Natural gas storage facility permit application to inject gas into and recover gas from a natural gas storage reservoir.

(1) Before drilling a well to inject gas into and recover gas from a natural gas storage reservoir, the person who desires to conduct such operation shall apply to the department in the manner described in this section using such form as the department may prescribe to obtain a natural gas storage facility permit. The department shall also require any applicant seeking to obtain such permit to pay a reasonable permit application fee. Such fee must be in an amount necessary to cover the costs associated with receiving, processing, issuing, and recertifying the permit application, and inspecting for compliance with the permit.

(2) Each application must contain:

(a) A detailed, three-dimensional description of the natural gas storage reservoir, including geologic-based descriptions of the reservoir boundaries, and the horizontal and vertical dimensions.

(b) A geographic description of the lateral storage reservoir boundary.

(c) A general description and location of all injection, recovery, withdrawal-only, and observation wells.

(d) A description of the reservoir protective area.

(e) Information demonstrating that the proposed natural gas storage reservoir is suitable for the storage and recovery of gas.

(f) Information identifying all reasonably known abandoned or active wells within the natural gas storage facility.

(g) A field-monitoring plan that requires, at a minimum, monthly field inspections of all wells that are part of the natural gas storage facility.

(h) A monitoring and testing plan for the well integrity.

(i) A well inspection plan that requires, at a minimum, the inspection of all wells that are part of the natural gas storage facility and plugged wells within the natural gas storage facility boundary.

(j) A spill prevention and response plan.

(k) A well spacing plan.

(l) An operating plan for the natural gas storage reservoir, which must include gas capacities, anticipated operating conditions, and maximum storage pressure.

(m) A gas migration response plan.

(n) A location plat and general facility map surveyed and prepared by a registered land surveyor licensed under chapter 472.

(3) The department may require the applicant to provide additional information that is deemed necessary to permit the development of the natural gas storage facility. Each well related to the natural gas storage facility shall be authorized and permitted individually upon the applicant’s satisfying applicable well construction and operation criteria under this part; however, notwithstanding any other provision of this chapter, well spacing requirements do not apply.