California Code of Regulations › Title 14 - Natural Resources › Division 2 - Department of Conservation › Chapter 4 - Development, Regulation, and Conservation of Oil and Gas Resources › Subchapter 1 - Onshore Well Regulations › Article 4 - Underground Injection Control › Section 1724.8 - Evaluation of Wells Within the Area of Review

Current through Register 2024 Notice Reg. No. 28, July 12, 2024
(a) An underground injection project shall
					 not cause or contribute to the migration of fluid outside the approved
					 injection zone, or otherwise have an adverse effect on the underground
					 injection project or cause damage to life, health, property, or natural
					 resources. The following requirements apply, at minimum and subject to
					 augmentation by the Division on a project-specific basis, to ensure that wells
					 within the area of review will not be a potential conduit for fluid migration
					 outside the approved injection zone:
(1) All
					 wells within the area of review that penetrate the injection zone for the
					 underground injection project or a deeper zone, including directionally drilled
					 wells that intersect the area of review in the injection zone or a deeper zone,
					 shall be evaluated for the potential to allow fluid to migrate outside of the
					 approved injection zone. The Division's evaluation for the potential for a well
					 to allow fluid migration will include evaluation of the cementing records.
					 Where cementing records are inadequate or unreliable, the Division may require
					 a cement evaluation log. The operator should identify, and the Division
					 confirm, wells which may require integrity testing, well logging, or monitoring
					 in order to provide the requisite assurances that such wells will not act as
					 conduits for fluid migration. The Division may require wells be examined,
					 remediated, plugged and abandoned, or monitored as a condition of approval for
					 an underground injection project if the Division is concerned that the well has
					 the potential to allow fluid to migrate outside of the approved injection
					 zone.
(2) Plugged and abandoned
					 wells within the area of review shall have cement as specified in Section
					 1723.1. The Division may require
					 plugged and abandoned wells be re-entered, examined, re-plugged and abandoned,
					 or monitored as a condition of approval for an underground injection project if
					 the Division is concerned that the well has the potential to allow fluid to
					 migrate outside of the approved injection zone.
(3) If a plugged and abandoned well within
					 the area of review does not meet the plugging specifications of subdivision
					 (a)(2), the Division may approve an alternative demonstration that the well
					 will not be a potential conduit for fluid migration outside the approved
					 injection zone. The Division's approval of such an alternative demonstration
					 shall be supported by written findings by the Division that identify each
					 plugged and abandoned well in the area of review that does not meet the cement
					 specification of subdivision (a)(2), specify how the well(s) do not meet the
					 requirements of subdivision (a)(2), and identify the bases for the Division's
					 approval of the alternative demonstration.