Pennsylvania § 3231 - Reporting requirements for gas storage operations.

§ 3231. Reporting requirements for gas storage operations.

(a) General duties.--The following shall apply:

(1) A person injecting into or storing gas in a storage reservoir underlying or within 3,000 linear feet of an operating coal mine in a coal seam that extends over the storage reservoir or reservoir protective area shall, within 60 days, file with the department a copy of a map and certain data in the form and manner provided in this subsection or as otherwise prescribed by regulation of the department.

(2) A person injecting gas into or storing gas in a storage reservoir which is not under or within 3,000 linear feet of, but less than 10,000 linear feet from, an operating coal mine in a coal seam that extends over the storage reservoir or reservoir protective area shall file the map and data within 60 days or a longer period set by departmental regulation.

(3) A person proposing to inject or store gas in a storage reservoir located as defined in paragraph (1) or (2) shall file the appropriate required map and data with the department not less than six months prior to starting the actual injection or storage.

(4) A map required by this subsection shall be prepared by a competent engineer or geologist, showing:

(i) the stratum in which the existing or proposed storage reservoir is or is proposed to be located;

(ii) the geographic location of the outside boundaries of the storage reservoir and reservoir protective area;

(iii) the location of all known oil or gas wells in the reservoir or within 3,000 linear feet thereof which have been drilled into or through the storage stratum, indicating which have been or are to be cleaned out and plugged or reconditioned for storage along with the proposed location of all additional wells which are to be drilled within the storage reservoir or within 3,000 linear feet thereof.

(5) The following, if available, shall be furnished for all known oil or gas wells which have been drilled into or through the storage stratum within the storage reservoir or within 3,000 linear feet thereof: name of the operator, date drilled, total depth, depth of production if the well was productive of oil or gas, the initial rock pressure and volume, the depths at which all coal seams were encountered and a copy of the driller's log or other similar information. At the time of the filing of the maps and data, a statement shall be filed:

(i) detailing efforts made to determine that the wells shown are accurately located on the map;

(ii) affirming that the wells shown represent, to the best of the operator's knowledge, all oil or gas wells which have ever been drilled into or below the storage stratum within the proposed storage reservoir or within the reservoir protective area;

(iii) stating whether the initial injection is for testing purposes;

(iv) stating the maximum pressure at which injection and storage of gas is contemplated; and

(v) providing a detailed explanation of the methods to be used or which previously have been used in drilling, cleaning out, reconditioning and plugging wells in the storage reservoir or within the reservoir protective area.

(6) The map and data required to be filed under paragraph (5) shall be amended or supplemented semiannually if material changes occur. The department may require a storage operator to amend or supplement the map or data at more frequent intervals if material changes have occurred justifying the earlier filing.

(b) Other reporting requirements.--A person who is injecting gas into or storing gas in a storage reservoir not at the time subject to subsection (a), by a process other than that of secondary recovery or gas recycling, shall, within 60 days or a longer period set by departmental regulations, file maps and data required by departmental regulation and as follows:

(1) A person who, after April 18, 1985, proposes to inject or store gas in a storage reservoir in an area not covered by subsection (a) by a process other than that of secondary recovery or gas recycling shall file the required map and data with the department not less than six months prior to the starting of actual injection or storage.

(2) The map shall be prepared by a competent engineer or competent geologist and show:

(i) the stratum in which the existing or proposed storage reservoir is or is to be located;

(ii) the geographic location of the outside boundaries of the storage reservoir; and

(iii) the location of all known oil or gas wells within the reservoir, or within 3,000 linear feet thereof, which have been drilled into or through the storage stratum, indicating which have been or are to be cleaned out and plugged or reconditioned for storage and the proposed location of all additional wells which are to be drilled within the storage reservoir or within 3,000 linear feet thereof.

(3) The following, if available, shall be furnished for all known oil or gas wells which have been drilled into or through the storage stratum within the storage reservoir or within 3,000 linear feet thereof: name of the operator, date drilled, total depth, depth of production if the well was productive of oil or gas, the initial rock pressure and volume and a copy of the driller's log or other similar information. At the time of the filing of the maps and data, a statement shall be filed:

(i) detailing efforts made to determine that the wells shown are accurately located on the map;

(ii) affirming that the wells shown represent, to the best of the operator's knowledge, all oil or gas wells which have ever been drilled into or below the storage stratum within the proposed storage reservoir;

(iii) stating whether the initial injection is for testing purposes;

(iv) stating the maximum pressure at which injection and storage of gas is contemplated; and

(v) providing a detailed explanation of the methods to be used or which previously have been used in drilling, cleaning out, reconditioning and plugging wells in the storage reservoir.

(4) The map and data required to be filed under paragraph (3) shall be amended or supplemented semiannually if material changes occur. The department may require a storage operator to amend or supplement the map or data at more frequent intervals if material changes have occurred justifying the earlier filing.

(c) Political subdivisions.--Storage operators shall give notice to the department of the name of each political subdivision and county in which the operator maintains and operates a gas storage reservoir.

(d) Notice to affected persons.--At the time of the filing of maps and data and the filing of amended or supplemental maps or data required by this section, the person filing the information shall give written notice of the filing to all persons who may be affected under the provisions of this chapter by the storage reservoir described in the maps or data. Notices shall contain a description of the boundaries of the storage reservoir. When a person operating a coal mine or owning an interest in coal properties which are or may be affected by the storage reservoir requests, in writing, a copy of any map or data filed with the department, the copy shall be furnished by the storage operator.

(e) Outside boundaries.--For purposes of this chapter, the outside boundaries of a storage reservoir shall be defined by the location of those wells around the periphery of the storage reservoir which had no gas production when drilled in the storage stratum. The boundaries shall be originally fixed or subsequently changed if, based on the number and nature of the wells and the geological and production knowledge of the storage stratum, its character, permeability, distribution and operating experience, it is determined in a conference under section 3251 (relating to conferences) that modifications should be made.

(f) Inapplicability of section.--The requirements of this section shall not apply to the operator of an underground gas storage reservoir so long as the reservoir is located more than 10,000 linear feet from an operating coal mine, except that the storage operator shall give notice to the department of the name of each political subdivision and county in which the operator maintains and operates a gas storage reservoir. In political subdivisions and counties where both gas storage reservoirs and coal mines are being operated, the department may request the storage operator to furnish maps showing geographical locations and outside boundaries of the storage reservoirs. The department shall keep a record of the information and promptly notify the coal operator and the storage operator when notified by them that the coal mine and storage reservoir are within 10,000 linear feet of each other.

Cross References. Section 3231 is referred to in sections 3233, 3234 of this title.