Texas Administrative Code › Title 30 - ENVIRONMENTAL QUALITY › Part 1 - TEXAS COMMISSION ON ENVIRONMENTAL QUALITY › Chapter 331 - UNDERGROUND INJECTION CONTROL › Subchapter J - STANDARDS FOR CLASS I SALT DOME CAVERN DISPOSAL WELLS › Section 331.165 - Waste Disposal Operating Requirements

Current through Reg. 49, No. 28; July 12, 2024
(a)
				  General operating requirements.
(1) Injection
				  pressure at the wellhead shall not exceed a maximum, which shall be calculated,
				  so as to assure that the pressure in the cavern during injection does not
				  disrupt the bond between the salt, cement, and the casing seat, initiate new
				  fractures or propagate existing fractures in the cavern or the confining zone,
				  or cause movement of fluid or waste out of the injection zone.
(2) Injection between the outermost casing
				  protecting underground sources of drinking water (USDWs), and fresh or surface
				  water and the wellbore is prohibited.
(3) The annulus between the outer tubing and
				  long string casing shall be filled with an inert gas approved by the
				  commission. The annulus pressure, at all times that the well is in service,
				  shall be at least 100 pounds per square inch greater than the injection tubing
				  pressure, to detect well malfunctions, unless the executive director determines
				  that such a requirement might harm the integrity of the well.
(4) Chemical and physical characteristics of
				  all injected materials and cavern contents, including but not limited to, bulk
				  density and compressive strength of solidified waste, shall protect and be
				  compatible with the injection well, associated facilities, and injection zone,
				  and shall ensure proper operation of the facility to meet the performance
				  standard of §
											331.162 of
				  this title (relating to Performance Standard). In addition, after cavern
				  construction is certified and a cavern is authorized to receive wastes under
				  §
											331.164(f)
				  of this title (relating to Cavern Construction Standards), all injected
				  materials and cavern contents shall not cause further dissolution of the cavern
				  walls.
(5) The waste stream shall
				  be stabilized, prior to injection, to minimize the generation of fluids in the
				  cavern.
(6) All injection of waste
				  into a salt cavern shall be performed through the inner of two removable
				  tubings with a packer to seal the annulus between the outer tubing and long
				  string casing, near the bottom of the long string casing.
(7) Unauthorized releases of cavern contents
				  to the atmosphere are prohibited.
(8) The cavern will be operated so as to
				  control the extent of the disturbed zone.
(9) If an automatic alarm or shutdown is
				  triggered, the owner or operator shall immediately investigate and identify as
				  expeditiously as possible the cause of the alarm or shutoff. If, upon such
				  investigation, the well or cavern appears to be lacking integrity, or if
				  monitoring required under §
											331.166(c)
				  of this title (relating to Monitoring and Testing Requirements) otherwise
				  indicates that the well or cavern lacks integrity, the owner or operator shall:
(A) immediately cease injection of waste
				  unless authorized by the executive director to continue or resume
				  injection;
(B) take all necessary
				  steps to determine the presence or absence of a leak; and
(C) notify the executive director within 24
				  hours after the alarm or shutdown.
(10) If the loss of integrity is discovered
				  pursuant to paragraph (3) of this subsection or during periodic integrity
				  testing, the owner or operator shall:
(A)
				  immediately cease injection of waste;
(B) take all steps required to determine
				  whether there may have been a release of wastes into any unauthorized
				  zone;
(C) notify the executive
				  director within 24 hours after loss of mechanical integrity is
				  discovered;
(D) notify the
				  executive director when injection can be expected to resume; and
(E) restore and demonstrate well mechanical
				  integrity and/or cavern integrity to the satisfaction of the executive director
				  prior to resuming injection of waste.
(11) Whenever the owner or operator obtains
				  evidence that there may have been a release of injected wastes into an
				  unauthorized zone:
(A) the owner or operator
				  shall immediately cease injection of waste, and:
(i) notify the executive director within 24
				  hours of obtaining such evidence;
(ii) take all necessary steps to identify and
				  characterize the extent of any release;
(iii) propose a remediation plan for
				  executive director review and approval;
(iv) comply with any remediation plan
				  specified by the executive director;
(v) implement any remediation plan approved
				  by the executive director; and
(vi)
				  where such release is into a USDW or freshwater aquifer currently serving as a
				  water supply, within 24 hours notify the local health department, place a
				  notice in a newspaper of general circulation and notify by mail the adjacent
				  landowners;
(B) the
				  executive director may allow the operator to resume injection prior to
				  completing cleanup action if the owner or operator demonstrates that the
				  injection operation will not endanger USDWs or freshwater aquifers.
(12) Cavern contents shall not
				  interfere with the set-up of any stabilized waste injected after the waste and
				  solidifying agents have been mixed, but is injected while is still pumpable and
				  has not set.
(13) Waste emplacement
				  must be performed in such a manner as to minimize gas or fluid entrapment, so
				  that compaction of wastes does not disrupt the integrity of the
				  cavern.
(14) A salt cavern disposal
				  well shall be operated in a manner which will not generate high temperatures
				  that will result in nonattainment of the performance standard of §
											331.162 of
				  this title.
(15) All fluids purged
				  from the cavern after emplacement of any waste shall be managed at a waste
				  management facility pursuant to applicable state and federal
				  regulations.