312 IAC 29-17-4 - Additional well completion requirements
Authority: IC 14-37-3
Affected: IC 14-37
Sec. 4.
(a) This
section establishes requirements for the completion of wells for oil and gas
purposes in areas underlain by the following commercially minable coal
resources:
(1) Areas within the permit
boundary of an active or inactive underground mine permitted under IC 14-34as
described in section 1(a)(1) and 1(a)(2) of this rule.
(2) Areas designated by the owner, lessee, or
other person with the right to develop a coal seam identified according to
section 1(c) of this rule.
(b) For wells completed in areas underlain by
commercially minable coal resources identified under subsection (a), the owner
or operator must set a production string of casing properly centralized and
cemented to ensure that adequate cement is placed behind the casing in the area
between fifty (50) feet below and one hundred (100) feet above the commercially
minable coal seam.
(c) Following
completion of the coal seam protection requirements of subsection (b), the
owner or operator must prepare and submit to the division an affidavit on a
form prescribed by the division that includes the following:
(1) Verification that the commercially
minable coal resource was protected as required by subsection (b).
(2) A cross-section drawing of the well
showing the location of each centralizer in the completed well.
(3) Evidence that adequate cement was
circulated behind the casing as required by subsection (b) including cement
tickets showing the volume and type of cement used and copies of any cement
bond variable density logs or other similar logs that were run.
(d) The division may require the
owner or operator to run a cement bond-variable density log or other similar
logging procedure to determine the adequacy of cement bonding if the division
director finds either:
(1) adequate cement has
not been circulated to protect the commercially minable coal resource;
or
(2) centralizers were not placed
at locations necessary to properly centralize the casing through the coal
seam.
(e) If any logging
procedure run under subsection (d) indicates that adequate cement bonding has
not occurred between fifty (50) feet below or one hundred (100) feet above the
commercially minable coal resource, the owner or operator must perform remedial
action as ordered by the division director to ensure adequate protection of the
coal seam.
(f) An original copy of
the affidavit required under subsection (c) and any logs run under subsection
(d) must be submitted to the division within thirty (30) days after the later
of:
(1) construction of the well was
completed; or
(2) completion of any
logging procedure under subsection (d).
(g) Concurrent with the submission of the
affidavit and any logs to the division under subsection (f), the owner or
operator shall also submit copies of the documents to any known owner or
operator of the commercially minable coal resource.
(h) If the division director finds evidence
of a failure to adequately protect a coal seam by an owner or operator under
the requirements of this section, the owner or operator must perform additional
remedial actions to ensure protection of the coal resource and the health and
safety of miners. Significant water, gas, or other fluid movement through the
annular space outside the protective casing string and into an underground mine
is evidence of a failure to adequately protect the coal seam.
(i) Running any log under subsection (d) or
conducting any remedial actions under subsection (h) are at the expense of the
owner or operator.
Notes
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