Arizona Administrative Code › Title 12 - NATURAL RESOURCES › Chapter 7 - Oil and Gas Conservation Commission › Article 1 - OIL, GAS, HELIUM, AND GEOTHERMAL RESOURCES › Section R12-7-176 - Permits for Injection Wells

Current through Register Vol. 30, No. 28, July 12, 2024
A. The
				injection of any substance into any geologic formation is prohibited unless 1st
				authorized by the Commission after notice and hearing. The Commission shall
				give at least 15 days' notice before a hearing is held for drilling a new
				injection well or for converting an existing well into an injection well. A
				permit shall not be required for routine well operations pursuant to
				R12-7-122(C) whose physical effects are confined to the area near the well
				bore.
B. The application for a
				permit for an injection well as defined in
				R12-7-175
				shall be prepared in accordance with
				R12-7-104,
				shall meet all the applicable requirements of this Chapter, and shall contain
				the following requirements, where applicable:
1. A plat showing the location of each
				proposed injection well and the location and status of all wells, including
				drilling wells and dry holes, within 1/2 mile of the proposed well. The plat
				shall include the lease boundary lines, the names of the surface and subsurface
				lessees and owners within 1/2 mile of the injection well or wells, and the name
				of each offset operator.
2. A
				geologic study, including:
a. A contour map
				drawn on a geologic marker at or near the top of each injection zone in the
				project area;
b. A thickness map of
				each injection zone in the project area;
c. A geologic cross-section drawn through the
				site of an injection well in the project area showing structural details, any
				wells that may be affected by the project, and the location of the base of any
				freshwater strata, defined as water having 10,000 ppm or less of total
				dissolved solids, or a statement that no fresh water exists; and
d. A representative electric log to a depth
				below the deepest producing zone identifying all geologic units including the
				injection and confining zones, freshwater aquifers, and oil, gas, or geothermal
				zones.
3. An engineering
				study, including:
a. A statement of the
				primary purpose of the project;
b.
				The characteristics of the injection and confining zones including porosity,
				permeability, thickness, areal extent, fracture gradient, original and present
				temperature and pressure, and residual oil, gas, and water
				saturations;
c. The reservoir fluid
				data for each injection zone including oil gravity and viscosity, water
				quality, and specific gravity of gas;
d. A description of each injection well's
				casing, or the proposed casing and cementing program, and the proposed method
				of testing the casing before use of the injection well. The casing shall be
				designed and tested in accordance with
				R12-7-181(C)
				with respect to the injection zone;
e. A diagram of the proposed
				wellhead;
f. A casing diagram,
				including cement plugs, and the actual or calculated cement fill behind the
				casing of all wells within the area affected by the project, including
				abandoned wells, showing that they will not cause damage to life, health,
				property, or natural resources;
g.
				The well stimulation program if stimulation is planned; and
h. The planned well-drilling and abandonment
				program to complete the project, including a flood-pattern map showing all
				injection, production, and abandoned wells, and unit boundaries.
4. An injection plan, including:
a. A diagram and plan of the injection
				facilities;
b. The maximum surface
				injection pressure expected during the life of the project and the estimated
				daily rate of fluid injection, by well. The operator shall provide calculations
				showing that the maximum injection pressure will not initiate fractures in the
				confining zone;
c. A description of
				the area affected by the volumetric method and by the pressure-buildup method
				and the radius affected during the life of the project;
d. The monitoring system or method to be used
				to ensure that no damage is occurring and that the injection fluid is confined
				to the permitted injection zone and to the area controlled by the
				operator;
e. The method of
				injection such as casing, tubing, tubing with packer, between
				strings;
f. The protective methods
				to be used on each injection line and well and a contingency plan for well
				failure or a shut-in period, including a plan for disposition of fluids not
				injected as a consequence of well failure;
g. The source and chemical analysis of the
				injection fluid, and chemical analysis of the water in the injection zone. If
				the water in the injection zone has 10,000 ppm or less of total dissolved
				solids, the applicant shall provide evidence of commercial oil or gas
				producibility of the zone by means of historical production in the field or by
				log information, core data, and values for the porosity and permeability of the
				zone; and
h. The location and depth
				of each water-source well that will be used in conjunction with the
				project.
5. Proof of
				notification to neighboring operators and surface owners within 1/2 mile of the
				proposed well.
6. Supplementary
				data as required in
				R12-7-180
				for storage-well projects.
7. Any
				additional information that the Commission may determine is necessary to
				adequately clarify the information submitted pursuant to
				R12-7-176(B)(1)
				through (B)(6).
8. All maps, diagrams, and exhibits required
				in this subsection shall be clearly labeled as to scale and purpose and shall
				clearly identify wells, boundaries, zones, contacts, and other relevant
				data.