2 Colo. Code Regs. § 404-1-417
Current through Register Vol. 47, No. 20, October 25, 2024
Section 2 CCR 404-1-417 - MECHANICAL INTEGRITY TESTINGFor the purpose of this Rule, a mechanical integrity test of a Well is a test to determine if there is a significant leak in the Well's casing, tubing, or mechanical isolation device, or if there is significant Fluid movement through vertical channels to other formations.
a.Injection Wells. A mechanical integrity test will be performed on all injection Wells. (1) The mechanical integrity test will include one of the following tests to determine whether significant leaks are present in the casing, tubing, or mechanical isolation device: A. Isolation of the tubing-casing Annulus with a packer set at 100 feet or less above the highest open Injection Zone perforation, unless an alternate isolation distance is approved in writing by the Director. The pressure test will be with liquid or gas at a pressure of not less than 300 psi or the average injection pressure, whichever is greater, and not more than the maximum permitted injection pressure;B. The monitoring and reporting to the Director, on a monthly basis for 60 consecutive months, of the average casing-tubing Annulus pressure, following an initial pressure test; orC. Any equivalent test or combination of tests approved by the Director.(2) The mechanical integrity test will include one of the following tests to determine whether there are significant Fluid movements in vertical channels adjacent to the wellbore: A. Cementing records which will only be valid for injection Wells in existence prior to July 1, 1986;C. Cement bond log or other acceptable cement evaluation log;D. Temperature surveys; orE. Any other equivalent test or combination of tests approved by the Director.(3) No person will inject fluids via a new injection Well unless a mechanical integrity test on the Well has been performed and supporting documents including Form 21, Mechanical Integrity Test, submitted and approved by the Director. Oral approval may be granted for continuous injection following a successful test.(4) Following the performance of the initial mechanical integrity test required by Rule 417.a.(3), additional mechanical integrity tests will be performed on each type of injection Well as follows: A.Class II UIC Well. As long as it is used for the injection of Fluids, mechanical integrity tests will be performed at the rate of not less than 1 test every 5 years, except as specified by Rule 417.a.(4).C below. Five year periods will commence on the date the initial mechanical integrity test is performed or the date of a mechanical integrity test specified in Rule 417.a.(4).C below.B.Simultaneous Injection Well. No additional tests will be required after the initial mechanical integrity test.C.All Injection Wells. A new mechanical integrity test will be performed after any casing repairs, after resetting the tubing or mechanical isolation device, or whenever the tubing or mechanical isolation devise is moved during workover operations.(5) All injection Well mechanical integrity tests will be witnessed by the Director.b.Shut-in Wells. All Shut-in Wells will pass a mechanical integrity test.(1) A mechanical integrity test will be performed on each Shut-in Well within 2 years of the initial shut-in date.(2) Subsequently, a mechanical integrity test will be performed on each Shut-in Well on 5-year intervals from the date the initial mechanical integrity test was performed, as long as the Well remains shut-in.(3) The mechanical integrity test for a Shut-in Well will be performed after isolating the wellbore with a bridge plug or similar approved isolating device set 100 feet or less above the highest open perforation. The pressure test will be with liquid or gas at an initial, stabilized surface pressure of not less than 300 psi surface pressure or any equivalent test or combination of tests approved by the Director.(4) Not less than 48 hours prior to returning an inactive, Shut-In Well to production or injection, an Operator will submit a Form 42 - Notice of Return to Service, to the Director of the scheduled date for returning the Well to production or injection to allow the Commission to inspect.c.Temporarily Abandoned Wells. All Temporarily Abandoned Wells will pass a mechanical integrity test. (1) A mechanical integrity test will be performed on each Temporarily Abandoned Well within 30 days of temporarily abandoning the well.(2) Subsequently, a mechanical integrity test will be performed on each Temporarily Abandoned Well on 5 year intervals from the date of the initial mechanical integrity test was performed, as long as the Well remained temporarily abandoned.(3) The mechanical integrity test for a Temporarily Abandoned Well will be performed after isolating the wellbore with a bridge plug or similar approved isolating device set 100 feet or less above the highest open perforation. The pressure test will be liquid or gas at an initial, stabilized surface pressure of not less than 300 psi surface pressure or any equivalent test or combination of tests approved by the Director.(4) Not less than 48 hours prior to returning an inactive, Temporarily Abandoned Well to production or injection, an Operator will submit a Form 42 - Notice of Return to Service, to the Director of the scheduled date for returning the Well to production or injection to allow the Commission to inspect the installation of equipment or conduct of the mechanical intervention.d.Suspended Operations and Waiting on Completion Wells. A mechanical integrity test will be performed on Suspended Operations Wells and Waiting On Completion Wells as described in this Rule 417.d.(1) A mechanical integrity test will be performed on each Suspended Operations Well within 2 years of setting any casing string and suspending operations prior to reaching permitted total depth.(2) A mechanical integrity test will be performed on each Waiting On Completion Well within 2 years of setting production casing.(3) Subsequently, a mechanical integrity test will be performed on each Suspended Operations Well and Waiting On Completion Well on 5 year intervals from the date that the initial mechanical integrity test was performed, as long as the Well remains in a suspended operations or waiting on completion status.(4) The mechanical integrity test for a Suspended Operations Well and Waiting On Completion Well will be performed to verify integrity of the casing string being tested. The pressure test will be liquid or gas at an initial, stabilized surface pressure of not less than 300 psi surface pressure or any equivalent test or combination of tests approved by the Director.e. Not less than 10 days prior to the performance of any mechanical integrity test required by this Rule 417, any person required to perform the test will notify the Director with a Form 42 - Mechanical Integrity Test, of the scheduled date and time when the test will be performed.f. All Wells will maintain mechanical integrity. All Wells which lack mechanical integrity, as determined through a mechanical integrity test, or other means, will be repaired or Plugged and Abandoned within 6 months. If an Operator has performed a mechanical integrity test within the 2 years required for Shut-in Wells or the 30 days required for Temporarily Abandoned Wells by this Rule, the Operator will have 6 months from the date of the unsuccessful test to make repairs or Plug and Abandon the Well. If the Operator has not performed a mechanical integrity test within the required time frames in Rules 417.b.(1) & c.(1), the Operator will not be given an additional 6 months in the event of an unsuccessful test.g. Mechanical integrity test pressure loss or gain will not exceed 10% of the initial stabilized surface pressure over a test period of 15 minutes. The test may be repeated if the pressure loss or gain is determined to be the result of compression related to gas dissolution from the Fluid column or temperature effects related to the Fluid used to load the column. Wells that do not satisfy this test requirement are considered to lack mechanical integrity and are subject to the requirements of Rule 417.f.37 CR 16, August 25, 2014, effective 9/30/201438 CR 01, January 10, 2015, effective 2/14/201538 CR 03, February 10, 2015, effective 3/2/201538 CR 07, April 10, 2015, effective 4/30/201538 CR 16, August 25, 2015, effective 9/14/201539 CR 04, February 25, 2016, effective 3/16/201641 CR 05, March 10, 2018, effective 4/1/201841 CR 06, March 25, 2018, effective 5/1/201841 CR 23, December 10, 2018, effective 12/30/201842 CR 02, January 25, 2019, effective 2/14/201942 CR 17, September 10, 2019, effective 9/30/201942 CR 24, December 25, 2019, effective 1/14/202043 CR 17, September 10, 2020, effective 9/30/202043 CR 13, July 10, 2020, effective 11/2/202043 CR 24, December 25, 2020, effective 1/15/202145 CR 07, April 10, 2022, effective 4/30/202245 CR 09, May 10, 2022, effective 5/30/202245 CR 13, July 10, 2022, effective 7/30/2022