Alabama Administrative Code › Title 400 - STATE OIL AND GAS BOARD OF ALABAMA › GOVERNING COALBED METHANE GAS OPERATIONS › Chapter 400-3-8 - SAFETY AND ENVIRONMENT › Section 400-3-8-.03 - Hydraulic Fracturing Of Coal Beds

Current through Register Vol. 42, No. 9, June 28, 2024
(1) Each coal bed shall be hydraulically
				fractured so as not to cause irreparable damage to the coalbed methane (CBM)
				well, or to adversely impact any fresh water supply well or any fresh water
				resources.
(2) A proposal to
				fracture a coal group shall be accompanied by a check or bank draft in the
				amount of one hundred seventy five dollars ($175) payable to the State
				Treasurer, State of Alabama, which sum is fixed as the fee for each proposal;
				however, in no case shall the fee paid for concurrent hydraulic fracturing
				operations in a single well exceed five-hundred twenty-five dollars ($525)
				regardless how many coal groups are hydraulically fractured. The fee shall be
				deposited into the Alabama State Oil and Gas Board Special Fund pursuant to
				Section 9-17-24 of the
Code of
				Ala. 1975
.
(3) Coal
				beds shall not be hydraulically fractured until approval of the Supervisor is
				obtained. In order to receive approval, the operator shall submit to the
				Supervisor: a wellbore schematic showing the specifications of the casing and
				cementing program, including pressure tests and the depth interval(s) and
				name(s) of coal beds to be fractured; geophysical and cement bond longs; and
				(if applicable) an inventory of fresh water supply wells within a one quarter -
				(1/4-) mile radius of the CBM well. Further, the operator shall affirm to the
				Supervisor, in writing, that the well construction and pressure tests results,
				geophysical and cement bond logs, and (if applicable) inventory of fresh water
				supply wells have been evaluated and that the results of this evaluation
				indicate that the proposed hydraulic fracturing operations can be conducted
				without adverse impact on any fresh water supply wells or any fresh water
				resources.
(4) The operator of CBM
				wells with proposed fracturing operating in the depth interval of four hundred
				(400) to six hundred (600) feet shall prepare an inventory of fresh water
				supply wells within a one quarter- (1/4-) mile radius of the well to be
				fractured. Records of fresh-water supply wells shall be used by the operator in
				delineating the construction and completion depth of such supply wells. The
				records of the Geological Survey of Alabama (GSA) shall be the primary sources
				of information used in this evaluation process. Additionally, the operator
				shall conduct a field reconnaissance within a one quarter- (1/4-) mile radius
				of the CBM well to determine the location of any additional fresh-water supply
				wells that may not be identified in the previously described documents. If
				possible, construction information for such additional fresh-water supply wells
				must be obtained. Consideration shall be given to the records of all
				fresh-water supply wells available and the operator shall report the results of
				his findings to the Supervisor. Fracturing operations shall not be conducted if
				it is determined that any fresh-water resources of any fresh water supply well
				located within a one quarter- (1/4-) mile radius of the CBM well could be
				adversely impacted as a result of the fracturing operation.
(5) A program describing the proposed
				fracturing operation in the depth interval of four hundred (400) to six hundred
				(600) feet shall be used by the operator in conjunction with the evaluation
				process described in section (4) of this rule. Information to be considered
				shall include, but not be limited to, the maximum length and orientation of the
				fracture(s) to be propagated and the type fluids and materials that are to be
				utilized. Programs to hydraulically fracture shall be prepared by a person, or
				entity, familiar with the technicalities of fracturing coal beds in the area in
				which fracturing operations are proposed. Operators shall submit the fracturing
				program to the Supervisor. The program filed with the Board shall identify the
				person, or entity, that has prepared the fracturing program and be accompanied
				by a letter from the operator stating its intended application. Recurrent
				filing of a fracturing program will not be necessary if such program has
				previously been submitted to the Supervisor and is directly applicable to the
				fracturing proposal under consideration. Modification(s) to a fracturing
				program that would alter the maximum length and orientation of the fracture(s)
				to be propagated, or the type fluids and material to be utilized, shall be
				submitted to the Supervisor prior to its implementation in the field.
(6) Hydraulic fracturing of coal beds in the
				depth interval zero (0) to three hundred ninety nine (399) feet is
				prohibited.
(7) Diesel oil or fuel
				is prohibited in any fluid mixture used in the hydraulic fracturing of a coal
				bed.
(8) The Supervisor may request
				the submittal of additional information in order to clarify a proposal to
				hydraulically fracture a coal bed.
(9) The operator shall maintain all records
				associated with each proposal approved by the Supervisor and implemented by the
				operator to hydraulically fracture coal beds until such time that the CBM well
				has been plugged for permanent abandonment, but not less than three (3) years
				following completion of the fracturing operation. Upon request, copies of these
				records shall be made available to the Supervisor.
(10) In order to provide adequate disclosure
				of well stimulation fluids utilized in a hydraulic fracturing operation,
(a) The operator shall provide to the Board:
1. a description of the fracture fluid
				identified by additive, e.g., acid, proppant, surfactant, and
2. the name of the chemical compound and the
				Chemical Abstracts Service Registry number, if such registry number exists, as
				published by the Chemical Abstracts Service, a division of the American
				Chemical Society, for each constituent added to the base fluid.
3. The operator is not required to disclose
				information that is deemed to be a trade secret. However, information deemed to
				be a trade secret shall be disclosed as necessary for proper medical diagnosis
				and treatment or for spill response.