Idaho Administrative Code
Title IDAPA 37 - Water Resources, Department of
Rule 37.03.04 - DRILLING FOR GEOTHERMAL RESOURCES RULES
Section 37.03.04.010 - DEFINITIONS
Current through August 31, 2023
For these rules, the following definitions apply. (3-30-23)
01. Applicant. Any person applying to the Department of Water Resources for a permit for the construction and operation of any well or injection well. (3-30-23)
02. Board. The Idaho Water Resource Board. (3-30-23)
03. BOPE. An abbreviation for Blow Out Prevention Equipment which is designed to be attached to the casing in a geothermal well to prevent a blow out of the drilling mud. (3-30-23)
04. Completion. A well is completed thirty (30) days after drilling operations have ceased unless a suspension of operation is approved by the Director, or thirty (30) days after it has commenced producing a geothermal resource, whichever occurs first, unless drilling operations are resumed before the end of the thirty (30) day period or at the end of the suspension. (3-30-23)
05. Conductor Pipe. The first and largest diameter string of casing to be installed in the well. This casing extends from land surface to a depth great enough to keep surface waters from entering and loose earth from falling in the hole and to provide anchorage for blow out prevention equipment prior to setting surface casing. (3-30-23)
06. Department. The Idaho Department of Water Resources. (3-30-23)
07. Director. The Director of the Idaho Department of Water Resources. (3-30-23)
08. Drilling Logs. The recorded description of the lithologic sequence encountered in drilling a well. (3-30-23)
09. Drilling Operations. The actual drilling, redrilling, or recompletion of the well for production or injection including the running and cementing of casing and the installation of well head equipment. Drilling operations do not include perforating, logging, and related operations after the casing has been cemented. (3-30-23)
10. Exploratory Well. A well drilled for the discovery or evaluation of geothermal resources. (3-30-23)
11. Geothermal Area. The same general land area which in its subsurface is underlain or reasonably appears to be underlain by geothermal resources from or in a single reservoir, pool, or other source or interrelated sources, as such area or areas may be designated from time to time by the Director. (3-30-23)
12. Geothermal Field. An area which contains a well or wells capable of commercial production of geothermal resources. (3-30-23)
13. Geothermal Resource. The natural heat energy of the earth, the energy in whatever form which may be found in any position and at any depth below the surface of the earth, present in, resulting from, or created by, or which may be extracted from such natural heat and all minerals in solution or other products obtained from the material medium of any geothermal resource. Groundwater having a temperature of two hundred twelve (212) degrees Fahrenheit or more in the bottom of a well shall be classified as a geothermal resource. Geothermal resources are found and hereby declared sui generis, being neither a mineral resource nor a water resource but they are also found and hereby declared closely related to and possibly affecting and affected by water and mineral resources in many instances. (3-30-23)
14. Injection Well. Any special well, converted producing well, or reactivated or converted abandoned well employed for injecting material into a geothermal area or adjacent area to maintain pressures in a geothermal reservoir, pool, or other source, or to provide new material or to serve as a material medium therein, or for reinjecting any material medium or the residue thereof, or any by-product of geothermal resource exploration or development into the earth. (3-30-23)
15. Intermediate Casing. The casing installed within the well to seal out brackish water, caving zones, etc., below the bottom of the surface casing. Such casings may either be lapped into the surface casing or extend to land surface. (3-30-23)
16. Material Medium. Any substance including, but not limited to, naturally heated fluids, brines, associated gasses and steam in whatever form, found at any depth and in any position below the surface of the earth, which contains or transmits the natural heat energy of the earth, but excluding petroleum, oil, hydrocarbon gas, or other hydrocarbon substances. (3-30-23)
17. Notice of Intent (NOI). A written statement to the Director that the applicant intends to do work. (3-30-23)
18. Observation Well. A small diameter well drilled strictly for monitoring purposes. In no case shall an observation well be completed for production of geothermal resources or for use as an injection well. (3-30-23)
19. Operator. Any person drilling, maintaining, operating, pumping, or in control of any well. The term operator also includes owner when any well is or has been or is about to be operated by or under the direction of the owner. (3-30-23)
20. Owner. The owner of the geothermal lease or well and includes operator when any well is operated or has been operated or is about to be operated by any person other than the owner. (3-30-23)
21. Permit. A permit issued pursuant to these rules for the construction and operation of any well or injection well. (3-30-23)
22. Person. Any individual natural person, general or limited partnership, joint venture, association, cooperative organization, corporation, whether domestic or foreign, agency or subdivision of this or any other state or municipal or quasi-municipal entity whether or not it is incorporated. (3-30-23)
23. Production Casing. The casing or tubing through which a geothermal resource is produced. This casing extends from the producing zone to land surface. (3-30-23)
24. Surface Casing. The first casing run after the conductor pipe to anchor blow out prevention equipment and to seal out all existing groundwater zones. (3-30-23)
25. Suspension of Operations. The cessation of drilling, redrilling, or alteration of casing before the well is officially abandoned or completed. All suspensions must be authorized by the Director. (3-30-23)
26. Waste. Any physical waste including, but not limited to: (3-30-23)
27. Well or Geothermal Resource Well. Any excavation or other alteration in the earth's surface or crust by means of which the energy of any geothermal resource or its material medium is sought or obtained. (3-30-23)
