Current through Register Vol. 43, No. 12, March 20, 2024
(a) Each
operator shall set and cement surface casing pursuant to this regulation and
the instructions on the notice of intent to drill approved pursuant to K.A.R.
82-3-103 before drilling to any depth to test for or produce oil or
gas.
(b) Each operator shall set
and cement surface casing in compliance with the following, which are hereby
adopted by reference:
(1) Table I and appendix
A, as incorporated in the commission order dated August 1, 1991, docket no.
34,780-C (C-1825); and
(2) appendix
B, as incorporated in the commission order dated June 29, 1994, docket no.
133,891-C (C-20,079).
(c) Cementing alternatives.
(1) Alternate I cementing shall be performed
as follows:
(A) A single string of surface
casing shall be set from surface to the depth specified in the documents
adopted in subsection (b).
(B) The
surface casing shall be cemented continuously from the bottom of the surface
casing string to the surface.
(2) Alternate II cementing, which includes a
primary surface casing string and additional surface casing, shall be performed
as follows:
(A) The primary surface casing
string shall be set to a depth at least 20 feet below all unconsolidated
material.
(B) The primary surface
casing shall be cemented from the bottom of the primary surface casing string
to the surface.
(C) All additional
surface casing strings next to the borehole shall be set and cemented from the
depth specified in the documents adopted in subsection (b) to the surface.
(i) The operator shall notify the appropriate
district office before cementing the additional casing.
(ii) The additional cementing shall be
completed within 120 days after the spud date unless otherwise provided in the
documents adopted in subsection (b).
(iii) A backside squeeze shall be prohibited
unless permitted by the appropriate district office with consideration of the
cement evaluation method to be utilized and submitted as verification of cement
placement. "Backside squeeze" shall mean the uncontrolled placement of cement
from the surface into the annular space between the primary surface casing and
the additional casing.
(d) Methods and materials.
(1) The operator shall use a drill bit that
is at least two and one-quarter inches larger in diameter than the surface
casing, when measured from the outside of the casing.
(2) The annular space between the surface
casing and the borehole shall be filled with a portland cement blend and
maintained at surface level.
(3) If
cement does not circulate, the operator shall notify the appropriate district
office immediately and perform remedial cementing sufficient to prevent fluid
migration. If the surface casing is perforated, the operator shall
pressure-test the surface casing according to district office specifications to
ensure mechanical integrity.
(4)
The use of any material other than a portland cement blend shall be
prohibited.
(5) The cemented casing
string shall stand and further operations shall not begin until the cement has
been in place for at least eight hours and has reached a compressive strength
of 300 pounds per square inch.
(6)
The operator shall install centralizers as follows:
(A) If the surface casing is 300 feet or
less, a centralizer shall be installed at the top of the shoe joint.
(B) If the surface casing is more than 300
feet, a centralizer shall be installed at approximately 300 feet and at every
fourth joint of casing to the bottom of the surface casing.
(7) When total depth has been
reached during drilling operations, the operator or contractor shall not move
the rig off of the well until the required casing has been run or the well has
been plugged. All wells that are subject to the documents adopted in paragraph
(b)(2) shall be exempt from the requirements in this paragraph.
(e) Each operator of a well not in
compliance with this regulation shall shut the well in until compliance is
achieved.
(f) Upon written, timely
request by an operator, the director may provide an exception to any of the
requirements of this regulation. In considering a request for an exception, the
director may require the operator to provide financial assurance sufficient to
cover the plugging costs for the well. Each request shall demonstrate that
fresh and usable water will be protected by the proposed exception.
