Michigan Administrative Code › Department - Environmental Quality › Oil, Gas & Minerals Division › Oil and Gas Operations › Part 4 - DRILLING AND WELL CONSTRUCTION › Section R. 324.413 - Drilling to strata beneath gas storage reservoirs

Current through Vol. 24-12, July 15, 2024
Rule 413. Except when special orders have been adopted for
					 specific reservoirs, areas, or practices, all of the following provisions about
					 drilling to strata beneath gas storage reservoirs shall apply:
(a) The applicant shall send a copy of the
				  entire drilling permit application and all revisions to the gas storage
				  operator when the application and revisions are submitted to the supervisor.
				  The gas storage operator shall have 10 business days to provide written
				  comments to the supervisor.
(b)
				  Drilling operations shall proceed through gas storage zones only when the gas
				  storage reservoir pressure exerts a pressure gradient of not more than 0.50
				  psig per foot of true vertical depth to the top of the gas storage
				  zone.
(c) Drilling rigs for wells
				  drilled through gas storage reservoirs shall use rotary tools and shall have
				  blowout prevention equipment pursuant to R 324.406. Complete operational checks
				  of the well control appliances shall be made every 8 hours, with the well
				  control system initially checked by pressure testing and checked again before
				  drilling into the gas storage reservoir. The 8-hour checks shall be recorded in
				  the daily driller's log.
(d)
				  Surface casing and any other protective casing string required above the gas
				  storage reservoir shall be new casing manufactured in compliance with the API
				  specifications for casing and tubing as adopted by reference in R 324.411, the
				  properties and design of which have been approved by the supervisor or
				  authorized representative of the supervisor. Surface casing and any other
				  protective casing string shall be designed to withstand the required test
				  pressures as set forth in R 324.410(3). Surface casing shall be set pursuant to
				  R 324.408. Surface casing shall be cemented to the surface and not disturbed
				  for a period of 18 hours after completion of cementing. Cement shall attain a
				  minimum compressive strength of 500 psi before disturbing the casing or
				  resuming drilling. Surface casing, other protective casing strings, and blowout
				  preventers shall be tested pursuant to R 324.406(4) before drilling out the
				  cement, unless otherwise specified by the supervisor or authorized
				  representative of the supervisor.
(e) Drilling fluid shall be circulated and
				  conditioned at a point not less than 100 feet above the gas storage reservoir
				  and shall be maintained with the following characteristics until the gas
				  storage reservoir is cased off:
(i) Drilling
				  fluid density shall be sufficient to provide a hydrostatic pressure of not less
				  than 100 psig above the anticipated bottom hole pressure of the gas storage
				  reservoir.
(ii) When drilling
				  through the storage reservoir, the drilling fluid shall have a maximum fluid
				  loss of 15 cubic centimeters or less as specified by the API standard procedure
				  for testing drilling fluids, API RP 13B-1, entitled "Recommended Practice for
				  Field Testing Water-Based Drilling Fluids," March, 2009, fourth edition, which
				  is adopted by reference in these rules. Copies are available for inspection at
				  the Lansing office of the office of oil, gas, and minerals of the department of
				  environmental quality. Copies may be obtained from the Michigan Department of
				  Environmental Quality, Office of Oil, Gas, and Minerals, P.O. Box 30256,
				  Lansing, Michigan 48909, at a cost as of the time of adoption of these rules of
				  $165.00 each, and from the American Petroleum Institute, 1220 L Street NW,
				  Washington, DC 20005, at a cost as of the time of adoption of these rules of
				  $165.00 each.