(a) Waste analysis plan. All material injected into
or produced from the cavern shall be sampled and analyzed in accordance
with the approved written waste analysis plan as specified by 40 Code
of Federal Regulations §146.68(a).
(b) Pressure gauges. Pressure gauges shall be installed
and maintained in proper operating conditions at all times on the
tubing string(s) and on any annulus extending to the wellhead.
(c) Continuous recording devices. Continuous recording
devices and instruments shall be installed in weatherproof enclosures,
used, and maintained in proper operating condition at all times to
record:
(1) tubing string pressures;
(2) the pressure and volume of any annular space that
extends to the wellhead;
(3) injection and production fluid flow rates, volume,
and density;
(4) the volume and composition of displaced gases;
and
(5) any other data specified by the permit.
(d) Automatic Alarms. The owner or operator shall also
install and use:
(1) automatic alarm and automatic shutoff systems,
designed to sound and shut-in the well when pressures and flow rates
or other parameters approved by the executive director exceed a range
and/or gradient specified in the permit; or
(2) automatic alarms designed to sound when the pressures,
flow rates, or other parameters approved by the executive director
exceed a rate and/or gradient specified in the permit, in cases where
the owner or operator certifies that a trained operator will be on
location and able to immediately respond to alarms at all times when
the well is operating.
(e) Testing and calibration of monitoring instruments.
All gauges, and pressure sensing and recording devices shall be tested
and calibrated semi-annually.
(f) Mechanical integrity. The owner or operator shall
maintain mechanical integrity of the disposal well and bedded salt
cavern at all times that the well and cavern are in service.
(1) Mechanical integrity of the well must be demonstrated:
(A) before the well is initially placed in service;
(B) within five-year intervals during the operating
life of the well to test for fluid movement along the borehole;
(C) after each workover which involves removal of the
injection tubing, recompletions, or unseating of the packer; and
(D) before the well is plugged, unless the mechanical
integrity test has been performed in the last five years.
(2) Mechanical integrity of the cavern must be demonstrated:
(A) before the cavern is initially placed in service;
(B) within five-year intervals during the operating
life of the cavern; and
(C) in instances where the integrity of the casing
seat or cavern may be compromised.
(3) Mechanical integrity test methods.
(A) Each bedded salt cavern disposal well shall be
tested for mechanical integrity using a nitrogen-brine interface method.
(B) Each bedded salt cavern shall be tested for mechanical
integrity using a hydrostatic brine test.
(C) A sonar survey, or other test approved by the executive
director, shall be conducted for each bedded salt cavern.
(D) A pressure test shall be performed on each bedded
salt cavern disposal well and cavern.
(4) The owner or operator may use an alternative cavern
integrity test if the alternative integrity test is substantially
equivalent to the integrity tests specified in paragraph (3) of this
subsection. The owner or operator shall submit the following information
for the executive director's consideration:
(A) A description of the test method and the theory
of operation, including the test sensitivities, a justification for
the test parameters, and the pass and fail criteria for the test;
(B) a description of the well and cavern conditions
under which the test can be conducted;
(C) the procedure for interpreting the test results;
and
(D) an interpretation of the test upon completion of
the test.
(5) The well and cavern integrity testing shall be
conducted at the maximum allowable operating pressure.
(g) Corrosion monitoring.
(1) Corrosion monitoring of well materials shall be
conducted quarterly. Test materials shall be the same as those used
in the injection tubing, packer, and long string casing, and will
be continuously exposed to the waste with the exception of when the
well is taken out of service.
(2) Corrosion monitoring may be waived if the disposal
well owner or operator demonstrates that the waste will not be corrosive
to the well materials with which the waste is expected to come into
contact throughout the life of the well. The demonstration shall include
a description of the methodology used to make that determination.
(h) Ambient monitoring.
(1) The owner or operator shall comply with ambient
monitoring requirements in accordance with §331.64(h) of this
title (relating to Monitoring and Testing Requirements).
(2) The owner or operator shall conduct subsidence
monitoring (elevation surveys) over the area of review and any other
type of ambient monitoring necessary to comply with §331.242
of this title (relating to Bedded Salt Cavern Disposal Well Performance
Standard and Siting Requirements). Elevation surveys shall be conducted
by a licensed professional land surveyor.
(i) Hydrogeologic compatibility determination. The
owner or operator shall submit information demonstrating that the
waste stream and its anticipated reaction products will not alter
the permeability, thickness, or other relevant characteristics of
the bedded salt cavern confining zone or bedded salt cavern injection
zone such that they would no longer meet the requirements specified
in §331.121 of this title (relating to Class I Wells).
(j) Other monitoring and testing. The owner or operator
shall conduct any other monitoring and testing requirements, including
determination of composition and volume of leachate.
(k) All testing and monitoring of the bedded salt disposal
cavern and well shall be planned and supervised, and test results
shall be reviewed by qualified individuals acting under the responsible
charge of a licensed professional engineer or licensed professional
geoscientist, as appropriate, with current registration under the
Texas Engineering Practice Act or Texas Geoscience Practice Act.
(l) Notification of scheduled logging and testing.
The executive director or his designated representative shall have
the opportunity to witness all logging and testing. The owner or operator
shall submit a written schedule of such activities to the executive
director at least seven days before conducting tests.
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