Louisiana Administrative Code
Title 43 - NATURAL RESOURCES
Part XVII - Office of Conservation-Injection and Mining
Subpart 4 - Statewide Order No. 29-M-2
Chapter 31 - Disposal of Exploration and Production Waste in Solution-Mined Salt Caverns
Section XVII-3121 - Operating Requirements

Universal Citation: LA Admin Code XVII-3121

Current through Register Vol. 50, No. 9, September 20, 2024

A. Cavern Roof

1. Without exception or variance to these rules and regulations, no salt cavern shall be used for E& P waste disposal if the salt cavern roof has grown above the top of the salt stock. The operation of an already permitted salt cavern shall cease and shall not be allowed to continue if information becomes available that shows this condition exist. The Office of Conservation may order the well and salt cavern closed according to an approved closure and post-closure plan.

2. The Office of Conservation may consider the use of a salt cavern for waste disposal if information exists that shows the salt cavern roof has grown vertically above the depth of the salt cavern well's deepest cemented casing seat. However, the salt cavern roof shall be below the top of the salt stock, the owner/operator shall meet the provisions for proving well/cavern mechanical integrity of §3129 and cavern configuration and capacity of §3131, and the owner/operator shall submit and carry out a plan for doing cavern roof monitoring. It shall be the duty of the well applicant or owner or operator to prove that operation of the salt cavern under this condition shall not endanger the environment, or the health, safety and welfare of the public.

B. Blanket Material. Before beginning waste disposal operations, a blanket material shall be placed into the salt cavern to prevent unwanted leaching of the cavern roof. The blanket material shall consist of crude oil, diesel, mineral oil, or other fluid possessing similar noncorrosive, nonsoluble, low-density properties. The blanket material shall be placed between the outermost hanging string and innermost cemented casing of the salt cavern and shall be of sufficient volume to coat the entire cavern roof. The cavern roof and level of the blanket material shall be monitored at least once every five years by running a density interface survey or using an alternative method approved by the Office of Conservation.

C. Remedial Work. No remedial work or repair work of any kind shall be done on the salt cavern well or salt cavern without prior authorization from the Office of Conservation. The provision for prior authorization shall also extend to doing mechanical integrity pressure and leak tests and sonar caliper surveys. The owner or operator or its agent shall submit a valid work permit request form (Form UIC-17 or successor). Before beginning well or cavern remedial work, the pressure in the salt cavern shall be relieved, as practicable, to zero pounds per square inch as measured at the surface.

D. Well Recompletion-Casing Repair. The following applies to salt cavern wells where remedial work results from well upgrade, casing wear, or similar condition. For each paragraph below, a casing inspection log shall be done on the entire length of the innermost cemented casing in the well before doing any casing upgrade or repair. Authorization from the Office of Conservation shall be obtained before beginning any well recompletion, repair, upgrade, or closure. A salt cavern well that cannot be repaired or upgraded shall be properly closed according to §3141

1. Liner. A liner may be used to recomplete or repair a well with severe casing damage. The liner shall be run from the well surface to the base of the innermost cemented casing. The liner shall be cemented over its entire length and shall be successfully pressure tested.

2. Casing Patch. Internal casing patches shall not be used to repair severely corroded or damaged casing. Casing patches shall only be used for repairing or covering isolated pitting, corrosion, or similar localized damage. The casing patch shall extend a minimum of 10 feet above and below the area being repaired. The entire casing shall be successfully pressure tested.

E. Multiple Well Caverns. No newly permitted well shall be drilled into a existing salt cavern until the cavern pressure has been relieved, as practicable, to zero pounds per square inch as measured at the surface.

F. Cavern Allowable Operating Pressure.

1. The maximum allowable salt cavern injection pressure shall be calculated at a depth referenced to the shallower of either the salt cavern roof or the well's deepest cemented casing seat. When measured at the surface and calculated with respect to the appropriate reference depth, the maximum allowable salt cavern injection pressure shall never exceed a pressure gradient of 0.80 PSI per foot of vertical depth.

2. The salt cavern shall never be operated at pressures over the maximum allowable injection pressure defined above, exceed the maximum allowable pressure as may be established by permit, or exceed the rated burst or collapse pressure of all well tubulars (cemented or hanging strings) even for short periods, including pressure pulsation peaks, abnormal operating conditions, well or cavern tests.

3. The maximum injection pressure for a salt cavern shall be determined after considering the properties of all injected fluids, the physical properties of the salt stock, well and cavern design, neighboring activities within and above the salt stock, etc.

4. Shut-in pressure at the surface on the fluid withdrawal string or any annulus shall not be greater than 200 PSIG.

G. Cavern Displaced Fluid Management. The operator shall maintain a strict accounting of the fluid volume displaced from the salt cavern. Fluid displaced from a salt cavern shall be managed in a way that is protective of the environment. Such methods may include subsurface disposal via a properly permitted Class II disposal well, onsite storage for recycling as a waste carrier fluid, or any other method approved by the appropriate regulatory authority.

H. Waste Storage. Without exception or variance to these rules and regulations, all E& P wastes shall be stored in aboveground storage tanks. Storing wastes in open pits, cells, or similar earthen or open structures is strictly prohibited. Storage tanks shall be constructed of fiberglass, metal, or other similar material. All waste storage areas shall be built on concrete slabs/pads, be enclosed by retaining walls of required construction, and possess a means for the collection of spilled fluids.

I. Time Limits for Onsite Waste Storage. E& P waste accepted for disposal shall not be held in storage at the facility for more than 14 consecutive days. The Office of Conservation may grant a wavier to this requirement for extenuating circumstances only.

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.
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