Alabama Administrative Code › Title 335 - ALABAMA DEPARTMENT OF ENVIRONMENTAL MANAGEMENT › WATER DIVISION - WATER QUALITY PROGRAM › Chapter 335-6-8 - UNDERGROUND INJECTION CONTROL › Section 335-6-8-.22 - Class VI Well Testing And Monitoring Requirements

Current through Register Vol. 42, No. 9, June 28, 2024
(1) The owner or operator of a Class VI Well
				Testing And Monitoring Requirements VI well must prepare, maintain, and comply
				with a testing and monitoring plan to verify that the geologic sequestration
				project is operating as permitted and is not endangering USDWs. The requirement
				to maintain and implement an approved plan is directly enforceable regardless
				of whether the requirement is a condition of the permit. The testing and
				monitoring plan must be submitted with the permit application, for Department
				approval, and must include a description of how the owner or operator will meet
				the requirements of this rule, including accessing sites for all necessary
				monitoring and testing during the life of the project. Testing and monitoring
				associated with geologic sequestration projects must, at a minimum include:
(a) Analysis of the carbon dioxide stream
				with sufficient frequency to yield data representative of its chemical and
				physical characteristics;
(b)
				Installation and use, except during well workovers as defined in
				335-6-8-.20(4),
				of continuous recording devices to monitor injection pressure, rate, and
				volume; the pressure on the annulus between the tubing and the long string
				casing; and the annulus fluid volume added;
(c) Corrosion monitoring of the well
				materials for loss of mass, thickness, cracking, pitting, and other signs of
				corrosion, which must be performed on a quarterly basis to ensure that the well
				components meet the minimum standards for material strength and performance set
				forth in 335-6-8-.18(2),
				by:
1. Analyzing coupons of the well
				construction materials placed in contact with the carbon dioxide stream;
				or
2. Routing the carbon dioxide
				stream through a loop constructed with the material used in the well and
				inspecting the materials in the loop; or
3. Using an alternative method approved by
				the Department;
(d)
				Periodic monitoring of the ground water quality and geochemical changes above
				the confining zone(s) that may be a result of carbon dioxide movement through
				the confining zone(s) or additional identified zones including:
1. The location and number of monitoring
				wells based on specific information about the geologic sequestration project,
				including injection rate and volume, geology, the presence of artificial
				penetrations, and other factors; and
2. The monitoring frequency and spatial
				distribution of monitoring wells based on baseline geochemical data that has
				been collected under
				335-6-8-.14(1)(f)
				and on any modeling results in the area of review evaluation required by
				335-6-8-.16(3).
(e) A demonstration of external
				mechanical integrity pursuant to
				335-6-8-.21(3)
				at least once per year until the injection well is plugged; and, if required by
				the Department, a casing inspection log pursuant to requirements at
				335-6-8-.21(4)
				at a frequency established in the testing and monitoring plan;
(f) A pressure fall-off test at least once
				every five years unless more frequent testing is required by the Department
				based on site-specific information;
(g) Testing and monitoring to track the
				extent of the carbon dioxide plume and the presence or absence of elevated
				pressure (e.g., the pressure front) by using:
1. Direct methods in the injection zone(s);
				and,
2. Indirect methods (e.g.,
				seismic, electrical, gravity, or electromagnetic surveys and/or down-hole
				carbon dioxide detection tools), unless the Department determines, based on
				site-specific geology, that such methods are not appropriate;
(h) The Department may require
				surface air monitoring and/or soil gas monitoring to detect movement of carbon
				dioxide that could endanger a USDW.
1. Design
				of Class VI Well Testing And Monitoring Requirements VI surface air and/or soil
				gas monitoring must be based on potential risks to USDWs within the area of
				review;
2. The monitoring frequency
				and spatial distribution of surface air monitoring and/or soil gas monitoring
				must be decided using baseline data, and the monitoring plan must describe how
				the proposed monitoring will yield useful information on the area of review
				delineation and/or compliance with standards under
				335-6-8-.05 of this
				chapter;
3. If an owner or operator
				demonstrates that monitoring employed under §§98.440 to 98.449 (Clean
				Air Act,
				42 U.S.C.
				7401 et
seq.)
accomplishes
				the goals of paragraphs (h)(1) and (2) of this section, and meets the
				requirements pursuant to
				335-6-8-.23(1)(c)(5),
				the Department must approve the use of monitoring employed under
				§§98.440 to 98.449 if surface air/soil gas monitoring is required by
				the Department. Compliance with §§98.440 to 98.449 pursuant to this
				provision is considered a condition of the Class VI Well Testing And Monitoring
				Requirements VI permit;
(i) Any additional monitoring, as required by
				the Department, necessary to support, upgrade, and improve computational
				modeling of the area of review evaluation required under
				335-6-8-.16(3)
				and to determine compliance with standards under
				335-6-8-.05 of this
				chapter;
(j) The owner or operator
				shall periodically review the testing and monitoring plan to incorporate
				monitoring data collected under any requirements for Class VI Well Testing And
				Monitoring Requirements VI wells of this chapter, operational data collected
				under 335-6-8-.20, and the most recent
				area of review reevaluation performed under
				335-6-8-.16(5).
				In no case shall the owner or operator review the testing and monitoring plan
				less often than once every five years. Based on this review, the owner or
				operator shall submit an amended testing and monitoring plan or demonstrate to
				the Department that no amendment to the testing and monitoring plan is needed.
				Any amendments to the testing and monitoring plan must be approved by the
				Department, must be incorporated into the permit, and are subject to the permit
				modification requirements at
				335-6-8-.08 of this chapter, as
				appropriate. Amended plans or demonstrations shall be submitted to the
				Department as follows:
1. Within one year of
				an area of review reevaluation;
2.
				Following any significant changes to the facility, such as addition of
				monitoring wells or newly permitted injection wells within the area of review,
				on a schedule determined by the Department; or
3. When required by the Department.
(k) A quality assurance and
				surveillance plan for all testing and monitoring requirements.