California Code of Regulations
Title 14 - Natural Resources
Division 2 - Department of Conservation
Chapter 4 - Development, Regulation, and Conservation of Oil and Gas Resources
Subchapter 2 - Environmental Protection
Article 3 - Requirements
Section 1772 - Idle Well Inventory and Evaluation

Universal Citation: 14 CA Code of Regs 1772

Current through Register 2024 Notice Reg. No. 38, September 20, 2024

(a) Operators shall submit an Idle Well Inventory and Evaluation to the Division that provides all of the following information for each of the operator's idle wells:

(1) API number and name of the idle well;

(2) Date the well was spudded;

(3) Identification of any surface obstacles or impediments on the surface preventing access to an idle well, including but not limited to buildings or structures, surface-use activities, irrigation systems, roads, terrain, or restricted access;

(4) Results of the most recent mechanical integrity testing for the idle well, including the type of test, the date of the test, the results of the test, and a description of any remediation of the well subsequent to the test;

(5) Whether the idle well penetrates freshwater;

(6) Whether it has been demonstrated to the Division that the idle well does not penetrate a USDW;

(7) Identification of the current tubing and casing pressures for the idle well, or indication that the well is open to the atmosphere;

(8) Whether the idle well is a critical well, is in an urban area, or has an environmentally sensitive wellhead;

(9) Whether the idle well is located in an area of known geologic hazard, such as subsidence, landslides, or a history of damage to wells in the area from seismicity;

(10) Indication of known downhole issues with the idle well that would make it difficult to either reactivate the well or plug and abandon the well, such as known holes in casing, collapsed casing, stuck rods, packer, or fish; and

(11) Whether the idle well is partially plugged in accordance with Section 1752.

(b) Operators shall submit their Idle Well Inventory and Evaluation to the Division in a digital format by January 31, 2021, or within one year after becoming the operator of an idle well, whichever comes later. The Division may allow additional time for submittal of the Idle Well Inventory and Evaluation on a case-by-case basis based on the operator's total number of idle wells and particular obstacles the operator faces in compiling the information. Unless requested by the Division, information that has previously been submitted to the Division is not required to be resubmitted. After initial submission, operators shall update their Idle Well Inventory and Evaluation annually and submit it to the Division by January 31 of each year.

1. New section filed 3-20-2019; operative 4-1-2019 pursuant to Government Code section 11343.4(b)(3) (Register 2019, No. 12). For prior history, see Register 82, No. 43.

Note: Authority cited: Sections 3013 and 3206.1, Public Resources Code. Reference: Sections 3106, 3206 and 3206.1, Public Resources Code.

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