Current through Register Vol. 49, No. 2, February 2024
RULE B-19: REQUIREMENTS FOR WELL COMPLETION
UTILIZING FRACTURE STIMULATION
a) Definitions
1) "ADEQ" means the Arkansas Department of
Environmental Quality.
2)
"Additive" means any substance or combination of substances, including
proppant, having a specified purpose that is combined with a Hydraulic
Fracturing Fluid.
3) "AOGC" means
the Arkansas Oil and Gas Commission.
4) "Chemical Abstract Service" or "CAS" means
the chemical registry that is the authoritative collection of disclosed
chemical substance information.
5)
"Chemical Constituent" means a discrete chemical with its own specific name or
identity (such as, but not necessarily, a CAS number) that is contained in an
additive.
6) "Chemical Family"
means a group of elements in the Periodic Table or, more commonly, compounds
that share certain physical and chemical characteristics and have a common
name.
7) "Hydraulic Fracturing
Fluid" means the base fluid type utilized in a particular Hydraulic Fracturing
Treatment.
8) "Hydraulic Fracturing
Treatment" means stimulating a well by the application of Hydraulic Fracturing
Fluids and Additives with force in order to create artificial fractures in the
formation for the purpose of improving the capacity to produce
hydrocarbons.
9) "RCRA" means
Resource Conservation and Recovery Act, 42 U.S.C. § 6901 et.
seq.
b) The provisions
of this Rule shall apply to all new horizontal wells and all vertical wells in
which the amount of Hydraulic Fracturing Fluid used during the Hydraulic
Fracturing Treatment of the well exceeds 10,000 barrels Hydraulic Fracturing
Fluid and for which an initial drilling permit was issued on or after January
15, 2011.
c) Persons applying for a
permit to drill shall indicate on the initial drilling application the intent
to perform Hydraulic Fracturing Treatment operations and provide the
information required in accordance with subparagraph d) below. If the intent to
fracture stimulate a well was not provided at the time of the initial drilling
application, a Permit Holder desiring to perform Hydraulic Fracturing Treatment
operations shall send the information required in accordance with subparagraph
d) below via e-mail, fax or mail to the AOGC office where the initial drilling
permit was issued, prior to commencement of Hydraulic Fracturing Treatment
operations.
d) The application
described in subparagraph c) above shall include:
1) The following information on the proposed
casing program, demonstrating that the well will have steel alloy casing
designed to withstand the anticipated maximum pressures to which the casing
will be subjected in the well:
A) Whether the
well will be a vertical well, a directional well, or a horizontal well;
and
B) The estimated true vertical
and measured production casing setting depths; and
C) The casing grade and minimum internal
yield pressure for the production casing proposed to be used in the
well.
2) The following
information demonstrating that the well will have sufficient cement volume and
integrity to prohibit movement of fracture fluids up-hole into the various
casing or well bore annuli:
A) The proposed
cement formulation(s)' minimum compressive strength; and
B) The estimated top of cement for the
production casing string.
3) The anticipated surface treating pressure
range for the proposed Hydraulic Fracturing Treatment program. The production
casing described in subparagraph d) 1) above shall be sufficient to contain the
maximum anticipated treating pressure of the Hydraulic Fracturing Treatment,
which shall not exceed 80% of the minimum internal yield pressure for such
production casing.
e)
Surface casing in the well in which the proposed Hydraulic Fracturing Treatment
will occur shall be set, and cemented to the surface, to a depth in accordance
with General Rule B-15, and have sufficient internal yield pressure to
withstand the anticipated maximum pressures to which the casing will be
subjected in the well. If during the drilling of the surface portion of the
well, and prior to setting surface casing, a freshwater flow is encountered, or
the Permit Holder gains knowledge that freshwater will be encountered, from a
deeper zone than was specified on the permit to drill, surface casing shall be
set and cemented at least one hundred (100) feet below the deepest encountered
freshwater zone.
f) If during the
setting and cementing of production and/or any intermediate casings the cement
program does not occur as submitted in accordance with this Rule, and would
cause a reasonably prudent Permit Holder to question the integrity of the
cementing program with respect to isolating the zone of Hydraulic Fracturing
Treatment from movement of fracture fluids up-hole into the various casing or
well bore annuli, the Permit Holder shall immediately notify the Director, or
his designee, in writing as soon as practicable, but not more than twenty-four
(24) hours after the event. In reviewing the report, the Director, or his
designee, may require a bond log or other cement evaluation tool to document
cement integrity and require additional cementing operations or other
appropriate well workover efforts necessary to correct any cement deficiencies
prior to initiating any Hydraulic Fracturing Treatments in the well.
g) The Permit Holder shall notify the
Director or his designee via e-mail, fax or other approved method, a minimum of
forty-eight (48) hours prior to commencement of a Hydraulic Fracturing
Treatment on a well. If the Permit Holder cannot provide notice a minimum of
forty-eight (48) hours prior to commencement, the Permit Holder shall provide a
written explanation as to why the notice could not be provided, and the Permit
Holder shall provide notice in the manner described above as soon as the Permit
Holder is aware that a Hydraulic Fracturing Treatment has been
scheduled.
h) The Permit Holder
shall monitor all casing annuli that would be diagnostic as to a potential loss
of well bore integrity during the Hydraulic Fracturing Treatment. The Permit
Holder shall establish methods to timely relieve any excessive pressures to
avoid the loss of surface casing integrity.
i) The Permit Holder must provide written
notice to the Director, or his designee, of (i) any change in surface casing
annulus pressure that would indicate movement of fluids into the annulus, or
(ii) a pressure that exceeds the rated minimum internal yield pressure on any
casing string in communication with the Hydraulic Fracturing Treatment. This
written notice shall be delivered as soon as possible after the event, but not
more than twenty-four (24) hours after the event. Following notification and
any request for additional information, the Director, or his designee, may
request additional documentation or well tests to determine if the Hydraulic
Fracturing Treatment potentially endangered any freshwater zones. The Director,
or his designee, may require appropriate additional cementing operations, or
other well workover efforts to correct any well failure. Pending completion of
required operations or efforts, the Director, or his designee, may order the
cessation of further Hydraulic Fracturing Treatment and/or other well
operations. The Director shall report any such incident to the Commission at
its next regularly scheduled hearing, and the Commission may take such further
action as it deems necessary and appropriate under the circumstances.
j) All non-exempt RCRA materials and fluids
used on-site in the Hydraulic Fracturing Treatment shall be handled and stored
in accordance with ADEQ requirements and any spills of these materials and
fluids on-site or off-site shall be reported to ADEQ in accordance with
applicable ADEQ requirements. All RCRA exempt materials and fluids used on-site
in the Hydraulic Fracturing Treatment shall be contained in leak free tanks or
other containment vessels. Any on-site spill of these materials or fluids shall
be immediately contained, remediation efforts shall be commenced as soon as
practical, and the incident shall be reported to the Director, or his designee,
within twenty-four (24) hours.
k)
All Hydraulic Fracturing Treatment flow back fluids shall be handled,
transported, stored, disposed, or recycled for re-use in accordance with the
applicable provisions of General Rule B-17, General Rule E-3 and General Rule
H-1, H-2 and H-3.
l) Following
completion of the Hydraulic Fracturing Treatment, the Permit Holder shall, for
purposes of disclosure, report detailed information to the Director, or his
designee, of the Hydraulic Fracturing Treatment in the manner customarily
reported or presented to the Permit Holder, within the time period specified in
General Rule B-5, as follows:
1) The maximum
pump pressure measured at the surface during each stage of the Hydraulic
Fracturing Treatment; and
2) The
types and volumes of the Hydraulic Fracturing Fluid and proppant used for each
stage of the Hydraulic Fracturing Treatment; and
3) The calculated fracture height as designed
to be achieved during the Hydraulic Fracturing Treatment and the estimated TVD
to the top of the fracture; and
4)
A list of all Additives used during the Hydraulic Fracturing Treatment
specified by general type, such as acid, biocide, breaker, corrosion inhibitor,
crosslinker, demulsifier, friction reducer, gel, iron control, oxygen
scavenger, pH adjusting agent, scale inhibitor, proppant and surfactant;
and
5) The names of all specific
Additives for each Additive type, specified in subparagraph l) 4) above,
utilized during the Hydraulic Fracturing Treatment and the actual rate or
concentration for each such Additive expressed as pounds per thousand gallons
or gallons per thousand gallons additionally, the Additives are to be expressed
as a percent by volume of the total Hydraulic Fracturing Fluids and Additives;
and
6) The Permit Holder shall
supply field service company tickets (excluding pricing) and reports regarding
the Hydraulic Fracturing Treatment, as used in the normal course of business to
satisfy some or all of the foregoing information requirements; and
7) The Permit Holder shall supply all
information received from the person performing the Hydraulic Fracturing
Treatment specified in subparagraph m) 4) below.
8) If the Permit Holder causes any Additives
to be utilized during the Hydraulic Fracturing Treatment not otherwise
disclosed by the person performing the Hydraulic Fracturing Treatment, the
Permit Holder shall disclose a list of all Chemical Constituents and associated
CAS numbers contained in all such Additives; provided, however, in those
limited situations where the specific identity of any such Chemical Constituent
and associated CAS number is entitled to be withheld as a trade secret under
the criteria set forth in subsection (a)(2) of 42 U.S.C. § 11042, the
Permit Holder shall (i) submit to the Director a claim of entitlement to have
the identity of such Chemical Constituent withheld as a trade secret, and (ii)
provide the Director with the Chemical Family associated with such Chemical
Constituent. The identity of any Chemical Constituent that qualifies as a trade
secret under the criteria set forth in subsection (a)(2) of 42 U.S.C. §
11042 shall be held confidential by the Director.
9) Nothing in subparagraph l) 8) above shall
authorize any person to withhold information which is required by state or
federal law to be provided to a health care professional, a doctor, or a nurse.
All information required by a health care professional, a doctor, or a nurse
shall be supplied, immediately upon request, by the person performing the
Hydraulic Fracturing Treatment, directly to the requesting health care
professional, doctor, or nurse, including the percent by volume of the Chemical
Constituents (and associated CAS numbers) of the total Hydraulic Fracturing
Fluids and Additives.
m)
Any person performing Hydraulic Fracturing Treatments within the State of
Arkansas shall:
1) Be authorized to do
business in the State of Arkansas; and
2) Be required to file Organization Reports
in accordance with General Rule B-13, and include the length of time the entity
has been in the business of performing Hydraulic Fracturing Treatments;
and
3) Disclose to the Director, or
his designee, and maintain separate master lists of:
A) All Hydraulic Fracturing Fluids to be
utilized during any Hydraulic Fracturing Treatment within the State of
Arkansas; and
B) All Additives to
be utilized during any Hydraulic Fracturing Treatment within the State of
Arkansas; and
C) All Chemical
Constituents and associated CAS numbers to be utilized in any Hydraulic
Fracturing Treatment within the State of Arkansas; provided, however, in those
limited situations where the specific identity of any such Chemical Constituent
and associated CAS number is entitled to be withheld as a trade secret under
the criteria set forth in subsection (a)(2) of 42 U.S.C. § 11042, the
person performing the Hydraulic Fracturing Treatment shall (i) submit to the
Director a claim of entitlement to have the identity of such Chemical
Constituent withheld as a trade secret, and (ii) provide the Director with the
Chemical Family associated with such Chemical Constituent. The identity of any
Chemical Constituent that qualifies as a trade secret under the criteria set
forth in subsection (a)(2) of 42 U.S.C. § 11042 shall be held confidential
by the Director; and
4)
Provide to the Permit Holder for each well that such person performs a
Hydraulic Fracturing Treatment, lists of:
A)
The Hydraulic Fracturing Fluids utilized during the Hydraulic Fracturing
Treatment; and
B) The Additives
utilized during the Hydraulic Fracturing Treatment, and the actual rate or
concentration for each such Additive utilized, expressed as pounds per thousand
gallons or gallons per thousand gallons; additionally, the Additives are to be
expressed as percent by volume of the total Hydraulic Fracturing Fluids and
Additives, so that the Permit Holder may comply with its obligations under
subparagraph l) above; and
C) All
Chemical Constituents and associated CAS numbers utilized during the Hydraulic
Fracturing Treatment; unless the specific identity of any such Chemical
Constituent and associated CAS number is entitled to be withheld as a trade
secret in accordance with subparagraph m) 3) c) above.
5) Nothing in subparagraphs m) 3) c) or l) 4)
c) above shall authorize any person to withhold information which is required
by state or federal law to be provided to a health care professional, a doctor,
or a nurse. All information required by a health care professional, a doctor,
or a nurse shall be supplied, immediately upon request, by the person
performing the Hydraulic Fracturing Treatment, directly to the requesting
health care professional, doctor, or nurse, including the percent by volume of
the Chemical Constituents (and associated CAS numbers) of the total Hydraulic
Fracturing Fluids and Additives.
n) No Permit Holder shall utilize the
services of another person to perform a Hydraulic Fracturing Treatment unless
the person performing a Hydraulic Fracturing Treatment is in compliance with
subparagraph m) above.
(Source: Original Rule Repealed October 15, 2006; New Rule
Effective January 15, 2011; Amended February 08, 2013)
