Kan. Admin. Regs. § 82-3-1219 - Storage well plugging

(a) Any operator may plug any storage well pursuant to a well plugging plan signed by a licensed professional engineer or licensed professional geologist. Each plugging plan for a cavern storage well shall also be signed by a licensed professional land surveyor. The operator shall submit the plugging plan to the conservation division at least 60 days before the anticipated plugging date.

(b) Each operator submitting a plugging plan for any cavern storage well shall include the following:

(1) The portion of the safety and emergency response plan specified in K.A.R. 82-3-1216 that is applicable to the well plugging plan;

(2) a wellbore schematic of the storage well to be plugged;

(3) the updated local geological evaluation specified in K.A.R. 82-3-1208(h) and the updated layout of the storage facility specified in K.A.R. 82-3-1208(i);

(4) a record of each historical internal and external mechanical integrity test, salt roof thickness evaluation log, cement evaluation log, casing inspection log, and sonar survey for the storage well;

(5) evidence regarding whether the wellhead pressure for the cavern storage well has stabilized according to the plugging-monitoring status plan;

(6) procedures to set a mechanical bridge plug or other control device in the long string casing;

(7) procedures to place a cement plug above the storage cavern by a method that will prevent migration of fluid into or out of the storage cavern;

(8) procedures to establish a monument at the surface for elevation survey purposes for monitoring ground subsidence;

(9) procedures to perform land surveys every two years until the storage facility is abandoned pursuant to commission regulations; and

(10) a reasonable estimate of the cost to plug each cavern storage well currently in plugging-monitoring status.

(c) The operator of a cavern storage well shall perform additional testing or logging before plugging the cavern storage well if required by the conservation division due to the absence of current logs or tests or due to a lack of mechanical integrity of the cavern storage well that could result in a threat to public safety, usable water, or soil.

(d) Each operator shall plug any cavern storage well in plugging-monitoring status according to the plugging plan if both of the following conditions are met:

(1) The cavern storage well has been in plugging-mon-itoring status for at least five years.

(2) The director determines that the cavern storage well has been stabilized according to the plugging-monitoring status plan.

(e)

(1) Each operator submitting a well plugging plan for any reservoir storage well shall include the following:

(A) The portion of the safety and emergency response plan specified in K.A.R. 82-3-1216 that is applicable to the well plugging plan;

(B) a wellbore schematic of the storage well to be plugged;

(C) the updated local geological evaluation specified in K.A.R. 82-3-1208(h) and the updated layout of the storage facility specified in K.A.R. 82-3-1208(i);

(D) a record of each historical internal and external mechanical integrity test, cement evaluation log, and casing inspection log;

(E) procedures to set a mechanical bridge plug or other control device in the long string casing;

(F) procedures to place a cement plug above the storage reservoir by a method that will prevent migration of fluid into or out of the storage reservoir; and

(G) a reasonable estimate of the cost to plug each reservoir storage well.

(2) The operator shall perform additional testing or logging before plugging the reservoir storage well if required by the conservation division due to the absence of current logs or tests or due to a lack of mechanical integrity of the reservoir storage well that could result in a threat to public safety, usable water, or soil.

(f) Each operator shall plug any storage well within a time frame specified by the director if the director determines that the storage well presents a danger to public safety, usable water, or soil.

(g) Each operator shall submit a well plugging report within 30 days after plugging any storage well. This report shall contain the following information:

(1) The date the storage well was drilled and completed;

(2) the location of the storage well;

(3) the method used to plug the storage well; and

(4) any other information that is necessary to allow the director to determine whether the well was plugged in a manner that will protect public safety, usable water, and soil.

Notes

Kan. Admin. Regs. § 82-3-1219

Authorized by and implementing K.S.A. 2011 Supp. 66-1274; effective Dec. 21, 2012.