Current through Register Vol. 47, No. 17, September 10, 2024
For the purpose of this Rule, a mechanical integrity test of
a Well is a test to determine if there is a significant leak in the Well's
casing, tubing, or mechanical isolation device, or if there is significant
Fluid movement through vertical channels to other formations.
a.
Injection Wells. A mechanical
integrity test will be performed on all injection Wells.
(1) The mechanical integrity test will
include one of the following tests to determine whether significant leaks are
present in the casing, tubing, or mechanical isolation device:
A. Isolation of the tubing-casing Annulus
with a packer set at 100 feet or less above the highest open Injection Zone
perforation, unless an alternate isolation distance is approved in writing by
the Director. The pressure test will be with liquid or gas at a pressure of not
less than 300 psi or the average injection pressure, whichever is greater, and
not more than the maximum permitted injection pressure;
B. The monitoring and reporting to the
Director, on a monthly basis for 60 consecutive months, of the average
casing-tubing Annulus pressure, following an initial pressure test;
or
C. Any equivalent test or
combination of tests approved by the Director.
(2) The mechanical integrity test will
include one of the following tests to determine whether there are significant
Fluid movements in vertical channels adjacent to the wellbore:
A. Cementing records which will only be valid
for injection Wells in existence prior to July 1, 1986;
B. Tracer surveys;
C. Cement bond log or other acceptable cement
evaluation log;
D. Temperature
surveys; or
E. Any other equivalent
test or combination of tests approved by the Director.
(3) No person will inject fluids via a new
injection Well unless a mechanical integrity test on the Well has been
performed and supporting documents including Form 21, Mechanical Integrity
Test, submitted and approved by the Director. Oral approval may be granted for
continuous injection following a successful test.
(4) Following the performance of the initial
mechanical integrity test required by Rule 417.a.(3), additional mechanical
integrity tests will be performed on each type of injection Well as follows:
A.
Class II UIC Well. As long as
it is used for the injection of Fluids, mechanical integrity tests will be
performed at the rate of not less than 1 test every 5 years, except as
specified by Rule 417.a.(4).C below. Five year periods will commence on the
date the initial mechanical integrity test is performed or the date of a
mechanical integrity test specified in Rule 417.a.(4).C below.
B.
Simultaneous Injection Well.
No additional tests will be required after the initial mechanical integrity
test.
C.
All Injection
Wells. A new mechanical integrity test will be performed after any
casing repairs, after resetting the tubing or mechanical isolation device, or
whenever the tubing or mechanical isolation devise is moved during workover
operations.
(5) All
injection Well mechanical integrity tests will be witnessed by the
Director.
b.
Shut-in Wells. All Shut-in Wells will pass a mechanical integrity
test.
(1) A mechanical integrity test will be
performed on each Shut-in Well within 2 years of the initial shut-in
date.
(2) Subsequently, a
mechanical integrity test will be performed on each Shut-in Well on 5-year
intervals from the date the initial mechanical integrity test was performed, as
long as the Well remains shut-in.
(3) The mechanical integrity test for a
Shut-in Well will be performed after isolating the wellbore with a bridge plug
or similar approved isolating device set 100 feet or less above the highest
open perforation. The pressure test will be with liquid or gas at an initial,
stabilized surface pressure of not less than 300 psi surface pressure or any
equivalent test or combination of tests approved by the Director.
(4) Not less than 48 hours prior to returning
an inactive, Shut-In Well to production or injection, an Operator will submit a
Form 42 - Notice of Return to Service, to the Director of the scheduled date
for returning the Well to production or injection to allow the Commission to
inspect.
c.
Temporarily Abandoned Wells. All Temporarily Abandoned Wells will
pass a mechanical integrity test.
(1) A
mechanical integrity test will be performed on each Temporarily Abandoned Well
within 30 days of temporarily abandoning the well.
(2) Subsequently, a mechanical integrity test
will be performed on each Temporarily Abandoned Well on 5 year intervals from
the date of the initial mechanical integrity test was performed, as long as the
Well remained temporarily abandoned.
(3) The mechanical integrity test for a
Temporarily Abandoned Well will be performed after isolating the wellbore with
a bridge plug or similar approved isolating device set 100 feet or less above
the highest open perforation. The pressure test will be liquid or gas at an
initial, stabilized surface pressure of not less than 300 psi surface pressure
or any equivalent test or combination of tests approved by the
Director.
(4) Not less than 48
hours prior to returning an inactive, Temporarily Abandoned Well to production
or injection, an Operator will submit a Form 42 - Notice of Return to Service,
to the Director of the scheduled date for returning the Well to production or
injection to allow the Commission to inspect the installation of equipment or
conduct of the mechanical intervention.
d.
Suspended Operations and Waiting on
Completion Wells. A mechanical integrity test will be performed on
Suspended Operations Wells and Waiting On Completion Wells as described in this
Rule 417.d.
(1) A mechanical integrity test
will be performed on each Suspended Operations Well within 2 years of setting
any casing string and suspending operations prior to reaching permitted total
depth.
(2) A mechanical integrity
test will be performed on each Waiting On Completion Well within 2 years of
setting production casing.
(3)
Subsequently, a mechanical integrity test will be performed on each Suspended
Operations Well and Waiting On Completion Well on 5 year intervals from the
date that the initial mechanical integrity test was performed, as long as the
Well remains in a suspended operations or waiting on completion
status.
(4) The mechanical
integrity test for a Suspended Operations Well and Waiting On Completion Well
will be performed to verify integrity of the casing string being tested. The
pressure test will be liquid or gas at an initial, stabilized surface pressure
of not less than 300 psi surface pressure or any equivalent test or combination
of tests approved by the Director.
e. Not less than 10 days prior to the
performance of any mechanical integrity test required by this Rule 417, any
person required to perform the test will notify the Director with a Form 42 -
Mechanical Integrity Test, of the scheduled date and time when the test will be
performed.
f. All Wells will
maintain mechanical integrity. All Wells which lack mechanical integrity, as
determined through a mechanical integrity test, or other means, will be
repaired or Plugged and Abandoned within 6 months. If an Operator has performed
a mechanical integrity test within the 2 years required for Shut-in Wells or
the 30 days required for Temporarily Abandoned Wells by this Rule, the Operator
will have 6 months from the date of the unsuccessful test to make repairs or
Plug and Abandon the Well. If the Operator has not performed a mechanical
integrity test within the required time frames in Rules 417.b.(1) & c.(1),
the Operator will not be given an additional 6 months in the event of an
unsuccessful test.
g. Mechanical
integrity test pressure loss or gain will not exceed 10% of the initial
stabilized surface pressure over a test period of 15 minutes. The test may be
repeated if the pressure loss or gain is determined to be the result of
compression related to gas dissolution from the Fluid column or temperature
effects related to the Fluid used to load the column. Wells that do not satisfy
this test requirement are considered to lack mechanical integrity and are
subject to the requirements of Rule 417.f.
