020-24 Wyo. Code R. § 24-11

Current through April 27, 2019
Section 24-11 - Logging, sampling, and testing prior to injection well operation

(a) During the drilling and construction of a Class VI injection well, the owner or operator must run appropriate logs, surveys and tests to determine or verify the depth, thickness, porosity, permeability, and lithology of, and the salinity of any formation fluids within, for all relevant geologic formations in order to ensure conformance with the injection well construction requirements under Section 9, and to establish accurate baseline data against which future measurements may be compared.

  • (i) The owner or operator must submit to the administrator a descriptive report prepared by a knowledgeable log analyst that includes an interpretation of the results of such logs and tests. At a minimum, such logs and tests must include:
    • (A) Deviation checks measured during drilling on all holes constructed by drilling a pilot hole that is subsequently enlarged by reaming or another method. Such checks must be at sufficiently frequent intervals to determine the location of the borehole and to ensure that vertical avenues for fluid movement in the form of diverging holes are not created during drilling; and
    • (B) Before and upon installation of the surface casing:
      • (I) Resistivity, spontaneous potential, and caliper logs before the casing is installed; and
      • (II) A cement bond, variable density log, or other approved device to evaluate cement quality radially with sufficient resolution to identify channels, voids, or other areas of missing cement, and a temperature log, after the casing is set and cemented.
    • (C) Before and upon installation of the long string casing:
      • (I) Resistivity, spontaneous potential, porosity, caliper, gamma ray, fracture finder logs, and any other logs the administrator requires for the given geology before the casing is installed; and
      • (II) A cement bond and variable density log, and a temperature log after the casing is set and cemented.
    • (D) Test(s) designed to demonstrate the internal and external mechanical integrity of injection wells, which may include:
      • (I) A pressure test with liquid or gas;
      • (II) Diagnostic tools, such as oxygen-activation logging;
      • (III) A temperature or noise log; and
      • (IV) A casing inspection log.
    • (E) Any alternative methods that provide equivalent or better information and that are required of, and/or approved by the administrator.

(b) The owner or operator must take whole cores or sidewall cores of the injection zone and confining system, and formation fluid samples from the injection zone(s) and submit to the administrator a detailed report prepared by a log analyst that includes:

  • (i) Well log analyses (including well logs);
  • (ii) Core analyses; and
  • (iii) Formation fluid sample information.
  • (iv) The Aadministrator may accept data from cores and fluid samples from nearby wells if the owner or operator can demonstrate that such data are representative of conditions in the wellbore.

(c) Prior to injection well operation, the owner or operator must record the formation fluid temperature, formation fluid pH and conductivity, reservoir pressure, and static fluid level of the injection zone(s).

(d) At any time prior to injection well operation, the owner or operator must determine fracture pressures of the injection and confining zones and verify hydrogeologic and geo-mechanical characteristics of the injection zone by conducting the following tests:

  • (i) A pressure fall-off test; and,
  • (ii) A pump test; or
  • (iii) Injectivity tests.

(e) The owner or operator must provide the administrator with the opportunity to witness all logging and testing by this subpart.

  • (i) The owner or operator must submit a schedule of such activities to the administrator upon spudding the well and notify the administrator of any changes to the schedule at least thirty (30) days prior to the scheduled test.

020-24 Wyo. Code R. § 24-11

Amended, Eff. 7/25/2016.