Code of Colorado Regulations
400 - Department of Natural Resources
404 - Oil and Gas Conservation Commission
2 CCR 404-1 - PRACTICE AND PROCEDURE
Section 1004 - FINAL RECLAMATION OF WELL SITES AND ASSOCIATED PRODUCTION FACILITIES

Universal Citation: 2 CO Code Regs 404-1 ยง 1004

Current through Register Vol. 47, No. 17, September 10, 2024

a. Well sites and associated production facilities. Upon the plugging and abandonment of a well, all pits, mouse and rat holes and cellars shall be backfilled. All debris, abandoned gathering line risers and flowline risers, and surface equipment shall be removed within three (3) months of plugging a well. All access roads to plugged and abandoned wells and associated production facilities shall be closed, graded and recontoured. Culverts and any other obstructions that were part of the access road(s) shall be removed. Well locations, access roads and associated facilities shall be reclaimed. As applicable, compaction alleviation, restoration, and revegetation of well sites, associated production facilities, and access roads shall be performed to the same standards as established for interim reclamation under Rule 1003. All other equipment, supplies, weeds, rubbish, and other waste material shall be removed. The burning or burial of such material on the premises shall be performed in accordance with applicable local, state, or federal solid waste disposal regulations and in accordance with the 900-Series Rules. In addition, material may be burned or buried on the premises only with the prior written consent of the surface owner. All such reclamation work shall be completed within three (3) months on crop land and twelve (12) months on non-crop land after plugging a well or final closure of associated production facilities. The Director may grant an extension where unusual circumstances are encountered, but every reasonable effort shall be made to complete reclamation before the next local growing season.

b. Production and special purpose pit closure. The operator shall comply with the 900 series rules for the removal or treatment of E&P waste remaining in a production or special purpose pit before the pit may be closed for final reclamation. After any remaining E&P waste is removed or treated, all such pits must be back-filled to return the soils to their original relative positions. As to both crop lands and non-crop lands, if subsidence occurs over closed pit locations, additional topsoil shall be added to the depression and the land shall be re-leveled as close to its original contour as practicable.

c. Final reclamation threshold for release of financial assurance. Successful reclamation of the well site and access road will be considered completed when:

(1) On crop land, reclamation has been performed as per Rules 1003 and 1004, and observation by the Director over two growing seasons has indicated no significant unrestored subsidence.

(2) On non-crop land, reclamation has been performed as per Rules 1003 and 1004, and disturbed areas have been either built on, compacted, covered, paved, or otherwise stabilized in such a way as to minimize erosion to the extent practicable, or a uniform vegetative cover has been established that reflects pre- disturbance or reference area forbs, shrubs, and grasses with total percent plant cover of at least eighty percent (80%) of pre-disturbance or reference area levels, excluding noxious weeds, as determined by the Director through a visual appraisal. The Director shall consider the total cover of live perennial vegetation of adjacent or nearby undisturbed land, not including overstory or tree canopy cover, having similar soils, slope and aspect of the reclaimed area.

(3) Disturbances resulting from flow line installations shall be deemed adequately reclaimed when the disturbed area is reasonably capable of supporting the pre- disturbance land use.

(4) A Sundry Notice Form 4, has been submitted by the operator which describes the final reclamation procedures, any changes, if applicable, in the landowner's designated final land use, and any mitigation measures associated with final reclamation performed by the operator, and

(5) A final reclamation inspection has been completed by the Director, there are no outstanding compliance issues relating to Commission rules, regulations, orders, permit conditions or the act, and the Director has notified the operator that final reclamation has been approved.

d. Final reclamation of all disturbed areas shall be considered complete when all activities disturbing the ground have been completed, and all disturbed areas have been either built upon, compacted, covered, paved, or otherwise stabilized in such a way as to minimize erosion, or a uniform vegetative cover has been established that reflects pre- disturbance or reference area forbs, shrubs, and grasses with total percent plant cover of at least eighty percent (80%) of pre-disturbance or reference area levels, excluding noxious weeds, or equivalent permanent, physical erosion reduction methods have been employed. Re-seeding alone is not sufficient.

e. Weed control. All areas being reclaimed shall be kept as free as practicable of all undesirable plant species designated to be noxious weeds. Weed control measures shall be conducted in compliance with the Colorado Noxious Weed Act, C.R.S. § 35-5.5-115 and the current rules pertaining to the administration and enforcement of the Colorado Noxious Weed Act. It is recommended that the operator consult with the local weed control agency or other weed control authority when weed infestation occurs. It is the responsibility of the operator to monitor affected and reclaimed lands for noxious weed infestations. If applicable, the Director may require a weed control plan.

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