Transcript Changes to Statewide Rule 13

Changes to Statewide Rule 13
June, 2013
Texas Alliance of Energy Producers
John Tintera, P.G.
Sebree & Tintera, LLC.
Statewide Rule 13
Amendments to take effect:
January 1, 2014
 Will not apply to wells completed
before the implementation date
 Changes primarily deal with Casing,
Cementing, Drilling, Well Control,
and Well Completion

Amendments: Casings
Operators will be required to
pressure test well casings to the
maximum pressure expected during
fracture treatment
 Railroad Commission must be
notified of any failed test

Amendments: Casings
(Continued)

During hydraulic fracturing, operators
must monitor the annular space between
the well’s casings for pressure changes
(indicating a potential leak)
 If a potential leak is detected through
annuli monitoring, hydraulic fracturing
operations must be suspended
Amendments: Casings
(Continued)

Operators must verify the
mechanical integrity of surface and
intermediate casings for wells in
which the drilling time for the next
casing string (intermediate or
production) exceeds 360 hours
Amendments: Isolation

Operators must isolate across and
above all formations that have a
permit for an injection or disposal
well within ¼ mile of a proposed well
Amendments: Casing Depth

Railroad Commission approval is
required before setting surface
casing to a depth greater than 3,500
feet
Amendments: Testing and
Monitoring
Additional testing and monitoring is
required for “minimum separation
wells”
 Minimum separation wells: wells
where the vertical distance between
the base of usable quality water and
the top of the formation to undergo
hydraulic fracturing is <1,000 feet

Amendments: Groundwater
Protection

Operators must use air, fresh water,
or fresh water-based drilling mud
until surface casing is set and
cemented in a well to protect usable
quality groundwater
Amendments: Isolation

Operators must pump sufficient
cement to isolate and control annular
gas migration, potential flow zones,
and zones with corrosive formation
fluids.
Amendments: Cement
References to cement quality,
cementing, well equipment, well
casing centralizers, and well control
have been updated
 Minimum cement sheath thickness is
set at 0.75 inches for surface casing,
0.50 inches for subsequent casing
strings

Amendments: Well Control
Requirements for well control and
blowout preventers have been
consolidated and updated
 Distinction has been made between
the use of well control equipment on
inland, bay, and offshore wells

Amendments: Groundwater
Advisory Unit
Article 2 of House Bill 2694 has been
implemented to reflect the transfer
the Texas Commission on
Environmental Quality’s Surface
Casing Section to the Railroad
Commission
 It is now called the Groundwater
Advisory Unit

SWR 13

Questions

SWR 13 Workshops?

What’s Next: SWR 9 & 46