Kan. Admin. Regs. § 82-3-1011 - Temporary abandonment of storage wells; well plugging; temporary and permanent abandonment of a storage facility; penalties

(a) Requirements for cessation of well operations. Within 90 days after injection, withdrawal, or observation operations cease on any well completed for the purpose of underground porosity gas storage, the operator of that well shall perform one of the following:

(1) Plug the well; or

(2) file an application with the conservation division requesting temporary abandonment, on a form furnished by the conservation division.

(b) Approval required for temporary abandonment. Each operator shall be required to obtain approval from the commission if the operator desires temporary abandonment status for any underground porosity gas storage well. If the operations on any temporarily abandoned gas storage well are not resumed within one year after the application has been approved, the well shall be deemed a permanently abandoned well, and the operator of the well shall comply with regulations of the commission relating to the plugging of gas storage wells. Upon submitting an application to the conservation division before the expiration of the one-year period and for good cause shown, temporary abandonment status may be extended by the conservation division for one year. Additional one-year extensions may be granted by the conservation division.

(c) Right of denial. After an application for temporary abandonment of an underground porosity gas storage well has been filed, the gas storage well shall be subject to inspection and record review by the conservation division to determine the likelihood that the temporary abandonment of the well might cause pollution, the waste of hydrocarbons, or a threat to public safety. If necessary to prevent pollution, the waste of hydrocarbons, or a threat to public safety, temporary abandonment may be denied by the conservation division, and the well may be required to be plugged or repaired according to the specifications received from the conservation division and in accordance with its regulations.

(d) Plugging of temporarily abandoned gas storage wells. At the expiration of the temporary abandonment period, the operator of each underground porosity gas storage well that is temporarily abandoned shall plug or repair the well or return the well to operation, in accordance with these regulations.

(e) Temporary abandonment of a storage facility. The operator of an underground porosity gas storage facility may temporarily abandon the storage facility upon submitting written notice to the conservation division. This notice shall include the following:

(1) The date on which the storage facility is to be temporarily abandoned;

(2) the projected temporary abandonment period;

(3) the monitoring procedures to be utilized at the facility during the temporary abandonment period;

(4) the temporary abandonment applications for each gas storage well within the facility filed according to subsection (b) of this regulation, except any gas storage wells for which temporary abandonment has already been approved; and

(5) any other information required by the conservation division.

(f) Permanent abandonment and decommissioning of a storage facility. The operator of an underground porosity gas storage facility may permanently abandon and decommission the storage facility upon submitting written notice to the conservation division. This notice shall include the following:

(1) The anticipated date on which the storage facility is to be permanently abandoned and decommissioned;

(2) the anticipated field pressure at abandonment;

(3) a detailed plan and schedule approved by the conservation division for the orderly and timely abandonment and decommissioning of the facility, which shall address the following:

(A) The identification of all surface and below-ground facilities to be abandoned;

(B) the name or names of the person or persons who will be responsible for any surface facilities abandoned in place;

(C) the surface restoration of all well sites and surface facilities to original grade, including the proper closure of all surface impoundments;

(D) the removal of any unused concrete bases, machinery, operating materials, and other debris;

(E) the disposal of all wastes in accordance with applicable Kansas statutes and regulations;

(F) the plugging of all gas storage wells in conformance with K.A.R. 82-3-1008 ; and

(G) any other information required by the conservation division; and

(4) a demonstration of compliance with the requirements of K.S.A. 55-1208, and amendments thereto, if applicable to the underground porosity gas storage facility.

(g) Permit revocation upon permanent abandonment of storage facility. The underground porosity gas storage facility operating permit shall be revoked by the conservation division upon the completion of the requirements of the abandonment and decommissioning schedule and the delivery to the conservation division of final shut-in pressure data for each gas storage well plugged.

(h) Penalties.

(1) The failure to comply with subsection (a) or (b) of this regulation shall be punishable by a $100 penalty per occurrence.

(2) The failure to file a notice of temporary abandonment of an underground porosity gas storage facility in accordance with subsection (e) of this regulation shall be punishable by a $500 penalty.

(3) The failure to file a notice of permanent abandonment of an underground porosity gas storage facility in accordance with subsection (f) of this regulation shall be punishable by a $1,000 penalty.

(4) Each day that a violation of this regulation continues may be considered a separate violation.

The penalties specified in this subsection may be increased by the commission if it finds that aggravating factors exist.

This regulation shall be effective on and after October 29, 2002.

Notes

Kan. Admin. Regs. § 82-3-1011

Authorized by and implementing K.S.A. 55-152, K.S.A. 2001 Supp. 55-162, 55-164, 55-1,115, and 74-623; effective, T-82-6-27-02, July 1, 2002; effective Oct. 29, 2002.