New Mexico Administrative Code
Title 19 - NATURAL RESOURCES AND WILDLIFE
Chapter 15 - OIL AND GAS
Part 16 - DRILLING AND PRODUCTION
Section 19.15.16.7 - DEFINITIONS

Universal Citation: 19 NM Admin Code 19.15.16.7

Current through Register Vol. 35, No. 6, March 26, 2024

These definitions apply specifically to 19.15.16 NMAC. For additional definitions that may apply see 19.15.2 NMAC.

A. "Azimuth" means the deviation in the horizontal plane of a well bore expressed in terms of compass degrees.

B. "Completed interval" means that portion of a well bore or lateral that is:

(1) cased, cemented and perforated;

(2) an open hole; or

(3) isolated by a packer or other non-permeable means and open to the formation.

C. "Deviated well" means a well bore that is intentionally deviated from vertical but not with an intentional azimuth.

D. "Directional well" means a well bore that is intentionally deviated from vertical with an intentional azimuth but is not a horizontal well.

E. "First take point" means the shallowest measured depth of the well bore where the completed interval starts.

F. "Horizontal spacing unit" means the spacing unit dedicated to a horizontal well.

G. "Horizontal well" means a well bore with one or more laterals that extend a minimum of 100 feet laterally in the target zone. A well with multiple laterals from a common well bore in the same or different target zones or formations shall be considered one well.

H. "Infill horizontal well" means a horizontal well the completed interval or intervals of which are located wholly within the horizontal spacing unit dedicated to a previously drilled or proposed horizontal well in the same pool and that the operator designates as an infill horizontal well on form C-102. For the purposes of this definition, "proposed" means that an APD has been submitted to a regulatory agency.

I. "Kick-off point" means the point at which a directional or horizontal well is intentionally deviated from the vertical.

J. "Last take point" means the deepest measured depth of the well bore where the completed interval ends.

K. "Lateral" means the portion of a directional or horizontal well past the point where the well bore has been intentionally deviated from the vertical.

L. "Multi-lateral well" means a horizontal well with multiple laterals from a common well bore in the same or different target zones or formations.

M. "Open hole" means that portion of a well bore or lateral that is:

(1) not cased, or

(2) cased, but the casing is not cemented in place, and is not otherwise isolated from the formation.

N. "Terminus" means the farthest point drilled along the well bore or lateral.

O. "Tract" means a legal subdivision of the United States public survey substantially in the form of a square or rectangle.

P. "Unitized area" means any area where ownership of production from the relevant pool or formation is consolidated pursuant to an agreement, whether voluntary and filed in the county land records, or approved by federal or state authority, including but not limited to a statutory unit, an approved enhanced recovery unit, a participating area in a federal exploratory unit, a federal unit which does not provide for participating areas, a state exploratory unit or a communitized unit if all interests in the communitized unit are committed to the communitization agreement.

Q. "Vertical well" means a well that does not have an intentional departure or course deviation from the vertical.

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