Texas Administrative Code › Title 16 - ECONOMIC REGULATION › Part 1 - RAILROAD COMMISSION OF TEXAS › Chapter 3 - OIL AND GAS DIVISION › Section 3.97 - Underground Storage of Gas in Salt Formations

Current through Reg. 49, No. 28; July 12, 2024
(a) Definitions. The following terms, when
				used in this section, shall have the following meanings, unless the context
				clearly indicates otherwise.
(1) Affected
				person--A person who, as a result of actions proposed in an application for a
				storage facility permit or amendment or modification of an existing storage
				facility permit, has suffered or may suffer actual injury or economic damage
				other than as a member of the general public.
(2) Cavern--The storage space created in a
				salt formation by solution mining.
(3) Commission--The Railroad Commission of
				Texas.
(4) Emergency shutdown
				valve--A valve that automatically closes to isolate a gas storage wellhead from
				surface piping in the event of specified conditions that, if uncontrolled, may
				cause an emergency.
(5) Fresh
				water--Water having bacteriological, physical, and chemical properties that
				make it suitable and feasible for beneficial use for any lawful purpose. For
				purposes of this section, brine associated with the creation, operation, and
				maintenance of an underground gas storage facility is not considered fresh
				water.
(6) Gas storage well or
				storage well--A well, including the storage wellhead, casing, tubing, borehole,
				and cavern used for the injection or withdrawal of natural gas or any other
				gaseous substance into or out of an underground gas storage facility.
(7) Leak or fire detector--A device capable
				of detecting by chemical or physical means the presence of stored product gas
				or the escape of stored product gas or the presence of flame or heat of a
				fire.
(8) Operator--The person
				recognized by the Commission as being responsible for the physical operation of
				an underground gas storage facility, or such person's authorized
				representative.
(9) Owner--The
				person recognized by the Commission as owning all or part of an underground gas
				storage facility, or such person's authorized representative.
(10) Person--A natural person, corporation,
				organization, government, governmental subdivision or agency, business trust,
				estate, trust, partnership, association, or any other legal entity.
(11) Pollution--Alteration of the physical,
				chemical, or biological quality of, or the contamination of, water that makes
				it harmful, detrimental, or injurious to humans, animal life, vegetation, or
				property, or to public health, safety, or welfare, or impairs the usefulness or
				the public enjoyment of the water for any lawful or reasonable
				purpose.
(12) Storage
				wellhead--Equipment installed at the surface of the wellbore, including the
				casinghead and tubing head, spools, block or wing valves, and instrument
				flanges. Spool pieces must have a length less than six feet to be considered a
				part of the storage wellhead.
(13)
				Surface piping--Any pipe within a storage facility that is directly connected
				to a storage well, outboard of the wellhead emergency shutdown valve and used
				to transport gas, brine, or fresh water to or from a storage well whether such
				pipe is above or below ground level.
(14) Underground gas storage facility or
				storage facility--A facility used for the storage of natural gas or any other
				gaseous substance in an underground salt formation, including surface and
				subsurface rights, appurtenances, and improvements necessary for the operation
				of the facility.