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 4 - Well Stimulation Treatments
Section 1781 - Definitions

(a) "Acid fracturing" means a well stimulation treatment that, in whole or in part, includes the pressurized injection of acid into an underground geologic formation in order to fracture the formation, thereby causing or enhancing, for the purposes of this division, the production of oil or gas from a well.

(b) "Acid matrix stimulation treatment" means an acid treatment conducted at pressures lower than the applied pressure necessary to fracture the underground geologic formation.

(c) "Acid well stimulation treatment" means a well stimulation treatment that uses, in whole or in part, the application of one or more acids to the well or underground geologic formation. The acid well stimulation treatment may be at any applied pressure and may be used in combination with hydraulic fracturing treatments or other well stimulation treatments. Acid well stimulation treatments include acid matrix stimulation treatments and acid fracturing treatments.

(d) "Acid stimulation treatment fluid" means one or more base fluids mixed with physical and chemical additives for the purpose of performing an acid well stimulation treatment.

(e) "Additive" means a substance or combination of substances added to a base fluid for purposes of preparing well stimulation treatment fluid, including, but not limited to, acid stimulation treatment fluid and hydraulic fracturing fluid. An additive may serve additional purposes beyond the transmission of hydraulic pressure to the geologic formation. An additive may be of any phase and may include proppants.

(f) "ADSA" or "axial dimensional stimulation area" means the estimated axial dimensions, expressed as maximum length, width, height, and azimuth, of the area(s) stimulated by a well stimulation treatment.

(g) "Base fluid" means the continuous phase fluid used in the makeup of a well stimulation treatment fluid. The continuous phase fluid may include, but is not limited to, water, and may be a liquid or a hydrocarbon or nonhydrocarbon gas. A well stimulation treatment may use more than one base fluid.

(h) "Chemical Disclosure Registry" means the chemical registry Internet Web site known as fracfocus.org developed by the Ground Water Protection Council and the Interstate Oil and Gas Compact Commission.

(i) "Designated Contractor for Water Sampling" means an independent third-party person or entity designated by the State Water Board to sample water well and surface water in accordance with Public Resources Code section 3160, subdivision (d)(7).

(j) "Flowback fluid" means the fluid recovered from the treated well before the commencement of oil and gas production from that well following a well stimulation treatment. The flowback fluid may include materials of any phase.

(k) "Hydraulic fracturing" means a well stimulation treatment that, in whole or in part, includes the pressurized injection of hydraulic fracturing fluid into an underground geologic formation in order to fracture the formation, thereby causing or enhancing, for the purposes of this division, the production of oil or gas from a well.

(l) "Hydraulic fracturing fluid" means one or more base fluids mixed with physical and chemical additives for the purpose of hydraulic fracturing.

(m) "Independent third party" means a person or entity responsible to an operator, but who is not an employee of the operator, is not under the ownership or direct control of the operator, and does not have a direct financial interest in the production activities of the operator.

(n) "Proppants" means materials inserted or injected into the underground geologic formation that are intended to prevent fractures from closing.

(o) "Regional Water Board" means the Regional Water Quality Control Board with jurisdiction over the location of a well subject to well stimulation treatment.

(p) "State Water Board" means the State Water Resources Control Board.

(q) "Surface property owner" means the owner of real property as shown on the latest equalized assessment roll or, if more recent information than the information contained on the assessment roll is available, the owner of record according to the county assessor or tax collector.

(r) "Tenant" means a person or entity with a possessory interest in and right to occupy a legally recognized parcel, or portion thereof.

(s) "Well stimulation treatment fluid" means a base fluid mixed with physical and chemical additives, which may include acid, for the purpose of a well stimulation treatment. A well stimulation treatment may include more than one well stimulation treatment fluid. Well stimulation treatment fluids include, but are not limited to, hydraulic fracturing fluids and acid stimulation treatment fluids.