Underground Hydrocarbon Storage (UHS)

Unit

Directions to KDHE and Visitor Parking

• General Information
• Contact Information
• Permit Process Flow Chart (Simplified Version)
• Section 1:  Liquid Petroleum Gas (LPG) Storage
  • Regulations (K.A.R. 28-45-2 through K.A.R. 28-45-30)
  • Applications for new LPG wells and brine ponds
  • Renewal Application for Brine Ponds
  • Forms
  • Procedures
  • Reporting Requirements
• Section 2:  Natural Gas Storage (NG)
  • Regulations (K.A.R. 28-45a-1 through K.A.R. 28-45a-19)
  • Application for new NG wells
  • Forms for ng
  • Procedures for ng
  • Reporting Requirements for ng
• Section 3:  Crude Oil Storage (CO)
  • Regulations (K.A.R. 28-45b-1 through K.A.R. 28-45B-28
• links
• Upcoming Seminars, Expos, Conferences and Workshops
  • Geology Section Fall 2013 Seminar, September 5, 2013 (NEW) 3/13/2013 - Details in Near Future
  • Geology Section Fall 2012 Seminar, held on 9-6-12, Wichita, KS
    • Presentations (NEW) 9/26/2012
• Records Request Form (.pdf)

General Information

The Underground Hydrocarbon Storage (UHS) Unit administers the Liquid Petroleum Gas (LPG) and the Natural Gas (NG) Storage Programs for the purpose of protecting public health, safety, and the environment.  The UHS Unit also regulates the construction, operation, and closure of brine ponds associated with the LPG storage facilities. 

Storage caverns are formed by injecting fresh water through wells into the Hutchinson Salt Formation to dissolve the salt and form caverns.  Although both LPG and NG are stored in the underground salt caverns, different methods are used to transfer the product.  Brine is used to transfer product in a LPG (ethane, propane, butane, and natural gas liquids) storage cavern.  The LPG floats on top of the denser brine.  The LPG is moved in and out of the cavern by injecting or withdrawing brine.  The brine is stored in brine ponds to ensure availability of brine for product transfer. 

The NG (methane) is not stored as a liquid. The NG storage wells operate at higher pressures and brine is not used to transfer the product.

Section 1:  LIQUID PETROLEUM GAS (LPG)

Note: Some of the files linked below require Adobe Acrobat.

Regulations

• K.A.R. 28-45-2 through K.A.R. 28-45-30 (.pdf)

Applications

• Application for New LPG Wells (.pdf)
• Application for New Brine Ponds (.pdf)

Renewal Applications

• Application for Renewal of a Brine Pond Associated with an Underground Storage Facility (.pdf) (NEW) 1/17/2013

Forms

• Brine Pond Inspection Report (Semiannual and Annual) - (.pdf) (03/12)
• Brine Pond Monitoring Report (Quarterly) - (.xls) (07/09)
• Signatory Certification (.pdf) (7/05)
• Annual Report (.pdf) (3/01)
• Quarterly Observation Well Report Form (.pdf) (7/05)
• Monthly Visual Inspection Report (.doc) (10/03)
• Hydrocarbon Storage Monitoring Report (.pdf) (10/03)
• Hydrocarbon Storage Monitoring Report (.doc) (10/03)
• Notification of Product Change (.pdf) (7/03)
• Notification of Product Change (.doc) (7/03)
• Well Plugging Report (.pdf) (2/02)
• Monthly Wash Report (.xls) (10/04)
• Inspection Report for Underground Storage Wells (.pdf) (7/09)
• Facility Records Review (.xls) (3/05)
• Notice of Ownership/Operator Change (NOC) (.pdf) (4/05)
• Pressure Mechanical Integrity Test Report for Underground Hydrocarbon Storage Well (.pdf) (12/03)
• Brine Hydrostatic Test - Mechanical Integrity Test (.doc) (6/08)

Procedures

• UICLPG-1   Procedure for the Cleanup of a Surface Brine Spill at Hydrocarbon Storage Well Facilities (.pdf) (6/11)

• UICLPG-2a Procedure for Conducting Sonar Survey On A Hydrocarbon Storage Well (.pdf) (6/11)

• UICLPG-3   Procedure for the plugging and abandonment of a hydrocarbon storage well (.pdf) (6/11)

• UICLPG-4   Procedure for converting a hydrocarbon storage well to monitoring status (.pdf) (6/11)

• UICLPG-5   Procedure for Presentation of Logs for Hydrocarbon Storage Wells (.pdf) (6/11)

• UICLPG-6   Procedure for Demonstrating Financial Assurance for an Underground Hydrocarbon Storage Well (.pdf) (6/11)

• UICLPG-9   Procedure for sample logging (.pdf) (6/11)

• UICLPG-11 Procedure for Demonstrating Financial Assurance for a Brine Pond Associated with a Storage Facility (.pdf) (6/11)

• UICLPG-12 Procedure for Casing Repair (.pdf) (6/11)

• Recommended groundwater observation well sampling protocol for chloride and other mineral constituents at a hydrocarbon storage well facility (.pdf) (6/11)

• UICLPG-13 Procedure for Developing a Public Education Program at Hydrocarbon and Natural Gas Storage Well Facilities (.pdf)  (6/11)

• UICLPG-14 Procedure for developing an Underground Hydrocarbon Storage well Workover Plan (.pdf) (6/11)

• UICLPG-15 Procedure for Conducting a Casing Pressure Test (.pdf) (6/11)

• UICLPG-16 Underground Hydrocarbon Storage (UHS) Core Procedure (.pdf) (6/11)

• UICLPG-17 Procedure for the Pressure Mechanical Integrity Test for the Casing of an Underground Hydrocarbon Storage Well (.pdf) (6/11)

• UICLPG-18 Emplacement of Approved Materials into a Cavern (.pdf) (6/11)

• UICLPG-19 Spill Notification Procedures (.pdf) (6/11)

• UICLPG-20 Procedure for Nitrogen/Brine Interface Mechanical Integrity Test (MIT) Part 1:  Casing (Internal) MIT and Part II: Cavern (External) MIT (.pdf) (6/11)

• UICLPG-21 Nitrogen/Brine Interface Test Plan (.doc) (6/11)

• UICLPG-22 Field Procedure Report - Nitrogen/Brine Interface Test (.doc) (6/11)

• UICLPG-23 Final Report - Nitrogen/Brine Interface Test (.doc) (6/11)

• UICLPG-24 Test Plan - Pressure Observation Test for Caverns (.doc) (6/11)

• UICLPG-25 Field Procedure - Pressure Observation Test for Caverns (.doc) (6/11)

• UICLPG-26 Final Report for Pressure Observation Test for Caverns (.doc) (6/11)

• UICLPG-27 Procedure for Converting a Crude Oil Storage Well to Monitoring Status (.pdf) (6/11)

• UICLPG-28 Procedure for Demonstrating Financial Assurance for an Underground Crude Oil Storage Well (6/11)

• UICLPG-29 Procedure for the Plugging and Abandonment of a Crude Oil Storage Well (.pdf) (6/11)

• UICLPG-30 Procedure for Demonstrating Financial Assurance for a Brine Pond Associated with a Storage Facility (.pdf) (6/11)

UHS Reporting Requirements

• LPG Caverns & Wells (.pdf)

Section 2:  Natural Gas (NG)

Note: Some of the files linked below require Adobe Acrobat.

Regulations

• Natural Gas Regulations K.A.R. 28-45a-1 through K.A.R. 28-45a-19 (.pdf)

Application

• Application or New Natural Gas Underground Storage Well/Cavern (.pdf)

Forms

• Signatory Certification (.pdf) (10/04)
• Annual Report (.pdf) (3/01)
• Quarterly Observation Well Report Form (.pdf) (9/03)
• Well Plugging Report (.pdf) (2/02)
• Monthly Wash Report (.xls) (10/04)
• Facility Records Review (.xls) (3/05)

Procedures

• UICLPG-7   Procedure for Demonstrating Financial Assurance for an Underground Natural Gas Storage Well (.pdf) (6/11)

• UICLPG-8   Procedure for plugging and abandonment of a natural gas storage well (.pdf) (6/11)

• UICLPG-9   Procedure for Sample Logging (.pdf) (3/03)

• UICLPG-10 Procedure for Converting a natural gas storage well to monitoring status (.pdf) (6/11)

Natural Gas Reporting Requirements

• Natural Gas Caverns & Wells (.pdf)

Section 3:  Crude Oil (CO)

Note:  Some of the files linked below require Adobe Acrobat.

Regulations

• Crude Oil  Regulations K.A.R. 28-45b-1 through K.A.R. 28-45b-28 (.pdf)

 

Guidance Documents

• UHS-G1 Guidance for Casing Inspection Logs (.pdf) (7/03)

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Contact Information:

Mark Jennings, Unit Chief, (785) 296-7254
Jeffrey Hand, Environmental Technician, (785) 296-7265
Fax:  (785) 296-5509
Mailing Address:  KDHE - Geology, 1000 SW Jackson Street, Suite 420, Topeka, KS 66612-1367

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Links

• Kansas Geological Survey
• Kansas Conservation Commission
• Solution Mining Research Institute

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Upcoming Seminars, Expos, Conferences and Workshops

• Geology Section Fall 2013 Seminar, September 5, 2013 (NEW) 3/13/2013 - Details in Near Future

Records Request

• Request Form (.pdf)