Kan. Admin. Regs. § 28-45a-4 - Application for permit

(a) Each applicant shall submit a completed application for a permit to create, operate, and maintain an underground natural gas storage well, on an application form furnished by the department. Upon review of the application, one of the following shall be issued by the secretary:

(1) A permit, if the application is approved; or

(2) a notice that the permit has been denied if the applicant has not complied with the requirements of this article of regulations. The notice shall include justification for the permit denial.

(b) Each permittee of an existing underground natural gas storage well shall submit to the secretary, before April 1, 2004, either of the following:

(1) A permit application for the continued operation of the storage well; or

(2) a plan and schedule for plugging the well.

(c) The existing permit or authorization for the underground natural gas storage facility shall remain in effect until the requirement specified in subsection (b) is met and a permit for the underground natural gas storage well is issued. Each permittee of any existing underground natural gas storage cavern shall comply with the provisions of this article of regulations before injecting any working gas into the underground storage cavern.

(d) Each applicant for a permit for a new underground natural gas storage well shall submit a completed application to the secretary at least 180 days before the proposed commencement date for the construction of the new storage well. Construction shall not begin until the secretary has approved the permit application.

(e) Each permittee of an existing facility and each applicant for a proposed facility shall ensure that the underground natural gas storage facility will be operated and maintained in a manner that will preserve the integrity of the storage cavern and storage well and minimize any potential threat to public health, safety, and the environment.

(f) Each application for a permit shall include a report prepared by a licensed geologist that includes the following:

(1) An evaluation of the geology and hydrogeology, including cross-sections, isopach and structure maps of the salt formation, and water-level or potentiometric maps;

(2) a regional stratigraphic evaluation;

(3) local and regional structural analyses, including maps, cross-sections and available geophysical data;

(4) a flood assessment identifying floodplain and flood-prone areas, including the following:

(A) Flood response procedures; and

(B) design criteria for well and facility equipment; and

(5) an assessment of the potential for ground subsidence.

(g) Each applicant shall submit the following information with the permit application:

(1) A plan view map showing locations of all water, solution mining, monitoring, disposal, injection, oil, and gas wells within a one-mile perimeter of the facility's boundary; and

(2) a plan map view of man-made surface structures and construction activities within a one-mile perimeter of the facility's boundary.

(h) Each permittee shall submit a sample log of cuttings from each newly installed well at the facility to the secretary. The sample log shall be incorporated into the permit.

(1) Cuttings shall be collected at 10-foot intervals or an interval approved by the secretary from surface to total well depth.

(2) Well cuttings shall be collected, described, and logged as specified in department's document titled "procedure for sample logging, procedure #: UICLPG-9," dated July 2002, as adopted by reference in K.A.R. 28-45-6a.

(3) The collection of cuttings shall be supervised by a licensed geologist or a licensed geologist's designee.

(4) The description and logging of the sample cuttings shall be performed by a licensed geologist.

(5) Each permittee shall submit a sample log and a dry sample set to the department within 45 days after well completion.

(i) Each permittee shall provide a minimum of one core from each facility. The following provisions shall apply:

(1) The permittee shall submit a plan describing the coring interval, coring procedure, and core testing to the secretary for review and consideration for approval at least 60 days before the coring event.

(2) Each permittee shall make the core available for inspection upon request by the secretary.

(3) The permittee may submit existing core data if the secretary determines that the core is representative of the geology of the area.

(j) Each permittee shall submit open hole logs for any new underground natural gas storage well. The logging interval shall be from the surface to 100 feet below the top of the salt section. At a minimum, the following logs shall be run:

(1) A gamma ray log;

(2) a neutron log if the source is registered in Kansas, or a sonic log;

(3) a density log; and

(4) a caliper log.

(k) Any permittee may use an alternative log if the secretary determines that the alternative log is substantially equivalent to the logs specified in subsection (j). The permittee shall submit the following information:

(1) A description of the log and the theory of operation for that log;

(2) a description of the field conditions under which the log can be used;

(3) the procedure for interpreting the log; and

(4) an interpretation of the log upon completion of the logging event.

(l) Each permittee shall meet the following design requirements for each underground natural gas storage cavern:

(1) A minimum salt roof thickness of 100 feet above the washed storage cavern shall be maintained at all times.

(2) Underground communication between caverns through fracturing or coalescence shall be prohibited. Underground natural gas storage caverns where communication between caverns exists shall be plugged.

(3) The horizontal distance separating underground natural gas storage caverns shall be no less than 100 feet between cavern boundaries.

(4) The maximum horizontal diameter of each underground natural gas storage cavern shall not exceed 300 feet.

(m) Each permittee shall ensure the integrity of the storage well casing and the storage cavern before commissioning the storage cavern into service. Storage operations may commence when both of the following requirements are met:

(1) Each permittee shall submit a notice of completion of construction, on a form furnished by the department.

(2) Each new underground natural gas storage well shall be inspected by the secretary before storage operations commence. Storage operations shall not commence if the underground natural gas storage well fails the inspection.

Notes

Kan. Admin. Regs. § 28-45a-4

Authorized by and implementing K.S.A. 2002 Supp. 55-1,117; effective, T-28-4-1-03, April 1, 2003; effective Aug. 8, 2003.