| Contents Notes |
"The Underground Injection Control (UIC) program regulations require injection well operators to test the mechanical integrity of injection wells on a periodic basis. The testing is to ensure that there is no significant leak in the casing, tubing or packer, and that there is no significant fluid movement through vertical channels adjacent to the injection well. There are a number of methods available for mechanical integrity testing. These include monitoring of annulus pressure, pressure testing, temperature logging, noise logging, pipe analysis surveys, electromagnetic thickness surveys, caliper logging, borehole television, borehole televiewer, flow meter surveys, radioactive tracer surveys and cement and cement bond logging. Only temperature logging, noise logging and radioactive tracer surveys can be utilized to provide relatively definitive information regarding the presence or absence of fluid movement behind casing; cement bond logs provide information from which fluid movement may be inferred. With the exception of cement bond logging, all of the testing methods can be used to locate leaks in casing. The full report describes each of the methods that can be used in mechanical integrity testing, including the principles, equipment, procedures, interpretation, cost, advantages and disadvantages and examples of each technique. Other methods which may also have application in mechanical integrity testing, but which require additional field testing to establish their effectiveness, are also described." |
