| (xii) other public agencies. (H) The plan shall include a plat detailing the area of exposure. The plat shall include the locations of private dwellings or residential areas, public facilities, such as schools, business locations, public roads, or other similar areas where the public might reasonably be expected within the area of exposure. (I) The plan shall include names and telephone numbers of residents within the area of exposure, except in cases where the reaction plan option has been approved by the commission in accordance with subparagraph (L) of this paragraph. (J) The plan shall include a list of the names and telephone numbers of the responsible parties for each of the possibly occupied public areas, such as schools, churches, businesses, or other public areas or facilities within the area of exposure. (K) The plan shall include provisions for advance briefing of the public within an area of exposure. Such advance briefing shall include the following elements: (i) the hazards and characteristics of hydrogen sulfide; (ii) the necessity for an emergency action plan; (iii) the possible sources of hydrogen sulfide within the area of exposure; (iv) instructions for reporting a gas leak; (v) the manner in which the public will be notified of an emergency; (vi) steps to be taken in case of an emergency. (L) In the event of a high density of population, or the case where the population density may be unpredictable, a reaction type of plan, in lieu of advance briefing for public notification, will be acceptable. The reaction plan option must be approved by the commission. (M) The plan shall include additional support information, if applicable, such as: (i) location of evacuation routes; (ii) location of safety and life support equipment; (iii) location of hydrogen sulfide containing facilities; (iv) location of nearby telephones and/or other means of communication; and (v) special instructions for conditions at a particular installation such as local terrain and the effect of various weather conditions. (N) The Railroad Commission District Office shall be notified as follows if the contingency plan is activated: (i) 12 hours in advance of an intentional release or as soon as a decision is made to release if such decision could not reasonably have been made more than 12 hours prior to the release; (ii) immediately in the case of an accidental release; (iii) as soon as possible before or after an unplanned intentional release made in an emergency situation to prevent a possible uncontrolled release. (O) The retention of the contingency plan shall be as follows. (i) The plan shall be available for commission inspection at the location indicated on the certificate of compliance. (ii) The plan shall be retained at the location which lends itself best to activation of the plan. (P) In the event that, due to particular situations, a contingency plan cannot be developed consistent with the provisions of this paragraph, relating to the contingency plan, then the operator may develop an adjusted plan to fit the situation, and submit same with the certificate of compliance. Approval of the certificate of compliance so submitted will constitute approval of the contingency plan. (Q) The plan shall be kept updated to insure its current applicability. (10) Injection provision. (A) Injection of fluids containing hydrogen sulfide shall not be allowed under the conditions specified in this provision unless first approved by the commission after public hearing: (i) where injection fluid is a gaseous mixture, or would be a gaseous mixture in the event of a release to the atmosphere, and where the 100 ppm radius of exposure is in excess of 50 feet and includes any part of a public area except a public road; or, if the 500 ppm radius of exposure is in excess of 50 feet and includes any part of a public road; or if the 100 ppm radius of exposure is 3,000 feet or greater; (ii) where the hydrogen sulfide content of the gas or gaseous mixture to be injected has been increased by a processing plant operation. (B) Each project involving the injection of gas or gaseous mixtures containing hydrogen sulfide which does not require a public hearing prior to receiving commission approval specified in this provision shall nevertheless be subject to the other provisions of this section to the extent that such provisions are applicable to such project. (11) In addition to any other requirements of this section, drilling and workover operations, and gasoline plant sites where the 100 ppm radius of exposure is 50 feet or greater shall be subject to the following. (A) Protective breathing equipment shall be maintained in two or more locations at the site. (B) Wind direction indicators shall be installed at strategic locations at or near the site and be readily visible from the site. (C) Automatic hydrogen sulfide detection and alarm equipment that will warn of the presence of hydrogen sulfide gas in concentrations that could be harmful shall be utilized at the site. (12) Drilling provision. Drilling and workover operations where the 100 ppm radius of exposure includes a public area or is 3,000 feet or greater shall be subject to the following additional provisions. (A) Protective breathing equipment shall be maintained at the well site and shall be sufficient to allow for well control operations. (B) The operator shall provide a method of igniting the gas in the event of an uncontrollable emergency. (C) The operator shall install a choke manifold, mud-gas separator, and flare line, and provide a suitable method for lighting the flare. (D) Secondary remote control of blowout prevention and choke equipment to be located away from the rig floor at a safe distance from the wellhead. (E) Drill stem testing of hydrogen sulfide zones is permitted only in daylight hours. (F) The Railroad Commission district office shall be notified of the intention to conduct a drill stem test of a formation containing hydrogen sulfide in sufficient concentration to meet the requirements of this provision. (G) A certificate of compliance shall be required on each well subject to this provision even if well is located on certificated lease. (H) Full compliance with all the requirements of this provision must be satisfied before the well is drilled to a depth that is within 1,000 feet of the hydrogen sulfide zone. Alternate depths may be approved in advance by the appropriate commission district office. (I) API Publication RP-49 is referenced as a suggested guideline for drilling and workover of wells subject to this provision. (J) Blowout preventers and well control systems shall be pressure tested at or near compliance depth or at depth of nearest bit change prior to reaching compliance depth. The appropriate Railroad Commission district office must be notified at least four hours prior to the test. (13) Training requirement provision. (A) Each operator whose operations contain hydrogen sulfide in excess of 100 ppm shall train its employees working in the affected areas in hydrogen sulfide safety. (B) Each operator shall require all service companies working in affected areas to utilize only those service company personnel who have been trained in accordance with the provisions of subparagraphs (C) and (D) of this paragraph. Written certification to the operator by the service company that only those service company personnel who have been trained in accordance with the training requirement provision will be utilized in affected areas complies with this provision. For this provision, service company shall mean any company actually performing work at well sites, gasoline plant sites, or on pipelines, where such work could allow the escape of hydrogen sulfide gas. (C) The training of all personnel working in the affected areas shall include the following elements: (i) hazards and characteristics of hydrogen sulfide; (ii) safety precautions; (iii) operation of safety equipment and life support system. (D) On-site supervisory personnel shall be additionally trained in the following: (i) effect of hydrogen sulfide on metal components in the system; (ii) corrective action and shutdown procedures, and when drilling a well, blowout prevention, and well control procedures; Cont'd... |
