New Mexico Administrative Code
Title 19 - NATURAL RESOURCES AND WILDLIFE
Chapter 14 - GEOTHERMAL POWER
Part 28 - DEVIATION TESTS AND DIRECTIONAL DRILLING
Section 19.14.28.8 - DEVIATION TESTS AND DIRECTIONAL DRILLING
Current through Register Vol. 35, No. 18, September 24, 2024
A. Any well which is deepened or drilled with rotary tools shall be tested at reasonably frequent intervals to determine the deviation from the vertical. Such tests shall be made at least each 500 feet or at the first bit change succeeding 500 feet. A tabulation of all deviation tests, sworn to and notarized, shall be filed with form G-105, geothermal resources well log. When the deviation averages more than five degrees in any 500-foot interval, the division director may require that a directional survey be run to establish the location of the producing interval(s).
B. The division director, at the request of an offset operator, may require any operator to make a directional survey of any well. Said directional survey and all associated costs shall be at the expense of the requesting party and shall be secured in advance by a $5,000.00 indemnity bond posted with and approved by the division. The requesting party may designate the well survey company, and said survey shall be witnessed by a representative of the division.
C. No well shall be intentionally deviated except toward the vertical without prior permission from the division. Permission to deviate a well other than toward the vertical shall be obtained on division form G-103 with copies of said form G-103 being furnished to all other operators owning leases offsetting the drilling tract, if any there be. Upon request of the division director any well which was intentionally deviated shall be directionally surveyed. The division may at its option witness such survey and the Santa Fe office shall be notified of the date and hour all directional surveys are to be conducted. All directional surveys run on any well which was intentionally deviated in any manner for any reason must be filed with the division upon completion of the well. Form G-104, certificate of compliance and authorization to produce geothermal resources, will not be approved until the operator has submitted an affidavit that all such directional surveys have been filed.
