N.J. Admin. Code § 7:14A-8.13 - Specific operating criteria and construction standards applicable to Class I wells
(a) This section
establishes the operating criteria and construction standards for Class I wells
disposing of municipal and/or industrial wastes (other than hazardous wastes or
radioactive wastes), where the injection stream quality meets limits
established in an individual UIC permit based on primary drinking water
standards or applicable ground water quality standards, including
anti-degradation or non-degradation policies.
(b) Construction requirements for Class I
wells are as follows:
1. Class I wells shall,
at a minimum, be constructed in accordance with the requirements and
specifications set forth in N.J.A.C. 7:9D. More stringent requirements will be
imposed, based on an evaluation of the nature of the injection fluid and/or of
geological conditions, or where the Department otherwise determines that it is
appropriate.
2. All Class I wells
shall be cased and cemented to prevent the movement of fluids into or between
underground sources of drinking water. The casing and cement used in the
construction of each newly drilled well shall be designed for the life
expectancy of the well. In determining and specifying casing and cementing
requirements, the following factors shall be considered:
i. Depth to injection zone;
ii. Injection pressure, external pressure,
internal pressure, and axial loading;
iii. Hole size;
iv. Size and grade of all casing strings
(wall thickness, diameter, nominal weight, length, joint specifications, and
construction material);
v.
Corrosiveness of injected fluid, formation fluids, and temperatures;
vi. Lithology of injection and confining
intervals; and
vii. Type and grade
of cement.
3. All Class
I injection wells shall inject fluids through tubing with a packer set
immediately above the injection zone, or tubing with an approved fluid seal as
an alternative. The tubing, packer, and fluid seal shall be designed for the
expected service.
i. To obtain approval of
the use of an alternative to a packer, the operator of the injection well shall
submit a written request to the Department, which shall set forth the proposed
alternative and all technical data supporting its use. The Department shall
approve the request if the alternative method will reliably provide a
comparable level of protection to underground sources of drinking water. The
Department may approve an alternative method solely for an individual well or
for general use.
ii. In determining
and specifying requirements for tubing, packer, or alternatives the following
factors shall be considered:
(1) The depth of
setting;
(2) The characteristics of
injection fluid (chemical content, corrosiveness, and density);
(3) The injection pressure;
(4) The annular pressure;
(5) The rate, temperature and volume of
injected fluids; and
(6) The size
of casing.
4.
Appropriate logs and other tests shall be conducted during the drilling and
construction of new Class I wells. A descriptive report interpreting the
results of such logs and tests shall be prepared by a qualified log analyst and
submitted to the Department. At a minimum, such logs and tests shall include:
i. Deviation checks on all holes constructed
by first drilling a pilot hole, and then enlarging the pilot hole by reaming or
another method. Such checks shall be at sufficiently frequent intervals to
ensure that vertical avenues for fluid migration in the form of diverging holes
are not created during drilling; and
ii. Such other logs and tests as may be
needed after taking into account the availability of similar data in the area
of the drilling site, the construction plan, and the need for additional
information, that may arise from time to time as the construction of the well
progresses. For surface casings and for intermediate and long strings of
casings, the following logs shall be used:
(1) For surface casing intended to protect
underground sources of drinking water:
(A)
Resistivity, spontaneous potential, gamma ray, and caliper logs before the
casing is installed; and
(B) A
cement bond, temperature, or density log after the casing is set and
cemented.
(2) For
intermediate and long strings of casing intended to facilitate injection:
(A) Resistivity, spontaneous potential,
porosity, and gamma ray logs before the casing is installed;
(B) Fracture finder logs; and
(C) A cement bond, temperature, or density
log after the casing is set and cemented.
5. At a minimum, the following
information concerning the injection formation shall be determined or
calculated for new Class I wells:
i. Fluid
pressure;
ii.
Temperature;
iii. Fracture
pressure;
iv. Other physical and
chemical characteristics of the injection zone; and
v. Physical and chemical characteristics of
the formation fluids.
(c) Operating, monitoring and reporting
requirements for Class I wells are as follows:
1. Operating requirements shall, at a
minimum, specify that:
i. Injection pressure
at the wellhead shall not exceed a maximum which shall be calculated so as to
ensure that the pressure in the injection zone during injection does not
initiate new fractures or propagate existing fractures in the injection zone,
initiate fractures in the confining zone or cause the movement of injection or
formation fluids into an underground source of drinking water;
ii. Injection between the outermost casing
protecting underground sources of drinking water and the well bore is
prohibited;
iii. Unless an
alternative to a packer has been approved under (b)3 above, the annulus between
the tubing and the long string of casings shall be filled with a fluid approved
by the Department.
2.
Monitoring requirements shall, at a minimum, include:
i. The analysis of the injected fluids with
sufficient frequency to yield data representative of the fluids'
characteristics;
ii. Installation
and use of continuous recording devices to monitor injection pressure, flow
rate and volume, and the pressure on the annulus between the tubing and the
long string of casing;
iii. A
demonstration of mechanical integrity pursuant to
7:14A-8.12(c) at
least once every five years during the life of the well; and
iv. The type, number and location of wells
within the area of review to be used to monitor any migration of fluids into
and pressure in the underground sources of drinking water, the parameters to be
measured and the frequency of monitoring.
3. Reporting requirements shall, at a
minimum, include:
i. Quarterly reports to the
Department on:
(1) The physical, chemical and
other relevant characteristics of injection fluids;
(2) Monthly average, maximum and minimum
values for injection pressure, flow rate and volume, and annular pressure;
and
(3) The results of monitoring
prescribed under (c)2iv above; and
ii. The results of the following tests,
submitted with the first quarterly report due after the respective test's
completion:
(1) Periodic tests of mechanical
integrity;
(2) Any other test of
the injection well conducted by the permittee if required by the Department;
and
(3) Any well repair.
Notes
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