Louisiana Administrative Code
Title 43 - NATURAL RESOURCES
Part XIX - Office of Conservation-General Operations
Subpart 1 - Statewide Order No. 29-B
Chapter 4 - Pollution Control (Class II Injection/Disposal Well Regulations)
Section XIX-405 - Application Requirements for New Enhanced Recovery Injection and New Saltwater Disposal Wells
Universal Citation: LA Admin Code XIX-405
Current through Register Vol. 50, No. 9, September 20, 2024
A. Each application for the approval of a new enhanced recovery injection well or disposal well shall be filed on Form MD-10-R and shall be verified by a duly authorized representative of the operator. The original and one copy of the application and two complete sets of attachments shall be furnished to the commissioner. An application for the approval of an injection well which is a part of a proposed enhanced recovery operation may be consolidated with the application for the approval of the enhanced recovery project (see §407).
B. The application for the approval of an enhanced recovery injection or disposal well or wells shall be accompanied by:
1. a map showing the disposal
well or enhanced recovery project area for which a permit is sought and the
applicable area of review (for individual wells-1/4 mile radius; for enhanced
recovery projects-the project area plus a circumscribing area the width of
which is 1/4 mile) and the following information:
a. within the area of review, the map must
show the number or name and location of all existing producing wells, injection
wells, abandoned wells and dry holes;
b. identification of the surface owner of the
land on which the enhanced recovery injection or disposal is to be located
within the area of review;
c.
identification of each operator of a producing leasehold within the area of
review;
d. the map may also show
surface bodies of water, mines (surface and subsurface), quarries and other
pertinent surface features including residences and roads, and faults if known
or projected; and
e. only
information on file with the Office of Conservation and pertinent information
known to the applicant is required to be included on this map;
2. if the well has been drilled, a
copy of the Well History and Work Resume Report (WH-1) and any available
electric or radioactive log of the well. A descriptive statement of the
proposed zone to be used for injection or disposal. The approximate depth of
said zone in the case of undrilled wells along with an electric or radioactive
log of a nearby well, if available;
3. a schematic diagram of the well showing:
a. the total depth, drilled out depth or
plugged back depth of the well;
b.
the depth of the top of the injection or disposal interval;
c. the geological name of the injection or
disposal zone;
d. the depths of the
tops and bottoms of the casing and amount of cement used to cement each string
of casing (every well used for injection shall be cased, cemented and tested in
accordance with
§415 of this Order);
e. the size of the casing and tubing, and the
depth of the packer; and
f. the
depth of the base of the deepest USDW;
4. information showing that injection into
the proposed zone will not initiate fractures through the overlying strata
which could enable the injection fluid or formation fluid to enter an
underground source of drinking water. This requirement will be satisfied upon
proper demonstration by the applicant that the pressure in the well at the
depth of injection shall not exceed 75 percent of the pressure needed to
fracture the formation;
5. proposed
operating data:
a. daily injection rates and
pressures;
b. geologic names,
depths and location of injection fluid sources;
c. qualitative and quantitative analysis of
water from two or more existing water wells within 1/4 mile of proposed
enhanced recovery injection or disposal well or wells. Give location of said
water wells and date(s) samples were taken, or statement why samples were not
submitted;
d. qualitative and
quantitative analysis of representative sample of water to be
injected;
e. geological name of
injection zone and vertical distance separating top of injection zone from base
of the deepest USDW, and a geological description of each major separating bed
including individual bed thickness; and
f. geological name, if known, and depth of
the base of the deepest USDW.
C. Area of Review for Enhanced Oil Recovery Wells Injecting Carbon Dioxide
1. The area of
review (AOR) will be the approved enhanced oil recovery (EOR) project area plus
the surrounding region where USDWs may be endangered by the carbon dioxide
(CO2) injection activities, at a minimum, no less than
1/4 mile beyond the project area. The AOR shall extend no closer than 1/2 mile,
at a minimum, to any EOR well injecting or permitted to inject
CO2. For EOR projects injecting
CO2 that are permitted as of the effective date of these
regulations, the owner or operator of the project has 30 days from the
effective date of these regulations to submit a plan to the commissioner to
come into compliance with
§405 C, D, and E.
2. If it is determined at any time that the
injected CO2 and associated reservoir fluids have
migrated beyond the boundary of the approved EOR project area, the AOR shall be
redefined to extend, at a minimum, no less than an additional 1/4 mile beyond
the migrating front.
3. The owner
or operator of a class II EOR CO2 injection well must
submit a plan acceptable to the commissioner to periodically reevaluate the AOR
for the proposed CO2 EOR project and perform corrective
action for any identified deficient wells. The AOR must be reevaluated on a
frequency not to exceed five years.
4. The owner or operator of the class II EOR
CO2 injection well must identify all penetrations within
the defined AOR including active and abandoned wells, underground mines, and
any other man-made penetrations that penetrate the confining zone above the
permitted EOR injection zone.
5.
The owner or operator must determine which wells within the AOR have been
constructed and/or plugged in a manner that prevents movement of
CO2 or other fluids that may endanger USDWs, and any
wells which may require corrective action to ensure protection of
USDWs.
6. For phased implementation
of an EOR project injecting CO2, the commissioner may
allow injection operations to commence prior to a complete evaluation of all
wellbores within the AOR if the operator presents a plan acceptable to the
commissioner to complete the evaluation and perform any required corrective
action in advance of the injected carbon dioxide and associated reservoir
fluids migration to the area. The plan must include a method to monitor the
injected carbon dioxide and associated reservoir fluids to ensure that the AOR
review and any corrective action is performed at least 1/2 mile ahead of the
boundary of the migrating front.
D. Corrective Action for Enhanced Oil Recovery Projects Injecting Carbon Dioxide
1.
Owners or operators of class II EOR CO2 injection wells
must perform corrective action on all wells in the area of review that the
commissioner has determined to require corrective action.
2. Owners or operators of class II EOR
CO2 injection wells shall submit a corrective action
plan acceptable to the commissioner addressing all identified deficiencies
within a time specified by the commissioner.
E. Emergency and Remedial Response for Enhanced Oil Recovery Projects Injecting Carbon Dioxide
1. As part of the permit application for a
class II EOR CO2 well, the owner or operator must
provide the commissioner with an emergency and remedial response plan that
outlines the actions the owner or operator must take to address movement of the
injection or formation fluids that may cause an endangerment to a USDW during
construction and operational periods.
2. If the owner or operator obtains evidence
that the injected carbon dioxide and/or associated reservoir fluids are no
longer confined to the permitted EOR injection zone or may cause an
endangerment to a USDW, the owner or operator must:
a. take all steps reasonably necessary to
identify, characterize, and control any release;
b. notify the commissioner within 24 hours;
and
c. implement the emergency and
remedial response plan approved by the commissioner.
3. The owner or operator shall review the
emergency and remedial response plan developed under
§405. E.1 periodically,
but at least once every five years. Based on this review, the owner or operator
shall submit an amended emergency and remedial response plan or demonstrate to
the commissioner that no amendment to the emergency and remedial response plan
is needed. Any amendments to the emergency and remedial response plan must be
approved by the commissioner and are subject to the permit modification
requirements at §411, as appropriate. Amended plans or demonstrations shall be
submitted to the commissioner as follows:
a.
within one year of an AOR reevaluation;
b. following any significant changes to the
EOR project, such as the addition of injection wells or the reclassification of
wells; or
c. when required by the
commissioner.
AUTHORITY NOTE: Promulgated in accordance with R.S. 30:4 et seq.
Disclaimer: These regulations may not be the most recent version. Louisiana may have more current or accurate information. We make no warranties or guarantees about the accuracy, completeness, or adequacy of the information contained on this site or the information linked to on the state site. Please check official sources.
This site is protected by reCAPTCHA and the Google
Privacy Policy and
Terms of Service apply.
