Current through Register Vol. 47, No. 17, September 10, 2024
1105.a. A flowline
or crude oil transfer line remains subject to all of the requirements in Rules
1101 through 1104 until the operator completes all abandonment requirements set
forth below.
1105.b. Upon removing
a flowline or crude oil transfer line from use with the intent to abandon, an
operator must immediately apply OOSLAT to the risers. OOSLAT must stay in place
at all times during the process of abandoning the flowline or crude oil
transfer line until the operator removes the riser.
1105.c.
Isolation. When
abandoning a flowline or crude oil transfer line, operators must permanently
remove a flowline or crude oil transfer line from operation by physically
separating it from all sources of fluids or pressure within the time frame set
forth in Section 1004.a.
1105.d.
Pre-abandonment notice requirements for flowline or crude oil transfer
line for inspection.Operators must remove the flowline or crude oil
transfer line and its risers, the riser associated with cathodic protection,
and above-ground equipment, except where abandonment in place is less impactful
as articulated in subparts (2) and (3).
(1)
For on-location flowlines, the operator must submit notice to the Director of
the scheduled date for commencing abandonment with a Field Operations Notice,
Form 42 - Abandonment of Flowlines no less than 30 days before the operator
will commence abandonment.
(2) If
the off-location flowline or crude oil transfer line will be removed or
abandoned in place pursuant to one of the following exceptions, the operator
must submit notice to the Director of the scheduled date for commencing
abandonment that includes appropriate documentation. The operator must submit
the notice and appropriate documentation no less than 30 days before the
operator will commence abandonment. The Director may review the notice, if
necessary, to determine whether the proposed abandonment process is less
impactful to public health, safety, welfare, the environment and wildlife
resources. The Director's determination, if any, must be completed within 30
days of receiving the notice. Abandonment in place is allowed pursuant to the
process in this section if:
A. A surface owner
agreement executed by a surface owner allows abandonment in place;
B. The line is subject to the jurisdiction of
the federal government, and the relevant federal agency directs abandonment in
place;
C. The flowline or crude oil
transfer line is co-located with other active pipelines or utilities or is in a
recorded right of way;
D. Removal
of the flowline or crude oil transfer line would cause significant damage to
natural resources, including wildlife resources, topsoil, or
vegetation;
E. The flowline or
crude oil transfer line is in a restricted surface occupancy area or sensitive
wildlife habitat;
F. The flowline
or crude oil transfer line or a segment of the line crosses or is within 30
feet of a public road, railroad, bike path, public right of way, utility
corridor, or active utility or pipeline crossing;
G. The flowline or crude oil transfer line or
a segment of the line crosses or is within 30 feet of or under a river, stream,
lake, pond, reservoir, wetlands, watercourse, waterway, or spring; or
H. The operator demonstrates and quantifies
that the removal of the flowline or crude oil transfer line will cause
significant emissions of air pollutants.
(3) An operator may request abandonment in
place for off-location flowlines or crude oil transfer lines for reasons other
than those articulated in section (2). The operator must request abandonment in
place by submitting to the Director a Flowline Report, Form 44, no less than 30
days before the operator plans to commence abandonment. The Flowline Report
must include documentation demonstrating that abandonment in place, considering
any mitigation measures or best management practices, will be less impactful to
public health, safety, welfare, the environment, and wildlife resources than
removal. The Director may not approve the request for abandonment in place for
the line or a portion thereof unless the Director finds that abandonment in
place causes less impacts to public health, safety, welfare, the environment,
and wildlife resources than removal.
(4) Unless waived, the operator must provide
notice to the surface owner and the relevant local government simultaneously
with submitting notice to the Director pursuant to this Rule 1105.d. The local
government or surface owner must provide their comments to the Director within
15 days of receipt, regarding the proposed abandonment's impacts to public
health, safety, welfare, the environment, and wildlife resources.
1105.e.
Abandonment in place requirements. For a flowline or crude oil
transfer line abandoned in place, the operator must:
(1). Evacuate the flowline or crude oil
transfer line of any hydrocarbons or produced water to ensure the line is safe
and inert;
(2). Deplete the
flowline or crude oil transfer line to atmospheric pressure;
(3). Cut the flowline's or crude oil transfer
line's risers to three (3) feet below grade or to the depth of the flowline or
crude oil transfer line, whichever is shallower;
(4). Seal the ends of the flowline or crude
oil transfer line below grade;
(5).
Remove above-ground cathodic protection and equipment associated with the
riser; and
(6). Include pressure
test results conducted in the prior 12 months as well as identification of any
document numbers for a COGCC Spill/Release Report, Form 19, associated with the
abandoned line with the Flowline Report, Form 44, submitted pursuant to Rule
1105.f.(2); and
(7). For an
off-location flowline or crude oil transfer line abandoned in place pursuant to
Rule 1105.d.(2), the operator must submit documentation supporting the
applicable reason for abandonment in place with the Flowline Report, Form 44,
submitted pursuant to Rule 1105.f.(2).
1105.f.
Abandonment
Verification. Within 90 days of an operator completing abandonment
requirements for a flowline or crude oil transfer line, an operator must
submit:
(1) A Field Operations Notice, Form
42 - Abandonment of Flowlines, to the Director for an on-location flowline. If
the operator conducted a pressure test as part of the abandonment, a copy of
the pressure test shall be submitted with the Report of Abandonment, Form 6 -
Subsequent.
(2) A Flowline Report,
Form 44, to the Director for an off-location flowline or crude oil transfer
line, which must include:
A. Geographic
Information System (GIS) data that includes line alignment, if such GIS data
has not been submitted to the Commission for the line;
B. An account of the manner in which the
abandonment work was performed;
C.
Copies of any pressure test results run as part of the abandonment shall be
submitted with the Form 44 for off-location flowlines and crude oil transfer
lines; and
D. If the line was
abandoned in place, verification performed by a third party who:
i. Observed that the abandonment requirements
of Rule 1105.e.(1)-(4) were met; and
ii. Is a Professional Engineer registered
with the State of Colorado, working under the supervision of a Professional
Engineer registered with the State of Colorado, or has specific training and
experience abandoning lines in accordance with the requirements of Rule
1105.
1105.g. The Director will provide a Field
Operations Notice, Form 42 - Abandonment of Flowlines, for an on-location
flowline abandonment or a Flowline Report, Form 44, filed pursuant to Rule
1105.f. for an off-location flowline or crude oil transfer line abandonment to
the appropriate Local Governmental Designee and CO 811.
