| (B) All gas storage wells drilled in bedded salt after
the effective date of this section shall have all casing strings cemented
with sufficient cement to fill the annular space outside each casing
string from the casing shoe to the ground surface.
(2) Well completion report. A well completion report
shall be filed in accordance with the instructions on the form prescribed
by the Commission within 30 days after a storage well is completed
and before solution mining to create the cavern begins.
(k) Operating pressure.
(1) Not to exceed maximum. The operating pressure of
each gas storage well shall not exceed the permitted maximum allowable
operating pressure for that well. The permitted maximum allowable
operating pressure is that pressure specified in the Commission permit
or order, or, if not specified in the permit or order, that pressure
stated in the application or the application for amendment to a permit
or order.
(2) At casing seat. The maximum operating pressure
at the casing seat shall not exceed 0.85 pounds per square inch per
foot of depth.
(l) Monitoring requirements.
(1) Gas pressure. Gas pressure on the injection/withdrawal
casing or tubing or piping connected thereto shall be equipped with
a pressure sensor to continuously monitor the wellhead pressure. Pressure
sensors shall be integrated electronically with the warning systems,
alarms, and emergency shutdown valve actuation system as required
in subsection (h)(2)(B) and (h)(6)(A) of this section.
(2) Pressure observation valves. The injection/withdrawal
casing or tubing shall be equipped with a pressure observation valve
and gauge. The wellhead shall be equipped with a pressure observation
valve on each casing annulus so that a gauge may be installed for
pressure monitoring.
(3) Volumes injected and withdrawn. The volume of gas
injected into and withdrawn from each storage well shall be measured
by:
(A) flow meter for each well; or
(B) an alternate method approved by the Commission.
(4) Meter calibration. Meters that measure the volume
of gas into storage and out of storage shall be recalibrated at least
once each year.
(5) Data recording. Within three years of the effective
date of this section, operators shall have installed and have functioning
equipment to electronically record all liquid and gas pressures and
injection volumes and rates at a frequency of at least once per minute,
and all actuations of the emergency shutdown valve.
(m) Reporting.
(1) Monthly reports. On or before the last day of each
month, the operator of each facility that stores gas to supply a public
utility shall file with the Commission a report showing the volume
of gas placed into storage and the volume of gas removed from storage
at the storage facility, during the preceding month. The report shall
also state the total volume of gas in storage on the first and last
days of the preceding month. This report shall be filed in a format
acceptable to the Commission or its designee.
(2) Annual reports. The operator shall file annually
a status report for each storage well in accordance with the instructions
on the form prescribed by the Commission.
(n) Operations, construction, and maintenance records
retention.
(1) Operations data.
(A) The operator shall retain for at least three months
all electronic records of storage well pressures, volumes of gases
injected and withdrawn, and the inventory of gas in storage. These
electronic data shall be recorded at a frequency of at least once
per minute.
(B) The operator shall retain for at least five years
the records reported to the Commission under subsection (m). These
electronic data shall be recorded at a frequency of at least once
per day.
(2) Records retention. The operator shall retain for
at least five years the records of measurement performance under subsection
(l)(4) of this section; and testing of safety devices under subsection
(h) of this section. Records of any test of a safety device required
under subsection (h) of this section shall be available for on-site
inspection within 10 days of the date of the test.
(3) Construction and maintenance data. The operator
shall retain for the life of the facility documents and records pertaining
to the drilling, mining, completion, repair and workover of storage
wells and the testing of storage well integrity, and shall transfer
all such documents and records to any new owner and/or new operator
of the facility.
(4) Extension during investigation. The operator shall
retain beyond the prescribed retention period any documents or records
that contain operational data pertaining to the resolution of any
pending regulatory enforcement proceedings until the resolution of
such proceedings.
(o) Testing and maintenance.
(1) Integrity tests. Each gas storage well shall be
tested for integrity prior to being placed into service, at least
once every five years, and after each workover that involves physical
changes to any cemented casing string. The following requirements
apply to such integrity tests.
(A) A test procedure shall be filed with the Commission
for approval at least 10 days before the test date.
(B) The initial test conducted on a well prior to placing
it into service shall be performed using the nitrogen-interface test
method or an alternative method approved by the Commission or its
designee.
(C) The integrity test required to be conducted at
least once every five years on a well that has gas in storage may
be performed using pressure monitoring, provided:
(i) the wellhead pressure is stabilized such that the
effects of ambient temperature on pressure have overtaken the effects
of the last injection or withdrawal on pressure;
(ii) a downhole temperature log is run at the beginning
and at the end of the test period;
(iii) the test period is a minimum of 72 hours; and
(iv) the net gas volume change for the test period
is calculated.
(D) The operator shall notify the district office at
least five days prior to conducting any integrity test.
(E) A complete record of each integrity test shall
be filed in duplicate with the district office within 30 days after
testing is completed. The record shall include a chronology of the
test, copies of all downhole logs, storage well completion information,
pressure readings, volume measurements, temperature logs and readings,
and an explanation of the test results that addresses the precision
of the test in terms of a calculated leak rate.
(2) Alternative monitoring. An operator may request
the Commission or its designee to approve well pressure monitoring
as an alternative to integrity testing for storage wells that are
out of gas storage service. An out-of-service well shall be tested
for integrity by the nitrogen-interface method before it may be returned
to storage service.
(3) Storage wellhead and casing. Storage wellhead components
and casing shall be inspected at least once every 15 years for corrosion,
cracks, deformations, or other conditions that may compromise integrity
and that may not be detected by the five-year test. The operator may
request an extension of up to five years from the Commission for good
cause. Factors the Commission may consider in determining good cause
pursuant to this paragraph include by are not limited to the age,
location, and configuration of the well; well and facility history;
operator compliance record; operator efforts to comply with this subsection;
and accuracy of inventory control.
(4) Fresh water, brine, and gas surface piping. Within
one year of the effective date of this section, the operator shall
submit a piping integrity management plan for approval by the Commission
or its designee. Within three years of the effective date of this
section, or in conjunction with the storage well integrity testing,
all gas, freshwater, and brine surface piping shall be maintained
according to the facility's piping integrity management plan.
(p) Plugging.
(1) Plug on abandonment. A gas storage well shall be
plugged upon permanent abandonment in a manner approved by the Commission
or its designee. A proposal for plugging shall be submitted to the
Commission in Austin for approval or modification prior to plugging.
Following approval of a plugging plan, the operator shall file notification
of intent to plug at least five days prior to commencement of plugging
operations. A plugging report shall be filed with the Commission within
30 days after plugging.
Cont'd... |
