...
This section sets forth the information which must be considered by the Director in authorizing Class VI wells. For converted Class I, Class II, or Class V experimental wells, certain maps, cross-sections, tabulations of wells within the area of review and other data may be included in the application by reference provided they are current, readily available to the Director, and sufficiently identified to be retrieved. In cases where EPA issues the permit, all the information in this section must be submitted to the Regional Administrator.
(a) Prior to the issuance of a permit for the construction of a new Class VI well or the conversion of an existing Class I, Class II, or Class V well to a Class VI well, the owner or operator shall submit, pursuant to §146.91(e), and the Director shall consider the following:
(1) Information required in §144.31(e)(1) through (6) of this chapter;
(2) A map showing the injection well for which a permit is sought and the applicable area of review consistent with §146.84. Within the area of review, the map must show the number or name, and location of all injection wells, producing wells, abandoned wells, plugged wells or dry holes, deep stratigraphic boreholes, State- or EPA-approved subsurface cleanup sites, surface bodies of water, springs, mines (surface and subsurface), quarries, water wells, other pertinent surface features including structures intended for human occupancy, State, Tribal, and Territory boundaries, and roads. The map should also show faults, if known or suspected. Only information of public record is required to be included on this map;
(3) Information on the geologic structure and hydrogeologic properties of the proposed storage site and overlying formations, including:
(i) Maps and cross sections of the area of review;
(ii) The location, orientation, and properties of known or suspected faults and fractures that may transect the confining zone(s) in the area of review and a determination that they would not interfere with containment;
(iii) Data on the depth, areal extent, thickness, mineralogy, porosity, permeability, and capillary pressure of the injection and confining zone(s); including geology/facies changes based on field data which may include geologic cores, outcrop data, seismic surveys, well logs, and names and lithologic descriptions;
(iv) Geomechanical information on fractures, stress, ductility, rock strength, and in situ fluid pressures within the confining zone(s);
(v) Information on the seismic history including the presence and depth of seismic sources and a determination that the seismicity would not interfere with containment; and
(vi) Geologic and topographic maps and cross sections illustrating regional geology, hydrogeology, and the geologic structure of the local area.
(4) A tabulation of all wells within the area of review which penetrate the injection or confining zone(s). Such data must include a description of each well's type, construction, date drilled, location, depth, record of plugging and/or completion, and any additional information the Director may require;
(5) Maps and stratigraphic cross sections indicating the general vertical and lateral limits of all USDWs, water wells and springs within the area of review, their positions relative to the injection zone(s), and the direction of water movement, where known;
(6) Baseline geochemical data on subsurface formations, including all USDWs in the area of review;
(7) Proposed operating data for the proposed geologic sequestration site:
(i) Average and maximum daily rate and volume and/or mass and total anticipated volume and/or mass of the carbon dioxide stream;
(ii) Average and maximum injection pressure;
(iii) The source(s) of the carbon dioxide stream; and
(iv) An analysis of the chemical and physical characteristics of the carbon dioxide stream.
(8) Proposed pre-operational formation testing program to obtain an analysis of the chemical and physical characteristics of the injection zone(s) and confining zone(s) and that meets the requirements at §146.87;
(9) Proposed stimulation program, a description of stimulation fluids to be used and a determination that stimulation will not interfere with containment;
(10) Proposed procedure to outline steps necessary to conduct injection operation;
(11) Schematics or other appropriate drawings of the surface and subsurface construction details of the well;
(12) Injection well construction procedures that meet the requirements of §146.86;
(13) Proposed area of review and corrective action plan that meets the requirements under §146.84;
(14) A demonstration, satisfactory to the Director, that the applicant has met the financial responsibility requirements under §146.85;
(15) Proposed testing and monitoring plan required by §146.90;
(16) Proposed injection well plugging plan required by §146.92(b);
(17) Proposed post-injection site care and site closure plan required by §146.93(a);
(18) At the Director's discretion, a demonstration of an alternative post-injection site care timeframe required by §146.93(c);
(19) Proposed emergency and remedial response plan required by §146.94(a);
(20) A list of contacts, submitted to the Director, for those States, Tribes, and Territories identified to be within the area of review of the Class VI project based on information provided in paragraph (a)(2) of this section; and
(21) Any other information requested by the Director.
(b) The Director shall notify, in writing, any States, Tribes, or Territories within the area of review of the Class VI project based on information provided in paragraphs (a)(2) and (a)(20) of this section of the permit application and pursuant to the requirements at §145.23(f)(13) of this chapter.
(c) Prior to granting approval for the operation of a Class VI well, the Director shall consider the following information:
(1) The final area of review based on modeling, using data obtained during logging and testing of the well and the formation as required by paragraphs (c)(2), (3), (4), (6), (7), and (10) of this section;
(2) Any relevant updates, based on data obtained during logging and testing of the well and the formation as required by paragraphs (c)(3), (4), (6), (7), and (10) of this section, to the information on the geologic structure and hydrogeologic properties of the proposed storage site and overlying formations, submitted to satisfy the requirements of paragraph (a)(3) of this section;
(3) Information on the compatibility of the carbon dioxide stream with fluids in the injection zone(s) and minerals in both the injection and the confining zone(s), based on the results of the formation testing program, and with the materials used to construct the well;
(4) The results of the formation testing program required at paragraph (a)(8) of this section;
(5) Final injection well construction procedures that meet the requirements of §146.86;
(6) The status of corrective action on wells in the area of review;
(7) All available logging and testing program data on the well required by §146.87;
(8) A demonstration of mechanical integrity pursuant to §146.89;
(9) Any updates to the proposed area of review and corrective action plan, testing and monitoring plan, injection well plugging plan, post-injection site care and site closure plan, or the emergency and remedial response plan submitted under paragraph (a) of this section, which are necessary to address new information collected during logging and testing of the well and the formation as required by all paragraphs of this section, and any updates to the alternative post-injection site care timeframe demonstration submitted under paragraph (a) of this section, which are necessary to address new information collected during the logging and testing of the well and the formation as required by all paragraphs of this section; and
(10) Any other information requested by the Director.
(d) Owners or operators seeking a waiver of the requirement to inject below the lowermost USDW must also refer to §146.95 and submit a supplemental report, as required at §146.95(a). The supplemental report is not part of the permit application.
[75 FR 77292 Dec. 10, 2010]