Current through Register Vol. 50, No. 9, March 1, 2024
RELATES TO: KRS 349.045, 349.110, 353.520
NECESSITY, FUNCTION, AND CONFORMITY: KRS 353.540 authorizes the
Department for Natural Resources to administer and enforce the provisions of
KRS 353.500 to 353.720. KRS 349.115 authorizes the Department for Natural
Resources to promulgate administrative regulations to implement the provisions
of KRS Chapter 349 governing coal bed methane wells. This administrative
regulation establishes the requirements to protect fresh water zones from
contamination associated with the production of oil and gas.
Section 1. Protection of Fresh Water Zones
for Drilling and Plugging Operations.
(1)
During drilling operations, one (1) of the methods established in paragraphs
(a) through (c) of this subsection shall be used to protect fresh water zones.
(a) Method A. Casing shall be set on a casing
shoulder and the casing shall have a shoe installed on the bottom of the bottom
joint. Upon the completion of the drilling program, all the recoverable casing
shall be removed or cemented to the surface.
(b) Method B. Casing shall be set on a
shoulder and cemented sufficiently to cover at least 100 feet including the
shoe. Upon completion of the drilling, all of the recoverable casing shall be
removed or cemented to the surface.
(c) Method C. Method C shall be a top to
bottom drilling mud system with a filtrate water loss of less than ten (10)
cubic centimeters, as established in Recommended Practice for Field Testing
Water-based Drilling Fluids API RP 13B-1 Fourth Edition, March, 2009.
Certification of filtrate water loss shall be made by the operator.
(2) In the event a well is to be
plugged, then it shall be plugged as established in 805 KAR 1:060.
Section 2. Protection of Fresh
Water Zones. Any well drilled in the Commonwealth of Kentucky subject to the
jurisdiction of the Division of Oil and Gas shall be equipped with fresh water
protection as established in this section prior to production or injection.
(1) A protective string of casing, be it
surface, intermediate, or long string, shall extend at least thirty (30) feet
below the deepest known fresh water zone.
(a)
The protective string shall have cement circulated in the annular space outside
said casing of a sufficient volume of cement, to assure the return of the
cement to the surface.
(b) If the
cement does not return to the surface, every reasonable attempt shall be made
to fill the annular spaces by introducing cement from the surface.
(c) If the intermediate casing or long casing
string is cemented to the surface or cemented thirty (30) feet into the next
larger string of cemented casing, the string or combination of strings shall be
considered as the fresh water protection.
(2) In areas where abnormal pressures are
expected or encountered:
(a) The surface and
intermediate casing string shall be anchored in sufficient cement and at a
sufficient depth to contain the pressures; and
(b) Blowout prevention valves and related
equipment shall be installed.
(3) If a well is drilled through a void:
(a)
1. The
hole shall be drilled at least thirty (30) feet below the void; and
2. The annular space shall be cemented from
the base of the casing up to the void and to the surface from the top of the
void, or it shall be cemented at least fifty (50) feet into the next higher
string or strings of casing that are cemented to the surface and be verified by
a cement top log.
(b) If
an operator is unable to perform the casing and cementing requirement
established in paragraph (a) of this subsection, the department may approve
alternative casing procedures proposed by the operator.
Section 3. Material Incorporated
by Reference.
(1) "Recommended Practice for
Field Testing Water-based Drilling Fluids" API RP 13B-1 Fourth Edition, March,
2009, is incorporated by reference.
(2) This material may be inspected, copied,
or obtained, subject to applicable copyright law, at the Kentucky Department
for Natural Resources, Division of Oil and Gas, 300 Sower Boulevard, Frankfort,
Kentucky 40601, Monday through Friday, 8 a.m. to 4:30 p.m., Eastern Prevailing
Time.
STATUTORY AUTHORITY: KRS 349.115, 353.540, 353.550,
353.560
