Kansas Administrative Regulations
Agency 82 - KANSAS CORPORATION COMMISSION
Article 3 - PRODUCTION AND CONSERVATION OF OIL AND GAS
Section 82-3-405 - Casing and cement
Current through Register Vol. 43, No. 12, March 20, 2024
Injection wells shall be cased and the casing cemented so that damage will not be caused to hydrocarbon sources or fresh and usable water resources. Steel surface casing shall be set and cemented in the following manner:
(a) In existing wells to be converted to injection use, all additional casing that is next to the bore hole shall be cemented by circulating cement to the surface from a point at least 50 feet below the base of the lowest known fresh and usable water. If cement fails to circulate to the surface, staged squeezes shall be required to protect and isolate fresh and usable water resources. Cementing shall be completed with a portland cement blend, except as provided by K.A.R. 82-3-106(d)(3).
(b) The operator shall notify the appropriate district office before the cementing of the additional casing. A backside squeeze, the uncontrolled placement of cement in the annular space between the surface casing and the production casing from the surface down, shall be permitted only upon request to the appropriate district office. Each request shall be granted only upon the approval of the cement evaluation method to be utilized and submitted as verification of cement placement.
(c) An exception to the cementing requirements of subsection (a) may be granted by the director or the director's designee. A written request for exception shall be submitted to the conservation division and shall include cement evaluation logs demonstrating that the proposed alternate process adequately protects fresh and usable water resources. The alternate process shall be proposed to be performed between the casing and the borehole at a point at least 50 feet below the base of the lowest known fresh and usable water resources to ensure protection of fresh and usable water resources.
(d) If the injection zone lies stratigraphically above the Wellington salt and the wellbore has penetrated into or through the salt, a cement plug of at least 50 feet in length shall be placed in the borehole or casing below the injection zone and above the salt. However, if the plug is inside the casing, the annular space between the casing and the well bore shall be protected with cement through the same interval.
