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TITLE 30ENVIRONMENTAL QUALITY
PART 1TEXAS COMMISSION ON ENVIRONMENTAL QUALITY
CHAPTER 331UNDERGROUND INJECTION CONTROL
SUBCHAPTER DSTANDARDS FOR CLASS I WELLS OTHER THAN SALT CAVERN DISPOSAL WELLS
RULE §331.62Construction Standards

    (G) Type or grade of cement.

  (3) Injection wells, except those municipal wells injecting non-corrosive wastes or those using an alternative as provided by subparagraph (A) of this paragraph shall inject fluids through tubing with a packer set immediately above the injection zone, or tubing with an approved fluid seal as an alternative. The tubing, packer, and fluid seal shall be designed for the expected service.

    (A) The use of other alternatives to a packer may be allowed with the written approval of the executive director. To obtain approval, the operator shall submit a written request to the executive director, which shall set forth the proposed alternative and all technical data supporting its use. The executive director shall approve the request if the alternative method will reliably provide a comparable level of protection to underground sources of drinking water. The executive director may approve an alternative method solely for an individual well or for general use.

    (B) In determining and specifying requirements for tubing, packer, or alternatives the following factors shall be considered:

      (i) Depth of setting;

      (ii) Characteristics of injection fluid (chemical content, corrosiveness, and density);

      (iii) Injection pressure;

      (iv) Annular pressure;

      (v) Rate, temperature and volume of injected fluid; and

      (vi) Size of casing.

  (4) Appropriate logs and other tests shall be conducted during the drilling and construction of new Class I wells. A descriptive report interpreting the results of such logs and tests shall be prepared by a knowledgeable log analyst and submitted to the executive director. At a minimum, such logs and tests shall include:

    (A) Deviation checks on all holes constructed by first drilling a pilot hole, and then enlarging the pilot hole by reaming or another method. Such checks shall be at sufficiently frequent intervals to assure that vertical avenues for fluid migration in the form of diverging holes are not created during drilling; and

    (B) Such other logs and tests as may be needed after taking into account the availability of similar data in the area of the drilling site, the construction plan, and the need for additional information, that may arise from time to time as the construction of the well progresses. In determining which logs and tests shall be required, the following logs shall be considered for use in the following situations:

      (i) For surface casing intended to protect underground sources of drinking water:

        (I) Resistivity, spontaneous potential, and caliper logs before the casing is installed; and

        (II) A cement bond, temperature, or density log after the casing is set and cemented.

      (ii) For intermediate and long strings of casing intended to facilitate injection:

        (I) Resistivity, spontaneous potential, porosity, and gamma ray logs before the casing is installed;

        (II) Fracture finder logs; and

        (III) A cement bond, temperature, or density log after the casing is set and cemented.

  (5) At a minimum, the following information concerning the injection formation shall be determined or calculated for new Class I wells authorized to inject only nonhazardous desalination concentrate or nonhazardous drinking water treatment residuals:

    (A) Fluid pressure;

    (B) Temperature;

    (C) Fracture pressure;

    (D) Other physical and chemical characteristics of the injection matrix; and

    (E) Physical and chemical characteristics of the formation fluids.


Source Note: The provisions of this §331.62 adopted to be effective June 15, 1995, 20 TexReg 4055; amended to be effective November 23, 2000, 25 TexReg 11433; amended to be effective October 2, 2003, 28 TexReg 8367; amended to be effective July 10, 2008, 33 TexReg 5342

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