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Permit Application Instructions for Mineral Wells

Permit Application Instructions for Disposal, Storage, or Brine Production Wells

  • Subsurface disposal of waste products or processed brine
  • Development of underground cavities for Part 625 stored products
  • Production of natural or artificial brine

Part 625, Mineral Wells, of the Natural Resources and Environmental Protection Act
1994 PA 451, as amended

Mineral Well Forms Page

Well Identification and Project Description:

1.   Describe in detail the purpose of the well and its anticipated life expectancy

2.   Notification: At the same time as submitting the permit application, mail via first-class United States mail, a copy of the first page of the permit application and cover letter to the clerk of the township and the surface owner of record of the land on which the well is to be located.

3.   Form EQP 7200-1, Application for Permit to Drill, Deepen, Operate, with an original signature from the applicant or the applicant's agent.  See instructions on reverse of form.

4.   Form EQP 7200-2, Survey Record of Well Location signed and sealed by a surveyor licensed in the state of Michigan which identifies:

   A.   A readily visible stake or marker must be set at the well location.  If the well will be directionally drilled also identify the bottom hole location.

   B.   A flagged route or explanation of how the well location may be reached.

   C.   Footages of the surface location (and if directionally drilled, the bottom hole location) from the nearest property and section lines.

   D.   Identification of the existing local zoning designation of the surface location of the well.

   E.   The surveyor must include an attached plat that shows all of the following information relative to the approximate distances and directions from the stake or marker to special hazards or conditions, including all of the following:

      i.    Surface waters and other environmentally sensitive areas within 1,320 feet of the proposed well. 

      ii.   Floodplains associated with surface waters within 1,320 feet of the proposed well.

      iii.  Wetlands, as identified by the provisions of Part 303 of the NREPA, within 1,320 feet of the proposed well.

      iv.  Natural rivers, as identified by the provisions of Part 305 of the NREPA, within 1,320 feet of the proposed well.

      v.   Threatened or endangered species, as identified by the provisions of Part 365 of the NREPA, within 1,320 feet of the proposed well.

      vi.  All buildings, recorded fresh water wells and reasonably identifiable fresh water wells utilized for human consumption, public roads, railroads, pipelines, power lines and other man-made objects that lie within 600 feet of the proposed well location.

      vii. All public water supply wells identified as type I and II that lie within 2,000 feet of the proposed well location and type IIb and III that lie within 800 feet of the proposed well location, as defined in Act No. 399 of the Public Acts of 1976, as amended, being §325.1001 et seq. of the Michigan Compiled Laws.

5.   Form EQP 7200-4, Wellhead Blowout Control System.

6.   Form EQP 7500-3, Environmental Impact Assessment for Mineral Wells and Surface Facilities

7.   Form EQP 7200-18, Soil Erosion and Sedimentation Control Plan

8.   Provide a conformance bond.   
Mineral Well bond amounts are as follow:

Individual bond for a disposal, storage, or brine production well

$ 33,000.00

Blanket bond for disposal, storage, or brine production wells

440,000.00

9.  The permit application fee as specified by statute:

Disposal well for disposal of waste products

$ 2,500.00

Disposal well for processed brine

500.00

Storage well

500.00

Natural or artificial brine production well

500.00

10. An organization report, form EQP 7200-13, if a current organization report is not on file with the supervisor.

11. Description of the drilling program, including the drilling fluid and mud program, how the fluids will be handled and ultimate disposition of the drilling fluids.  Include a discussion of whether over pressured zones are anticipated and how the mud program will be modified to accommodate such a condition.

12. Description of the cementing program including the type, properties and compressive strength of cement to be used on each casing string.  Indicate if DV tools will be used.

13. Description of the proposed wireline logging program.

14. Description of the testing program, including pressure tests on casing strings, and any planned drill stem tests.

15. Description of any planned coring program.

Additional information required for an application for a permit to drill and operate a disposal well or to convert a previously drilled well to such a well:

1.   Form EQP 7200-14, Injection Well Data.

2.   A calculation of the area of review in the injection interval over the anticipated life of the well.  "Area of review" means either of the following: 

   A.  For a well disposing of non-hazardous waste, that area the radius of which is the greater of 1/4 mile or the lateral distance in which the pressures in the injection zone are sufficient to increase hydrostatic head in the injection zone above the base of the lowermost underground source of drinking water, but not more than 2 miles.

   B.  For a well disposing of hazardous waste that area the radius of which is the greater of 2 miles or the lateral distance in which the pressures in the injection zone are sufficient to increase hydrostatic head in the injection zone above the base of the lowermost underground source of drinking water.

3.   A discussion of the affect of injection on the present and potential mineral resources in the area of review.

4.   A plat which shows the location and total depth of the proposed well, shows each abandoned, producing, or dry hole within the area of review, and each operator of a mineral or oil and gas well within the area of review.

5.   If a well is proposed to be converted to a disposal well, a copy of the completion report, together with the written geologic description log or record and borehole and stratum evaluation logs for the well.

6.   Plugging records of all abandoned wells and casing, sealing, and completion records of all other wells and artificial penetrations within the area of review of the proposed well location and a map identifying all such artificial penetrations.  An applicant shall also submit a plan reflecting the steps or modifications believed necessary to prevent proposed injected waste products from migrating up, into, or through inadequately plugged, sealed, or completed wells.

7.   A map showing the vertical and areal extent of surface waters and subsurface aquifers containing water with less than 10,000-ppm total dissolved solids.  A summary of the present and potential future use of the waters must accompany the map.

8.   Geologic maps and stratigraphic cross sections of the local and regional geology.

9.   Chemical, physical and bacteriological characterizations of the waste stream before and after treatment and/or filtration.  Include a characterization of the compatibility of the injectate with the injection zone and the fluid in the injection zone along with a characterization of the potential for multiple waste streams to react in the well bore or in the injection zone.

10.   Information to characterize the proposed injection zone, including:

   A.  The geological name of the stratum or strata making up the injection zone and the top and bottom depths of the injection zone.

   B.  An isopach map showing thickness and areal extent of the injection zone

   C.  Lithology, grain mineralogy and matrix cementing of the injection zone.

   D.  Effective porosity of the injection zone including the method of determination.

   E.   Vertical and horizontal permeability of the injection zone and the method used to determine permeability.  Horizontal and vertical variations in permeability expected within the area of review.

   F.   The occurrence and extent of natural fractures and/or solution features within the area of review.

   G.  Chemical and physical characteristics of the fluids contained in the injection zone and fluid saturations.

   H.  The anticipated bottom hole temperature and pressure of the injection zone and whether these quantities have been affected by past fluid injection or withdrawal.

    I.   Formation fracture pressure, the method used to determine fracture pressure and the expected direction of fracture propagation.

    J.   The vertical distance between the top of the injection zone from the base of the lowest fresh water strata.

   K.   Other information the applicant believes will characterize the injection zone.

11. Information to characterize the proposed confining zone, including:

   A.   The geological name of the stratum or strata making up the confining zone and the top and bottom depths of the confining zone.

   B.   An isopach map showing thickness and areal extent of the confining zone

   C.   Lithology, grain mineralogy and matrix cementing of the confining zone.

   D.   Effective porosity of the confining zone including the method of determination.

   E.   Vertical and horizontal permeability of the confining zone and the method used to determine permeability.  Horizontal and vertical variations in permeability expected within the area of review.

   F.   The occurrence and extent of natural fractures and/or solution features within the area of review.

   G.   Chemical and physical characteristics of the fluids contained in the confining zone and fluid saturations.

   H.   Formation fracture pressure, the method used to determine fracture pressure and the expected direction of fracture propagation.

   I.    The vertical distance between the top of the confining zone from the base of the lowest fresh water strata.

   J.    Other information the applicant believes will characterize the confining zone.

12. Information demonstrating injection of liquids into the proposed zone will not exceed the fracture pressure gradient and information showing injection into the proposed geological strata will not initiate fractures through the confining zone.  Information showing the anticipated dispersion, diffusion and/or displacement of injected fluids and behavior of transient pressure gradients in the injection zone during and following injection.

13. Proposed operating data including all of the following data:

   A.   The anticipated daily injection rates and pressures.

   B.   The types of fluids to be injected.

   C.   A plan for conducting mechanical integrity tests.

14. For a proposed disposal well to dispose of waste products into a zone that would likely constitute a producing oil or gas pool or natural brine pool, a list of all offset operators and certification that the person making application for a well has notified all offset operators of the person's intention by certified mail.  If within 21 days after the mailing date an offset operator files a substantive objection with the supervisor, then the application shall not be granted without a hearing pursuant to part 12 of these rules.  A hearing may also be scheduled by the supervisor to determine the need or desirability of granting permission for the proposed well.

15. A proposed plugging and abandonment plan

16. Identify the source or sources of proposed injected fluids.  Identify if injected fluids will be considered hazardous or non-hazardous as defined by Part 111, Hazardous Waste Management, of the Natural Resources and Environmental Protection Act, 1994 PA 451, as amended (NREPA), and as defined by 40CFR261 of RCRA.

17. Whether the well is to be a multisource commercial hazardous waste disposal well.

Additional information required for an application for a permit to drill and operate a storage well or to convert a previously drilled well to such a well:

For an application to drill storage well or to convert a previously drilled well to a storage well, also submit the following information in addition to that submitted in the previous section for a disposal well.  In the previous sections instructions, replace the term ‘disposal' with ‘storage' and ‘waste' with ‘stored product.'

1.   The name and chemical formula of the product to be stored, and a characterization of the physical, chemical, and hazardous or toxic properties of the product.

2.   The anticipated vertical and horizontal dimensions and volume of the completed underground storage cavity.

3.   The anticipated operating life of the underground storage cavity.

4.   The method to be used to create the underground storage cavity.

5.   The name of the geological stratum in which the underground storage cavity will be created.

6.   A schematic diagram of the well bore showing the proposed arrangement and specifications of the down hole well equipment.

7.   If the underground storage cavity is to be formed by solution mining bedded salt, then all of the following information shall be included:

8.   The plan for disposal of brine produced during solution mining of the underground storage cavity and for the operating life of the underground storage cavity.

9.   The expected starting and ending dates of the solution mining.

10. The range of anticipated operating pressures of the underground storage cavity.

11. The anticipated range of operating injection pressure.

12. The proposed method of displacing stored product. 

13. A plan for testing the mechanical integrity of the underground storage cavity as provided in R 299.2392 and R 299.2393.

Additional information required for an application for a permit to drill and operate a well for the production of artificial brine or to convert a previously drilled well to such a well:

For an application to drill and operate a brine well for production of artificial brine or to convert a previously drilled well to a well for production of artificial brine, submit in addition to the information in the first section, all of the following proposed information:

1.   If the well will be drilled into an existing cavern, the number of wells in the cavern, the present extent of the cavern, and the purpose of the proposed well.

2.   The name of the geological stratum or strata to be mined, the top and bottom depths of the mined zone, the gross and net mineable thickness, and the mineral or minerals to be recovered by solution mining.

3.   An isopach map showing thickness and areal extent of the strata to be mined.

4.   A sketch showing the extent of the planned mine area.

5.   The geological strata to be left in place for roof support.

6.   A diagram showing the well bore with the proposed casing program and its relationship to the stratum or strata to be mined. 

7.   A plan for conducting subsidence monitoring as required in R 299.2407 or a rationale for not conducting subsidence monitoring.

A public hearing may be scheduled by the Supervisor of Mineral Wells to take public comment on the proposed well.  If such a hearing is scheduled, the applicant will be responsible for the scheduling and preparation and publication of the notice.

Please collate the above documents into a set and  mail the original and two copies of the application (total of 3 sets) plus 3 additional copies of form EQP 7200-1 to:

                        Department of Environment, Great Lakes, and Energy
                        Geologic Resources Management Division 
                        P.O. Box 30256 
                        Lansing, Michigan 48909