Florida Administrative Code
62 - DEPARTMENT OF ENVIRONMENTAL PROTECTION
62C - Division of Resource Management
Chapter 62C-26 - CONSERVATION OF OIL AND GAS: PERMITTING
Section 62C-26.003 - Drilling Applications

(1) Except as noted in subsection 62C-26.003(4), F.A.C., no person shall begin any work other than making environmental assessments or surveying at the site of a proposed drilling operation of any well without first obtaining a permit to drill as specified in Rule 62C-25.006, F.A.C. A separate permit is required for any viable bottom hole location not in compliance with subsection 62C-26.004(10), F.A.C.

(2) Each permit is valid for one year from the date of approval. If permitted activities are not begun within that time, the Department shall, upon written request of the permittee, extend the permit for an additional year. An additional fee of $1, 000 is required for this extension. Subsequent requests for extensions shall be treated as new applications.

(3) All Applications For Permit to Drill (Oil & Gas Form 3) shall include an Organization Report (Oil & Gas Form 1; Rule 62C-25.008, F.A.C.), performance security (Rules 62C-25.008, 62C-26.002, F.A.C.), location plat (subsection 62C-26.003(7), F.A.C.), site construction plans (subsection 62C-26.003(9), F.A.C.), casing and cementing program (subsection 62C-26.003(5), F.A.C.), contingency plan if appropriate (subsection 62C-27.001(7), F.A.C.), and application fee (subsection 62C-26.003(8), F.A.C.). In addition to these items, an application to drill a nonroutine well shall include a lease map or document and a letter of justification, both as described in paragraph 62C-26.004(6)(d), F.A.C. Any of these items already on file with the Department may be included by reference.

(4) The application to drill shall be considered incomplete until the applicant requests a preliminary site inspection be made by the Department. Should the Department determine that the proposed site and access road are located on developed or highly impacted uplands, the prior-work prohibition in subsection 62C-26.003(1), F.A.C., shall not apply. However, the operator shall not spud the well until the permit has been granted.

(5) A proposed casing and cementing program must be included with the application to drill. This program shall at a minimum include setting depths, casing size, weight per foot, wall thickness, specified minimum yield strength, grade of pipe, class of cement to be used, cement additives, cement quantity, intended interval to be cemented, hole size, displacement method, special tools to be used, and calculated percent excess cement to be used.

(6) Hyphenated well numbers shall be assigned to wells so as to indicate the section, quarter section and, for wells based on 40 acre spacing, the quarter-quarter section within the drilling unit. The first number shall indicate the section, the second the quarter section (1-2-3-4 counter-clockwise from the northeast quarter), and the third number shall designate the quarter-quarter section. Wells based on other sized drilling units will be numbered by the permittee so as to avoid confusion with routinely numbered wells.

(7) Each application shall be accompanied by a location plat surveyed and prepared by a registered land surveyor licensed under Chapter 472, F.S. All such plats shall meet the minimum technical standards for land surveys as specified in Chapter 61G17-6, F.A.C., and must:

(8) Each application to drill shall be accompanied by a $2, 000.00 processing and regulatory fee (check made payable to DEP) for costs incurred by the Department through well completion or plugging. If not plugged and abandoned, the operator must obtain an operating permit pursuant to Rule 62C-26.008, F.A.C. There is no additional permitting fee for deepening or sidetracking when done prior to plugging provided the bottom hole location conforms to permit specifications.

(9) An operator must obtain a new permit prior to deepening or sidetracking a well when the resultant bottom hole location will not conform to the existing permit spacing requirements (see Rule 62C-26.004, F.A.C.), or when reentering a plugged and abandoned well. In any case submittal of Form 3 with plat and new application fee is required.

(10) The applicant shall describe the provisions made for locating and constructing roads, pads, utility lines and other facilities needed for drilling operations and shall make every effort to minimize related impacts. Applications for permits in wetlands, submerged lands, and other sensitive areas shall be reviewed in accordance with Rule 62C-30.005, F.A.C.