North Dakota Administrative Code
Title 43 - Industrial Commission
Article 43-02 - Mineral Exploration and Development
Chapter 43-02-03 - Oil and Gas Conservation
Section 43-02-03-27.1 - Hydraulic fracture stimulation

Universal Citation: ND Admin Code ยง 43-02-03-27.1

Current through Supplement No. 392, April, 2024

1. Prior to performing any hydraulic fracture stimulation, including refracs, through a frac string run inside the casing string:

a. Remedial work must be performed on all casing strings deemed defective pursuant to section 43-02-03-22 prior to performance at the discretion of the director.

b. The frac string must be either stung into a liner with the hanger/packer located in cemented casing or run with a packer set at a minimum depth of one hundred feet [30.48 meters] below the top of cement or a minimum depth of one hundred feet [30.48 meters] below the top of the Inyan Kara formation, whichever is deeper.

c. The casing-frac string annulus must be pressurized and monitored during frac operations. If there is a suspected frac string or casing failure, the operator of the well shall verbally notify the director as soon as practicable.

d. An adequately sized, function tested pressure relief valve must be utilized on the treating lines from the pumps to the wellhead, with suitable check valves to limit the volume of flowback fluid should the relief valve open. The relief valve must be set to limit line pressure to no more than eighty-five percent of the internal yield pressure of the frac string.

e. An adequately sized, function tested pressure relief valve and an adequately sized diversion line must be utilized to divert flow from the casing to a pit or containment vessel in case of frac string failure. The relief valve must be set to limit annular pressure to no more than eighty-five percent of the lowest internal yield pressure of the casing string or no greater than the pressure test on the intermediate casing, less one hundred pounds per square inch gauge, whichever is less.

f. The surface casing must be fully open and connected to a diversion line rigged to a pit or containment vessel.

g. An adequately sized, function tested remote operated frac valve must be utilized at a location on the christmas tree that provides isolation of the well bore from the treating line and must be remotely operated from the edge of the location or other safe distance.

h. Notify the director within twenty-four hours after the commencement of hydraulic fracture stimulation operations, in an electronic format approved by the director, identifying the subject well and verifying a frac string was run in the well.

i. Within sixty days after the hydraulic fracture stimulation is performed, the owner, operator, or service company shall post on the fracfocus chemical disclosure registry all elements made viewable by the fracfocus website.

2. Prior to performing any hydraulic fracture stimulation, including refracs, through a casing string:

a. Remedial work must be performed on all casing strings deemed defective pursuant to section 43-02-03-22 prior to performance at the discretion of the director.

b. The maximum treating pressure may not be greater than eighty-five percent of the American petroleum institute rating of the affected casing string.

c. Casing evaluation tools to verify adequate wall thickness of any affected casing string must be run from the wellhead to a depth as close as practicable to one hundred feet [30.48 meters] above the completion formation and a visual inspection with photographs shall be made of the top joint of the casing and the wellhead flange. The visual inspection and photograph requirement may be waived by the director for good cause.

If the casing evaluation tool or visual inspection indicates wall thickness is below the American petroleum institute minimum or a lighter weight of casing than the well design called for, calculations must be made to determine the reduced pressure rating. If the reduced pressure rating is less than the anticipated treating pressure, a frac string must be run inside the casing.

d. Cement evaluation tools to verify adequate cementing of each casing string shall be run from the wellhead to a depth as close as practicable to one hundred feet [30.48 meters] above the completion formation.
(1) If the cement evaluation tool indicates defective casing or cementing, a frac string must be run inside the casing.

(2) If the cement evaluation tool indicates the casing string cemented in the well fails to satisfy section 43-02-03-21, a frac string must be run inside the casing.

e. Each affected casing string and the wellhead must be pressure tested for at least thirty minutes with less than five percent loss to a pressure equal to or in excess of the maximum frac design pressure.

f. If the pressure rating of the wellhead does not exceed the maximum frac design pressure, a wellhead and blowout preventer protection system must be utilized during the frac.

g. An adequately sized, function tested pressure relief valve must be utilized on the treating lines from the pumps to the wellhead, with suitable check valves to limit the volume of flowback fluid should be the relief valve open. The relief valve must be set to limit line pressure to no greater than the test pressure of the casing, less one hundred pounds per square inch [689.48 kilopascals].

h. The surface casing value must be fully open and connected to a diversion line rigged to a pit or containment vessel.

i. An adequately sized, function tested remote operated frac valve must be utilized between the treating line and the wellhead.

j. If there is a suspected casing failure, the operator of the well shall verbally notify the director as soon as practicable.

k. Notify the director within twenty-four hours after the commencement of hydraulic fracture stimulation operations, in an electronic format approved by the director, identifying the subject well and verifying all logs and pressure tests have been performed as required.

l. Within sixty days after the hydraulic fracture stimulation is performed, the owner, operator, or service company shall post on the fracfocus chemical disclosure registry all elements made viewable by the fracfocus website.

3. If during the stimulation, the pressure in the casing-surface casing annulus exceeds three hundred fifty pounds per square inch [2413 kilopascals] gauge, the owner or operator shall verbally notify the director as soon as practicable but no later than twenty-four hours following the incident.

General Authority: NDCC 38-08-04

Law Implemented: NDCC 38-08-04

Disclaimer: These regulations may not be the most recent version. North Dakota 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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