Louisiana Administrative Code › Title 43 - NATURAL RESOURCES › Part XVII - Office of Conservation-Injection and Mining › Subpart 6 - Statewide Order No. 29-N-6 › Chapter 6 - Class VI Injection Wells › Section XVII-621 - Operations

Current through Register Vol. 50, No. 6, June 20, 2024
A. Injection Well
				  Operating Requirements
1. Injection Pressure.
				  Except during stimulation, the injection well shall be operated so that the
				  injection-induced pressure in the injection zone(s) does not exceed 90 percent
				  of the fracture pressure of the injection zone(s). This shall ensure that the
				  injection does not initiate new fractures or propagate existing fractures in
				  the injection zone. In no case may injection pressure initiate fractures in the
				  confining zone(s) or cause the movement of injection or formation fluids that
				  endangers a USDW. Pursuant to requirements at §607.C.2 h, all stimulation
				  programs must be approved by the commissioner as part of the permit application
				  and incorporated into the permit.
2. Injection between the outermost casing
				  protecting USDWs and the wellbore is prohibited.
3. The owner or operator must fill the
				  annulus between the tubing and the long string casing with a non-corrosive
				  fluid approved by the commissioner or a fluid containing a corrosion inhibitor
				  approved by the commissioner.
4.
				  Annulus Pressure. The owner or operator shall maintain a tubing-casing annulus
				  pressure that exceeds the operating injection pressure, unless the commissioner
				  determines that such requirement might harm the integrity of the well or
				  endanger a USDW. A request to operate the well at a reduced annulus pressure
				  must be in writing and approved by the commissioner.
5. The owner or operator must maintain
				  mechanical integrity of the injection well at all times, except when doing well
				  workovers, well maintenance, or well remedial work approved by the
				  commissioner.
6. Continuous
				  recording devices shall be installed, used, and maintained in proper working
				  order for each well.
a. continuous recording
				  devices shall monitor:
i. surface injection
				  or bottom-hole pressure;
ii. flow
				  rate, volume and/or mass, and temperature of the carbon dioxide
				  stream;
iii. tubing-casing annulus
				  pressure and annulus fluid volume; and
iv. any other data specified by the
				  commissioner.
b.
				  continuous recordings shall consist of digital recordings. Instruments shall be
				  weatherproof or housed in weatherproof enclosures when located in areas exposed
				  to climatic conditions.
7. Alarms and Automatic Shutdown Systems
a. Alarms and automatic shutdown systems
				  designed to actuate on exceedance of a predetermined monitored condition shall
				  be installed and maintained in proper working order as follows:
i. for onshore wells, alarms and automatic
				  surface shut-off valves or-at the discretion of the commissioner-down-hole
				  shut-off systems (e.g., automatic shut-off, check valves) or, other mechanical
				  devices that provide equivalent protection; and
ii. for offshore wells, alarms and automatic
				  down-hole shut-off systems designed to alert the operator and shut-in the well
				  when operating parameters such as annulus pressure, injection rate, or other
				  parameters diverge beyond permitted ranges or gradients specified in the
				  permit.
iii. all alarms must be
				  integrated with any automatic shutdown system.
b. If a shutdown (i.e., down-hole or at the
				  surface) is triggered or a loss of mechanical integrity is discovered, the
				  owner or operator must immediately investigate and identify as expeditiously as
				  possible the cause of the shutoff. If, upon such investigation, the well is
				  lacking mechanical integrity, or if monitored well parameters indicate that the
				  well may be lacking mechanical integrity, the owner or operator must:
i. immediately cease injection;
ii. take all steps reasonably necessary to
				  determine whether there may have been a release of the injected carbon dioxide
				  stream or formation fluids into any unauthorized zone;
iii. notify the commissioner within 24
				  hours;
iv. restore and demonstrate
				  mechanical integrity to the satisfaction of the commissioner prior to resuming
				  injection; and
v. notify the
				  commissioner when injection can be expected to resume.
c. All emergency shutdown systems shall be
				  failsafe. The operator shall function-test all critical systems of control and
				  safety at least once every six months. This includes testing of alarms, test
				  tripping of emergency shutdown valves ensuring their closure times are within
				  design specifications, and ensuring the integrity of all electrical, pneumatic,
				  and hydraulic circuits. Test dates and results shall be documented and be
				  available for inspection by an agent of the Office of Conservation.
8. Wellhead Identification and
				  Protection
a. A protective barrier shall be
				  installed and maintained around the wellheads, piping, and above ground
				  structures that may be vulnerable to physical or accidental damage by mobile
				  equipment or trespassers.
b. An
				  identifying sign shall be placed at the wellhead of each injection well and
				  shall include at a minimum the operators name, well name and number, well
				  serial number, section-township-range, and any other information required by
				  the commissioner. The sign shall be of durable construction with all lettering
				  kept in a legible condition.
9. Well Workovers. No well remedial work,
				  well maintenance or repair, well or injection formation stimulation, well plug
				  and abandonment or temporary abandonment, any other test of the injection well
				  conducted by the permittee, or well work of any kind, shall be done without
				  prior written authorization from the commissioner. The operator shall submit a
				  work permit request form (Form UIC-17 or successor) to seek well work
				  authorization.
10. Pressure gauges
				  that show pressure on the injection tubing and tubing-casing annulus shall be
				  installed at each wellhead. Gauges shall be designed to read in increments of
				  10 PSIG. All gauges shall be properly calibrated and be maintained in good
				  working order. The pressure valves onto which the pressure gauges are affixed
				  shall have one-half inch female fittings.