Pennsylvania Envirnmental Quality Bard New Regulatins fr Oil and Gas Well Casing and Cementing (Amendments t Chapter 78) Plain Language Summary In this dcument, the wrds rules and regulatins have the same meaning. The new regulatins were finalized n February 12, 2011. These new regulatins will update existing rules fr drilling, casing, cementing, testing, mnitring, and plugging f il and gas wells. The new regulatins will als update rules fr prtecting public and private water supplies. Please lk at the attached diagram and definitins which will help clarify this summary. Backgrund Infrmatin Prper casing and cementing f il and gas wells is very imprtant t prtect water supplies and imprve public safety. Many f the existing regulatins n gas well cnstructin and water supply replacement were created in July 1989 and, fr the mst part, have nt been changed. The Pennsylvania Department f Envirnmental Prtectin (DEP) evaluated the existing regulatins because f new drilling and cnstructin practices fr Marcellus Shale wells. There have als been incidents with Marcellus wells that affected drinking water supplies. Current rules d nt prvide enugh details n safely casing and cementing wells. Als, previus rules did nt address the need fr an immediate respnse by peratrs t a gas leak cmplaint. And, they did nt require peratrs t inspect wells regularly. DEP shared the initial draft f the prpsed regulatins with cmpanies and envirnmental grups. We received many cmments n hw t imprve water quality and the quantity f replacement water supplies. Other cmments were related t the practices cmmnly used t cement and case wells. Since mst gas leaks are caused by prly cemented casing, DEP decided t address this issue quickly, in rder t add anther layer f prtectin t public health and the envirnment. Addressing this issue nw will prtect public health and the quality f drinking water. DEP als received cmments n many ther imprtant envirnmental cncerns related t il and gas wells, and these cncerns will be addressed at a future rund f rulemaking. What is Gas Migratin r Stray Natural Gas Migratin? In imprperly perated, prly cnstructed r deterirated wells, natural gas may mve frm the wellbre. This is called gas migratin. Migrating gas can affect water supplies, as well as ptentially accumulate inside r next t structures such as residences, businesses and farming peratins. This culd create a risk f a fire r explsin. Gas migratin may becme a threat t the health, safety and welfare f the public. What is Casing and Cementing? Casing is a steel pipe inserted in the well t keep gas r il in the well. It is made ut f a series f metal tubes installed in the newly drilled hle. Cementing is the practice f pumping cement dwn between the casing and the wellbre wall t hld it in place and prevent gas frm leaking.
What are the New Rules? The new rules relate t: The revised regulatins have been expanded frm Marcellus Shale t nw include all Uncnventinal Frmatins (ther natural gas frmatins) Casing and Cementing Reprting requirements fr design, cnstructin, peratin, mnitring, plugging, water supply replacement, and gas migratin New material specificatins Blw-ut preventin Perfrmance testing The new rules will reduce gas migratin and prvide mre prtectin fr bth public and private water supplies. Prperly cementing and casing a well is very imprtant t prevent gas migratin. The new casing and cementing requirements will prvide mre prtectin fr hme r prperty wners, and water supplies. These cnstructin standards are similar t standards that have already been adpted in ther states such as New Yrk, West Virginia, Ohi, Texas, Oklahma, Luisiana, Kansas and Mntana, and reflect cmmn industry practice. If a public r private water supply (fr example, a private water well) is plluted r reduced, the peratr must restre r replace it with a surce that meets drinking water standards r is as gd as the previus supply. If the cst t perate and maintain the new water supply is higher, the peratr will pay fr the increase permanently. If the previus quality f their water exceeded safe drinking water standards, affected parties may take legal actin t have their water supply restred t its riginal quality. The Oil and Gas Act presumes that an peratr has plluted the water supply if the cntaminatin ccurs within 6 mnths f drilling the well and the gas r il well is within 1,000 feet f the water supply, unless the peratr has taken a sample frm the water supply that shws it was cntaminated befre drilling. If a hmewner refuses t let the peratr take the sample, the peratr is nt presumed t have impacted the water supply. Fr this reasn, it is imprtant fr water supply wners t allw well peratrs t take a sample frm the water supply. The water supply wner shuld ask the peratr fr a cpy f the lab test results. If the peratr is cntacted first, they must call DEP within 24 hurs t reprt a ptential incident f cntaminatin. Operatrs must inspect all f their wells every three mnths and reprt the results t DEP every year. If the inspectin shws the casing is nt wrking prperly, r there are signs f leaks r t much pressure within the wellbre, the peratr must immediately ntify DEP and fix the prblem. The revised regulatins set prcedures fr the peratr and the Department must fllw if gas migratin ccurs. Befre drilling a well, peratrs will need t have a casing and cementing plan that shws hw the well will be drilled and cmpleted. Sme f the new requirements are: Centralizers, which keep the casing centered in the wellbre, must be used at set lcatins t make sure that cement is evenly distributed between the casing and the wellbre.
Casing cement must meet the American Sciety f Testing Materials (ASTM) r the American Petrleum Institutin (API) standards fr il and gas wells. The cement is used t secure the casing, prtect the grundwater as well as resist the pressure frm drilling and perating the well. The revised regulatins require all casing used in the well t meet strict pressure testing limits. All Uncnventinal Frmatin wells must have blw-ut preventers. The new regulatins that relate t blw-ut preventers: Clearly define when blw-ut preventin equipment must be used. Require blw-ut preventers t have emergency cntrls lcated 50 feet away frm the drilling area t be safely sht dwn in case f an emergency. Explain hw defective equipment must be treated. Specify the training a persn must have in rder t use the equipment. Dcumentatin f cement quality and cementing practices used at each well must be kept fr DEP s inspectin. The new regulatins require peratrs t investigate gas migratin cmplaints quickly and t ntify DEP. If high levels f natural gas are fund, the peratr must call emergency respnders immediately and take actin t crrect the situatin. DEP may mdify cnstructin and plugging requirements when existing regulatins d nt prvide sufficient prtectin f the envirnment. DEP may set additinal drilling and peratinal requirements fr specific gegraphic areas based n the lcal cnditins. The peratr is nw required t list the fllwing in the well s cmpletin reprt: A descriptive list f chemical additives in the fracking fluid Percent by vlume f the each chemical additive List f the chemicals in the MSDS sheets The percent vlume f the chemicals listed in the MSDS Ttal vlume f water used the list surce(s) f the water The pump rate and pressure used in the well Every six mnths, the drilling cmpany will have t reprt hw much natural gas has been prduced. DEP will make this infrmatin available t the public n the Department s Oil and Gas website. Please visit: http://www.depweb.state.pa.us click n Oil and Gas (infrmatin will be available within a few mnths). Benefits f the REVISED Regulatins Mre prtectin fr hme r prperty wners Mre prtectin f water surces, bth public and private Early detectin f cnstructin prblems and mre reprting will increase safety and prtectin f human health and the envirnment Less chance f natural gas escaping the well (gas migratin) Prvide specific steps fr respnding t an emergency
Diagram f a Natural Gas Well WELLBORE Surce: http://www.ggle.cm/imgres?imgurl=http://www.tpub.cm/cntent /engine/14080/img/14080_214_2.jpg&imgrefurl=http://www.tpub.c m/cntent/engine/14080/css/14080_214.htm&usg= Q0TemSNwL 11eTyRi- WsGHrBSN1Y=&h=425&w=320&sz=42&hl=en&start=110&um=1&it bs=1&tbnid=w_84olqbmq8ecm:&tbnh=126&tbnw=95&prev=/imag es%3fq%3dcasing%2band%2bcementing%26start%3d100%26u m%3d1%26hl%3den%26sa%3dn%26ndsp%3d20%26tbs%3disc h:1
DEFINITIONS Wellbre (r drill hle) - A wellbre is any hle drilled fr the purpse f extractin f natural resurces such as water, gas r il. Casing - A steel pipe inserted in the well t keep gas, il and ther fluids in the well. It is made ut f a series f metal tubes installed in the newly drilled hle. Cementing - the practice f pumping cement dwn between the casing and the wellbre wall t hld it in place and prevent gas frm leaking. Plugging The use f cement and ther materials t permanently seal the well. Water supply A surce f water fr human cnsumptin r use, r fr agricultural, cmmercial r industrial use. Gas migratin Unintended mvement f natural gas frm the wellbre due t prly cnstructed r deterirated wells. Material specificatins A clear set f requirements that a material, prduct, r service needs t meet (fr example, cement used in wells). If that material fails t meet ne r mre f thse requirements, it may be referred t as being ut f specificatin. Blw-ut preventers - A large valve r series f valves that can clse an active il r natural gas well. If undergrund pressure frces il r gas int the wellbre, peratrs can clse the valves remtely t prevent a blwut, and regain cntrl f the wellbre. Perfrmance testing - It invlves testing fr safety, reliability and t cnfirm that the device meets the standards. Uncnventinal Frmatins - Frmatins that typically prduce gas thrugh the use f fracking such as the Rhinestreet, Burket, Marcellus, Mandata and Utica Shale frmatins, r ther frmatins identified by the Department.