Ariz. Admin. Code § R18-9-J657 - Class VI; Required Permit Information

A. 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.

B. 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 R18-9-J666, and the Director shall consider the following:

1. Information required in R18-9-C616(D)(1) through (9);

2. A map showing the injection well for which a permit is sought and the applicable area of review consistent with R18-9-J659 . 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:

a. Maps and cross sections of the area of review;

b. The location, orientation, and properties of known or suspected faults and fractures that may transect the confining zone or zones in the area of review and a determination that they would not interfere with containment;

c. Data on the depth, areal extent, thickness, mineralogy, porosity, permeability, and capillary pressure of the injection and confining zone or zones; including geology/facies changes based on field data which may include geologic cores, outcrop data, seismic surveys, well logs, and names and lithologic descriptions;

d. Geomechanical information on fractures, stress, ductility, rock strength, and in situ fluid pressures within the confining zone or zones;

e. 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

f. 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 or zones. 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 or zones, 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:

a. Average and maximum daily rate and volume and/or mass and total anticipated volume and/or mass of the carbon dioxide stream;

b. Average and maximum injection pressure;

c. The source or sources of the carbon dioxide stream; and

d. 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 or zones and confining zone or zones and that meets the requirements at R18-9-J662;

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 R18-9-J661;

13. Proposed area of review and corrective action plan that meets the requirements under R18-9-J659;

14. A demonstration, satisfactory to the Director, that the applicant has met the financial responsibility requirements under R18-9-J660;

15. Proposed testing and monitoring plan required by R18-9-J665;

16. Proposed injection well plugging plan required by R18-9-J667(B);

17. Proposed post-injection site care and site closure plan required by R18-9-J668(A);

18. At the Director's discretion, a demonstration of an alternative post-injection site care timeframe required by R18-9-J668(C);

19. Proposed emergency and remedial response plan required by R18-9-J669;

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 subsection (B)(2) of this Section;

21. A listing of any historic property or potential historic property as defined by R12-8-301, and

22. Any other information requested by the Director.

C. 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 subsections (B)(2) and (B)(20) of this Section of the permit application.

D. 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 subsections (D)(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 subsections (D)(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 subsection (B)(3) of this Section;

3. Information on the compatibility of the carbon dioxide stream with fluids in the injection zone or zones and minerals in both the injection and the confining zone or zones, 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 subsection (B)(8) of this Section;

5. Final injection well construction procedures that meet the requirements of R18-9-J661;

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 R18-9-J662;

8. A demonstration of mechanical integrity pursuant to R18-9-J664;

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 subsection (B) 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 subsections of this Section, and any updates to the alternative post-injection site care timeframe demonstration submitted under subsection (B) 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 subsections of this Section; and

10. Any other information requested by the Director.

E. Owners or operators seeking a waiver of the requirement to inject below the lowermost USDW must also refer to R18-9-J670 and submit a supplemental report, as required at R18-9-J670 . The supplemental report is not part of the permit application.

Notes

Ariz. Admin. Code § R18-9-J657

New Section made by final rulemaking at 28 A.A.R. 1904, effective 9/6/2022.