
with the established quality assurance standards;
(B) estimation techniques must be appropriate and EPA-certified
test protocols must be used where available;
(C) predictive models must be appropriate and tailored
to the site conditions, composition of the CO2 stream,
and injection and site conditions over the life of the geologic storage
project;
(D) predictive models must be calibrated using existing
information (e.g., at Class I, Class II, or Class V experimental technology
well sites) where sufficient data are available;
(E) reasonably conservative values and modeling assumptions
must be used and disclosed to the director whenever values are estimated
on the basis of known, historical information instead of site-specific
measurements;
(F) an analysis must be performed to identify and assess
aspects of the alternative post-injection storage facility care timeframe
demonstration that contribute significantly to uncertainty. The operator
must conduct sensitivity analyses to determine the effect that significant
uncertainty may contribute to the modeling demonstration;
(G) an approved quality assurance and quality control
plan must address all aspects of the demonstration; and
(H) any additional criteria required by the director.
(n) Fees, financial responsibility, and financial assurance.
The applicant must pay the fees, demonstrate that it has met the financial
responsibility requirements, and provide the Commission with financial
assurance as required under §5.205 of this title (relating to
Fees, Financial Responsibility, and Financial Assurance).
Cont'd... |
