Current through Register Vol. 48, No. 12, March 22, 2024
a) Surface Casing Requirements for Wells
Drilled After May 13, 1994
1) Steel surface
casing or fiberglass casing meeting API standards (Fiberglass Casing and
Tubing; 15AR, May 1987, published by the American Petroleum Institute, 1220 L
Street NW, Washington DC 20005-4070; no later editions or amendments included)
shall be set to a depth of at least 100 feet, or 50 feet below the base of the
fresh water, whichever is deeper, unless an alternative surface casing
procedure is used as outlined in subsection (b).
2) Surface casing or alternative surface
casing shall be set in the presence of a representative of the Department and
the permittee shall give at least 24 hours notice to the appropriate District
Office prior to setting the surface casing. The District Office may approve the
setting of surface casing without a Department representative being present. If
the District Office approves the setting of surface casing without a Department
representative being present, the permittee is required to submit cement and
casing records verifying the setting of surface casing. If cement and casing
records are required, the permittee shall provide the records to the District
Office within 24 hours after completion of the work.
3) Surface casing shall be cemented in place
by circulating cement behind the surface casing from the setting depth of the
casing to the surface.
4) The
cement shall be allowed to set in place until it has developed sufficient
strength to allow drilling to resume, but no less than 4 hours.
b) Alternative Surface Casing
Procedures
1) Prior to the commencement of
drilling, the permittee shall notify the District Office for the county where
the well will be located of the permittee's intent to use an alternative
surface casing procedure.
2) Notice
shall be given on a form prescribed by the Department and received in the
District Office at least 24 hours prior to the commencement of
drilling.
3) The following
alternative surface casing procedures may be used unless the well is located
over a coal mined out area or a gas storage field:
A) If the unconsolidated material is less
than 25 feet thick, no surface casing is required but a cement basket shall be
set 50 feet below the base of the fresh water and the production casing shall
be either cemented to surface from total depth or cemented from the cement
basket to surface.
B) If the
unconsolidated material is greater than 25 feet thick, surface casing is
required to be set and cemented, in accordance with subsection (a), to the top
of the bedrock, and the production casing shall be either cemented to surface
from total depth or cemented from the cement basket (placed 50 feet below the
base of the fresh water) to surface.
C) For wells in which the total depth is less
than 500 feet below the base of the fresh water, no surface casing or cement
basket is required, but the production casing shall be cemented from total
depth to surface.
4) For
wells located over a coal mined out area:
A)
surface casing and cement shall be set to a minimum of 40 feet or to the top of
the bedrock, whichever is deeper, before drilling to the depth of the mined out
area or into the mined out area; and
B) a cement basket shall be set 50 feet below
the base of the fresh water and the production casing shall be cemented from
the basket to the surface or, if required under Section
240.1360,
a mine string shall be set in accordance with Section
240.1360(b).
5) For wells located over a gas
storage field:
A) at least 100 feet of surface
casing and cement shall be set before drilling to the depth of gas storage
zone; and
B) a cement basket shall
be set 50 feet below the base of the fresh water and the production casing
shall be cemented from the basket to the surface or, if required under Section
240.1360, a mine string shall be set in accordance with Section
240.1360(b).
c) Production Casing
Requirements for Wells Drilled After May 13, 1994
Production casing shall be set and cemented in place by
circulating cement behind the production casing from the setting depth of the
casing to a minimum of 250 feet above the shallowest producing interval. The
casing shall be set no higher than 50 feet above the top of the uppermost
producing interval in an open hole completion.
d) Production Casing Requirements for Wells
Drilled Prior to May 13, 1994
1) For all
existing wells without production casing:
A)
If surface casing was previously set, production casing shall be set and
cemented a minimum of 250 feet in accordance with subsection (c).
B) If surface casing was not previously set,
production casing shall be set and cemented to surface.
2) Wells drilled prior to May 13, 1994 that
contain drive pipe without cement behind the drive pipe will require no further
cementing work.
e)
Tubing and Packer in Flowing Wells
All wells flowing as a result of an enhanced oil recovery
project shall be produced through tubing and packer. The packer shall be set
within 200 feet of the top of the producing interval and within the cemented
portion of the production casing. The permittee shall contact the District
Office in which the well is located at least 24 hours prior to the initial
setting or any resetting of the packer to enable an inspector to be present
when the packer is set.