Alaska Administrative Code › Title 20 - Miscellaneous Boards and Commissions › Chapter 25 - Alaska Oil and Gas Conservation Commission › Article 3 - Production Practices › 20 AAC 25.252 - Underground disposal of oil field wastes and underground storage of hydrocarbons

Current through May 31, 2024
(a) The
				underground disposal of oil field wastes and the underground storage of
				hydrocarbons are prohibited except as ordered by the commission under this
				section. In response to a letter of application for injection filed by an
				operator, the commission will issue an order authorizing the underground disposal
				of oil field wastes that the commission determines are suitable for disposal in a
				Class II well, as defined in 40 C.F.R. 144.6(b)
				as revised as of July 1, 1998, which is adopted by reference, or the underground
				storage of hydrocarbons. An order authorizing disposal or storage wells remains
				valid unless revoked by the commission.
(b) The operator has the burden of
				demonstrating that the proposed disposal or storage operation will not allow the
				movement of oil field wastes or hydrocarbons into sources of freshwater. Disposal
				or storage wells must be cased and the casing cemented in a manner that will
				isolate the disposal or storage zone and protect oil, gas, and freshwater
				sources.
(c) An application for
				underground disposal or storage must include
(1) a plat showing the location of all proposed
				disposal and storage wells, abandoned or other unused wells, production wells,
				dry holes, and any other wells within one-quarter mile of each proposed disposal
				or storage well;
(2) a list of all
				operators and surface owners within a one-quarter mile radius of each proposed
				disposal or storage well;
(3) an
				affidavit showing that the operators and surface owners within a one-quarter mile
				radius have been provided a copy of the application for disposal or
				storage;
(4) the name, description,
				depth, and thickness of the formation into which fluids are to be disposed or
				stored and appropriate geological data on the disposal or storage zone and
				confining zones, including lithologic descriptions and geologic names;
(5) logs of the disposal or storage wells, if
				not already on file, or other similar information;
(6) a description of the proposed method for
				demonstrating the mechanical integrity of the casing and tubing under
				20 AAC 25.412 and for demonstrating that fluids will not
				move behind casing beyond the approved disposal or storage zone, and a
				description of
(A) the casing of the disposal
				or storage wells, if the wells are existing; or
(B) the proposed casing program, if the
				disposal or storage wells are new;
(7) a statement as to the type of oil field
				wastes to be disposed or hydrocarbons stored, their composition, their source,
				the estimated maximum amounts to be disposed or stored daily, and the
				compatibility of fluids to be disposed or stored with the disposal or storage
				zone;
(8) the estimated average and
				maximum injection pressure;
(9)
				evidence to support a commission finding that the proposed disposal or storage
				operation will not initiate or propagate fractures through the confining zones
				that might enable the oil field wastes or stored hydrocarbons to enter freshwater
				strata;
(10) a standard laboratory
				water analysis, or the results of another method acceptable to the commission, to
				determine the quality of the water within the formation into which disposal or
				storage is proposed;
(11) a reference
				to any applicable freshwater exemption issued in accordance with
				20 AAC 25.440; and
(12) a report on the mechanical condition of
				each well that has penetrated the disposal or storage zone within a one-quarter
				mile radius of a disposal or storage well.