La. Admin. Code tit. 43 § XIX-821

Current through Register Vol. 50, No. 11, November 20, 2024

Section XIX-821 - Plugging and Abandonment

A. Plugging and abandonment of all alternative source wells shall be conducted in a safe and environmentally protective manner in accordance with the applicable plugging and abandonment requirements of LAC 43:XIX.137 and at the discretion of the district manager.

B. The responsibility of plugging any well over which the commissioner of conservation has jurisdiction shall be the owner(s) of record.

1. In the event any owner(s) responsible for plugging any well fails to do so, and after a diligent effort has been made by the department to have said well plugged, the commissioner may call a public hearing to show cause why said well was not plugged.

2. The commissioner or his agent may require the posting of a reasonable bond with good and sufficient surety in order to secure the performance of the work of proper abandonment.

3. The district manager shall be notified immediately by the new operator whenever a change of operator occurs. This must be accomplished by submitting Office of Conservation Form MD-10-RA (application for amended permit to drill for minerals) to reflect the new operator. Upon filing of Form MD-10-RA, the well operator shall provide written notification to the departments Environmental Division to inform of the change of operator.

C. Plugging Procedures

1. Notification of intention to plug any well or wells over which the commissioner of conservation has jurisdiction, shall be given to the appropriate district manager prior to the plugging thereof. Notification shall be made in writing to the district office in the form of a work permit (Form DM-4 Rev.) for which an original and three copies are required. Where plugging involves a well with a rig on location, the district manager may grant verbal approval to plug and abandon the well provided the work permit is subsequently submitted. Any operator who fails to comply with this requirement may be required by the district manager to place additional cement plug(s) and/or prove the plug(s) are placed as the operator states they are.

2. Once an operator has been issued a work permit to plug and abandon a well by the appropriate district manager, then said operator shall be required to contact the appropriate inspector a minimum of 12 hours prior to beginning the plugging operations. During drilling and/or workover operations, the requirement to contact the appropriate inspector a minimum of 12 hours prior to beginning the plugging operations shall be waived at the time verbal notification is made to the district office.

3. In plugging wells, it is essential that all oil or gas and ground water bearing formations be protected pursuant to LAC 43:XIX.137.F.3.

4. Upon plugging any well for any cause, a complete record thereof shall be made out, duly verified and filed in triplicate on Form P&A and Form WH-1 in the district office within 20 days after the plugging of such well. A cementing report shall be filed with the plugging report. Upon filing of Form P&A, the well operator shall provide written notification to the departments Environmental Division to inform of completion of well plugging and abandonment.

D. Well to be Used for Fresh Water. When the well to be plugged may be safely used as a fresh-water well and the owner or owners of the well have, by a mutual written agreement with the landowner, agreed to turn the well over to the landowner for that purpose, then the well need not be filled above the plug set below the fresh-water formation; provided, however, that the signed agreement or (if recorded in the public records) a certified copy thereof be filed with the appropriate district manager, which shall relieve the owner or owners who turn the well over to the landowner from responsibility above the plug. The plugging report shall indicate that the well has been or will be converted to a fresh water well. The well operator shall provide written notification of intent to use the well for production of fresh water in accordance with the Ground Water Management requirements of LAC 43:VI.Subpart 1 and maintain compliance with the same.

E. Temporary Abandonment of Drilling Wells. Any drilling well which is to be temporarily abandoned and the rig moved away, shall be mudded and cemented as it would be for permanent abandonment, except a cement plug at the surface may be omitted.

La. Admin. Code tit. 43, § XIX-821

Promulgated by the Department of Natural Resources, Office of Conservation, LR 45578 (4/1/2019).

AUTHORITY NOTE: Promulgated in accordance with R.S. 30:4 et seq.