| (F) An operator must either repair and successfully
retest or plug a well that fails a mechanical integrity test.
(2) Mechanical integrity testing plan. The applicant
must prepare and submit a mechanical integrity testing plan as part
of a permit application. The plan must include a schedule for the
performance of a series of tests at a minimum frequency of five years.
The performance tests must be designed to demonstrate the internal
and external mechanical integrity of each injection well. These tests
may include:
(A) a pressure test with liquid or inert gas;
(B) a tracer survey such as oxygen-activation logging;
(C) a temperature or noise log;
(D) a casing inspection log; and/or
(E) any alternative method that provides equivalent
or better information approved by the director.
(i) Operating information.
(1) Operating plan. The applicant must submit a plan
for operating the injection wells and the geologic storage facility
that complies with the criteria set forth in §5.206(c) of this
title, and that outlines the steps necessary to conduct injection
operations. The applicant must include the following proposed operating
data in the plan:
(A) the average and maximum daily injection rates and
volumes of the CO2 stream;
(B) the average and maximum surface injection pressure;
(C) the source(s) of the CO2 stream
and the volume of CO2 from each source;
and
(D) an analysis of the chemical and physical characteristics
of the CO2 stream prior to injection.
(2) Maximum injection pressure. The director will approve
a maximum injection pressure limit that:
(A) considers the risks of tensile failure and, where
appropriate, geomechanical or other studies that assess the risk of
tensile failure and shear failure;
(B) with a reasonable degree of certainty will avoid
initiation or propagation of fractures in the confining zone or cause
otherwise non-transmissive faults transecting the confining zone to
become transmissive; and
(C) in no case may cause the movement of injection
fluids or formation fluids in a manner that endangers underground
sources of drinking water.
(j) Plan for monitoring, sampling, and testing after
initiation of operation.
(1) The applicant must submit a monitoring, sampling,
and testing plan for verifying that the geologic storage facility
is operating as permitted and that the injected fluids are confined
to the injection zone.
(2) The plan must include the following:
(A) the analysis of the CO2 stream
prior to injection with sufficient frequency to yield data representative
of its chemical and physical characteristics;
(B) the installation and use of continuous recording
devices to monitor injection pressure, rate, and volume, and the pressure
on the annulus between the tubing and the long string casing, except
during workovers;
(C) after initiation of injection, the performance
on a semi-annual basis of corrosion monitoring of the well materials
for loss of mass, thickness, cracking, pitting, and other signs of
corrosion to ensure that the well components meet the minimum standards
for material strength and performance set forth in subsection (e)(1)(A)
of this section. The operator must report the results of such monitoring
annually. Corrosion monitoring may be accomplished by:
(i) analyzing coupons of the well construction materials
in contact with the CO2 stream;
(ii) routing the CO2 stream
through a loop constructed with the materials used in the well and
inspecting the materials in the loop; or
(iii) using an alternative method, materials, or time
period approved by the director;
(D) monitoring of geochemical and geophysical changes,
including:
(i) periodic sampling of the fluid temperature, pH,
conductivity, reservoir pressure and static fluid level of the injection
zone and monitoring for pressure changes, and for changes in geochemistry,
in a permeable and porous formation near to and above the top confining
zone;
(ii) periodic monitoring of the quality and geochemistry
of an underground source of drinking water within the area of review
and the formation fluid in a permeable and porous formation near to
and above the top confining zone to detect any movement of the injected
CO2 through the confining zone into that
monitored formation;
(iii) the location and number of monitoring wells justified
on the basis of the area of review, injection rate and volume, geology,
and the presence of artificial penetrations and other factors specific
to the geologic storage facility; and
(iv) the monitoring frequency and spatial distribution
of monitoring wells based on baseline geochemical data collected under
subsection (c)(2) of this section and any modeling results in the
area of review evaluation;
(E) tracking the extent of the CO2 plume
and the position of the pressure front by using indirect, geophysical
techniques, which may include seismic, electrical, gravity, or electromagnetic
surveys and/or down-hole CO2 detection
tools; and
(F) additional monitoring as the director may determine
to be necessary to support, upgrade, and improve computational modeling
of the area of review evaluation and to determine compliance with
the requirements that the injection activity not allow the movement
of fluid containing any contaminant into underground sources of drinking
water and that the injected fluid remain within the permitted interval.
(k) Well plugging plan. The applicant must submit a
well plugging plan for all injection wells and monitoring wells that
penetrate the base of usable quality water that includes:
(1) a proposal for plugging all monitoring wells that
penetrate the base of usable quality water and all injection wells
upon abandonment in accordance with §3.14 of this title (relating
to Plugging);
(2) proposals for activities to be undertaken prior
to plugging an injection well, specifically:
(A) flushing each injection well with a buffer fluid;
(B) performing tests or measures to determine bottomhole
reservoir pressure;
(C) performing final tests to assess mechanical integrity;
and
(D) ensuring that the material to be used in plugging
must be compatible with the CO2 stream
and the formation fluids;
(3) a proposal for giving notice of intent to plug
monitoring wells that penetrate the base of usable quality water and
all injection wells. The applicant's plan must ensure that:
(A) the operator notifies the director at least 60
days before plugging a well. At this time, if any changes have been
made to the original well plugging plan, the operator must also provide
a revised well plugging plan. At the discretion of the director, an
operator may be allowed to proceed with well plugging on a shorter
notice period; and
(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 area of review, regardless
of whether or not corrective action in the area of review 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 underground
sources of drinking water during construction, operation, closure,
and post-closure periods;
Cont'd... |
