Ill. Admin. Code tit. 62, § 240.1132 - Plugging and Temporary Abandonment of Inactive Class II UIC Wells
a) Any Class II UIC
well located on an active lease, equipped with tubing and packer and that has
previously established mechanical integrity in accordance with Section
240.760
shall maintain mechanical integrity in accordance with Section
240.760
or shall be plugged in accordance with Section
240.1140
unless the well has been approved for Temporary Abandonment status in
accordance with subsection (e).
b)
Any inactive Class II UIC well located on an inactive lease, when the lease has
not been in operation for 24 consecutive months, shall be deemed abandoned and
not eligible for Temporary Abandonment status pending a hearing held in
accordance with Section
240.1610.
c) Any inactive Class II UIC well located on
an active lease, without tubing and packer, and that has previously established
mechanical integrity in accordance with Section
240.760
shall be plugged in accordance with Section
240.1140
unless the well is approved for Temporary Abandonment status in accordance with
subsection (e).
d) Any inactive
Class II UIC well located on an active lease, equipped with tubing and packer
or without tubing and packer, and that has not previously established
mechanical integrity in accordance with Section
240.760
shall be plugged in accordance with Section
240.1140
unless the well is approved for Temporary Abandonment status in accordance with
subsections (e)(1), (2) and (3) and establishes mechanical integrity as
follows:
1) a cast iron plug shall be set
within 200 feet above the perforated or open hole interval in the cemented
portion of the production casing, but no less than 100 feet below the base of
the fresh water, and the casing shall be pressure tested by maintaining a
pressure of 300 PSIG (which may vary no more than 5%) for a period of 30
minutes; or
2) install tubing and a
packer and conduct a passing internal mechanical integrity test in accordance
with Section 240.760.
e)
The permittee shall apply for Temporary Abandonment status by making written
application on forms provided by the Department. The Department may place the
well on Temporary Abandonment status if the following conditions (which shall
be continuing requirements) are met:
1) The
well shall:
A) have proper bond in effect in
accordance with the Act if applicable; and
B) not be the subject of any final
administrative decision for abandonment.
2) The well shall have an intact, leak free
wellhead, or be capped with a valve, be configured to monitor casing or annular
pressure, and have injection lines disconnected.
3) The wellhead shall be above ground
level.
4) The permittee complies
with the requirements of subsection (f).
f) Prior to the Department placing the well
on Temporary Abandonment status, the permittee shall conduct a fluid level test
upon the fluid in the well bore, after notice to and under the supervision of a
Department representative, using acoustical or wire line measuring methods. If
the Department authorizes the permittee to conduct a fluid level test without
the presence of a Department representative, the permittee shall report the
fluid level test on a form prescribed by the Department.
1) If the fluid level in the wellbore is no
higher than 100 feet below the base of the fresh water, the Department may
grant Temporary Abandonment status if the conditions in subsections (e)(1)
through (3) are met. Unless the permittee elects to satisfy the conditions of
subsections (f)(3)(A) or (B), the permittee shall perform additional fluid
level tests, as prescribed in this subsection (f), every 2 years or until the
well is removed from Temporary Abandonment status.
2) If the fluid level, as tested, is higher
than 100 feet below the base of the fresh water and, at the time of the
Temporary Abandonment request, the well is listed in Active status in the
Department's records, the permittee may:
A)
After notice to, and under the supervision of, a Department representative,
remove any fluid to a level 100 feet below the base of the fresh water. At
least 48 hours, but not more than 96 hours, after the fluid has been removed,
the permittee shall measure the fluid level as prescribed in this subsection
(f).
i) If the fluid level is higher than 100
feet below the base of fresh water, the permittee shall follow the requirements
in this subsections (f)(3)(A) or (B); or
ii) If the fluid level remains more than 100
feet below the base of fresh water, at least 9, but no longer than 12 months
from the date that fluid was removed from the well bore, the permittee shall
obtain the fluid level in accordance with subsection (f). If, after the
subsequent fluid level test, the fluid level within the wellbore has remained
at least 100 feet below the base of fresh water, and the conditions in
subsections (e)(1) through (3) continue to be met, the Department shall grant
temporary abandonment status for 2 years from the date of the subsequent fluid
level test. Thereafter, the permittee shall perform additional fluid level
tests, as prescribed in this subsection (f), every 2 years or until the well is
removed from Temporary Abandonment status.
B) Elect to follow the requirements of
subsections (f)(3)(A) or (B).
3) If the fluid level, as tested, is higher
than 100 feet below the base of the fresh water and, at the time of the
Temporary Abandonment request, the well is listed in Temporary Abandonment
status in the Department's records, the permittee may, after notice to and
under the supervision of, a Department representative:
A) set a cast iron plug within 200 feet above
the uppermost perforated or open hole interval in the cemented portion of the
production casing, but no less than 100 feet below the base of the fresh water,
remove any fluid to a level at least 100 feet below the base of the freshwater
zone, and monitor the fluid level every 2 years in accordance with this
subsection (f); or
B) set a cast
iron plug within 200 feet above the uppermost perforated or open hole interval
in the cemented portion of the production casing, but no less than 100 feet
below the base of the fresh water, and pressure test the casing by maintaining
a pressure of 300 PSIG (which may vary no more than 5%) for a period of 30
minutes. Subsequent pressure tests shall be conducted every 5 years or until
the well is removed from Temporary Abandonment status.
g) If a Temporary Abandonment
request is denied, the permittee shall, within 90 days, plug the well or
correct the deficiency that caused the denial and secure an approved Temporary
Abandonment permit.
h) Temporary
Abandonment status for production wells shall not be terminated until the well
has been inspected by an Office well inspector and a Temporary Abandonment
termination request is approved by the Department. Temporary Abandonment
termination requests shall be on a form prescribed by the Department.
i) Temporary Abandonment status will be
granted every 2 years provided the wells remain in compliance with subsections
(e) and (f) and the lease or unit on which the wells are located remains
active, except for wells that fulfill the requirements of subsection (f)(3)(B),
which will be granted every 5 years.
Notes
Amended at 35 Ill. Reg. 13281, effective July 26, 2011
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