1. How Well is Your Well? UIC Class I Well Construction Standards
Andy Trevino P.E.
TCEQ
Underground Injection Control

2. TCEQ UIC Requirements for :
Drilling
Cementing
Testing
Changes to Approved Drilling and Completion Plans
Daily Communications
Completion Reports

3. Drilling Requirements
Step by Step Drilling plan
Objective:
- To use sound practices to minimize deviated holes, washouts, lost circulation and stuck pipe to minimize well cementing issues and maximize successful well completions.

4. Drilling Plan should: Address site specific drilling hazards
Fracture zones
Lost circulation zones
High or Under Pressured zones
Potential for drilling thru existing waste plumes.

5. Drilling Plan should include:
Frequent deviation checks
Fluid loss preventative measures
Mud weights proposed for each stage of drilling
Circulation pressures and pump rates that will keep the circulated mud in laminar flow and prevent formation fracturing
Drilling mud should be reconditioned commensurate with proper cementing practices.

6. Cementing Requirements
Cementing Plan
- Cementing procedures
- Type of cement
- Volumes
- Additives
- Slurry weight
- Cementing equipment

7. Cementing Requirements
Cementing should be pump and plug method
Cementing volume required:
- 120% with 2 dimensional caliper or 150% without
Cementing Objective:
- Prevent movement of fluids into or between USDW or FW aquifers
- Prevent movement of fluids out of the injection zone

8. Cementing Plans should
Discuss suitability of cement based on injection fluid properties, BH temperature, pressures
Discuss procedures to be taken to prevent cement channeling
- For example, use of centralizers, scratchers, reciprocating the casing, maintaining pump rates, mud conditioning, preflushing and use of wiper plugs.
Discuss procedures to be taken to prevent formation fracturing

9. Cementing Plans should
Discuss any site specific cementing issues anticipated
- Such as loss of circulation, over or under pressured zones or formation breakdowns
Include contingency cementing plan to be implemented if 100% of the annular space is not filled

10. Testing and Logging Requirements
30TAC (a)(7)
During drilling:
- Frequent deviation checks
Prior to setting surface casing:
- Triple combo log run, SP, Resistivity, Gamma Ray
- Caliper log, to determine hole volume
After setting surface casing and cementing:
- CBL with variable density log
- Temperature log
- Pressure test surface casing to 1,000 psig

11. During Drilling 30TAC 331.62(a)(7)(c) – Core sampling
Full cores shall be taken from selected intervals from the lowermost overlying confining zone and selected sections of injection zone.
If not able, sufficient sidewall cores shall be at selected intervals.

12. Core and Fluid analysis
Core analysis should determine perm, porosity, Poisson’s ratio, formation compressibility, etc…
Collect formation fluid to determine chemical, physical and radiological properties
Compatibility tests of waste fluids with formation fluids, minerals of both injection & confining zone
Determine if gases will be generated

13. After Drilling is completed
Prior to setting longstring:
- Run SP, Resistivity, Gamma ray, compensated density and/or neutron porosity, Dipmeter/Fracture finder and caliper logs
After cementing longstring:
- CBL w/ variable density log, casing inspection log, temperature log and inclination survey

14. Prior to operating the well
After Well Completion
Mechanical integrity testing of well
Annular pressure test, radioactive tracer survey, temperature or noise log
Prior to operating the well
Conduct injectivity/falloff test to determine well capacity and verify reservoir characteristics

15. Injectivity and Falloff tests
Test results should be used to determine bottom hole pressure, bottom hole temperature, static fluid level, fracture pressure, permeability, faulting boundary (if any), dual porosity, skin factor and any completion anomalies

16. Changes to Approved Drilling & Completion Plans
30TAC (a)(3) – provides for the requirement for changing plans and specifications for well construction and well workover
Any changes from approved plans and specifications from permit application must be requested as a minor modification or amendment
Changes during drilling may be granted by oral approval

17. Daily Communication during Well Construction
30TAC (a)(10) – Executive Director shall have opportunity to witness all cementing of casing strings, logging and testing. Need to provide a 30 day schedule and a 24hr notice
It is recommended that daily reports are provided by during well construction, logging and testing
Rule requires 24hr updated notice to allow personnel to make travel plans

18. Completion Reports
30TAC – Requires report submittal within 90 days
As built drawings
All logging and test data
Injectivity and falloff test results
Waste compatibility results with reservoir fluids and minerals
Recalculation of AOR and cone of influence if needed
A copy of the checklist we use to review completion reports will be provided

19. TCEQ’s “Construction Guidance for Class I Injection Wells”
Link to guidance documents are available at:
waste/uic/Well%20Construction%20Guidance.docx
Or search for “Construction Guidance for Class I Injection Wells” on our website at:

20. Thanks for your Attention
Andy Trevino P.E. Engineer Texas Commission on Environmental Quality Office of Waste Radioactive Materials Division Underground Injection Control Permits Section