Current through Register Vol. 43, No. 12, March 20,
2024
(a) Each permittee
shall submit a plan to the secretary for review and consideration for approval
to ensure the protection of public health, safety, and the environment before
conducting any underground natural gas storage well or cavern testing. Testing
shall not commence without prior approval from the secretary.
(b) Each permittee shall submit a summary of
the test to the secretary within 45 days after completion of the test. The
summary shall include the following:
(1) A
chronology of the test;
(2) copies
of all logs;
(3) storage well
completion information;
(4)
pressure readings;
(5) volume
measurements; and
(6) an
explanation of the test results.
(c) Each permittee shall test each
underground natural gas storage well and each underground natural gas storage
cavern for integrity. The following requirements shall apply:
(1) Each permittee of any new underground
natural gas storage cavern shall test for integrity using a nitrogen interface
test before the cavern is initially placed in service.
(2) Each permittee shall conduct a hydraulic
pressure test for each underground natural gas storage well every five years.
(3) Each permittee shall conduct a
pressure test for each underground natural gas storage cavern every five years.
(4) Integrity tests shall be
conducted as follows:
(A) After each
workover;
(B) before injecting
working gas into any existing underground natural gas storage well that was
prohibited from being injected with working gas as specified in
K.S.A.
55-1,117 and amendments thereto; and
(C) before plugging the well.
(5) Each permittee
shall submit a test procedure plan to the secretary, on a form furnished by the
department, for review and consideration for approval, at least 60 days before
test commencement. The plan shall include the following:
(A) The justification for the test
parameters;
(B) the test
sensitivities; and
(C) the pass
and fail criteria for the test.
(6) Each permittee shall notify the secretary
at least five days before conducting any integrity test.
(7) The integrity test shall be conducted at
the maximum allowable operating pressure.
(8) All test procedures shall use certified
gauges and pressure transducers that are calibrated annually.
(d) Any permittee may use an
alternative integrity test method if the secretary determines that the
alternative test method is substantially equivalent to the integrity test
specified in subsection (c). The permittee shall submit the following
information:
(1) A description of the test
method and the theory of operation including the test sensitivities, a
justification for the test parameters, and the pass and fail criteria for the
test;
(2) a description of the
well and cavern conditions under which the test can be conducted;
(3) the procedure for interpreting the test
results; and
(4) an interpretation
of the test upon completion of the test.
(e) Each permittee shall ensure the
mechanical integrity of the underground natural gas storage cavern and well
before placing the cavern and well into service.
(f) Each permittee shall submit a casing
evaluation for each underground natural gas storage well. Acceptable casing
evaluation methods shall include magnetic flux and ultrasonic imaging.
(g) Any permittee may use an
alternative casing evaluation method if the secretary determines that the
alternative casing evaluation method is substantially equivalent to the casing
evaluation methods specified in subsection (f). The permittee shall meet the
following requirements:
(1) Each permittee
shall submit a description of the logging method, including the theory of
operation and the well conditions suitable for log use.
(2) Each permittee shall submit the
specifications for the logging tool, including tool dimensions, maximum
temperature and pressure rating, recommended logging speed, approximate image
resolution, and hole size range.
(3) Each permittee shall describe the
capabilities of the log for determining the following:
(A) The presence of any metal loss due to
either of the following:
(i) Internal or
external corrosion; or
(ii)
internal wear;
(B) the
degree of penetration of the corrosion or the casing defect; and
(C) the circumferential extent of the
corrosion or the casing defect.
(4) Each permittee shall submit a log and an
interpretation of the log to the secretary.
(h) Each permittee shall submit a casing
evaluation according to the following schedule:
(1) Every 10 years;
(2) before the injection of working gas in an
existing underground natural gas storage well; and
(3) after any workover in which the injection
string is pulled, if present.
(i) A licensed professional engineer or a
licensed geologist, or a licensed professional engineer's or licensed
geologist's designee, shall supervise all test procedures and associated field
activity.
(j) A licensed
professional engineer or a licensed geologist shall review all test results.
(k) Each permittee shall visually
inspect the wellhead monthly for any leakage.
(l) Each permittee shall conduct an
inspection of facility records, using a form furnished by the department, every
two years to ensure that the required records are being properly maintained.
The permittee shall maintain these records at the facility and shall make the
records available to the secretary upon request.
