North Dakota Administrative Code
Title 43 - Industrial Commission
Article 43-05 - Geologic Storage of Carbon Dioxide
Chapter 43-05-01 - Geologic Storage of Carbon Dioxide
Section 43-05-01-18.1 - Abandonment of wells

1. The removal of injection equipment or the failure to operate an injection well for one year constitutes abandonment of the well. An abandoned well must be plugged in accordance with the plugging plan and its site must be reclaimed.

2. The commission may waive for one year the requirement to plug and reclaim an abandoned well by giving the well temporarily abandoned status. This status may only be given to wells that are to be used for purposes related to the geologic storage of carbon dioxide. If a well is given temporarily abandoned status, the well's perforations must be isolated, the integrity of its casing must be proven, and its casing must be sealed at the surface, all in a manner approved by the commission. The commission may extend a well's temporarily abandoned status beyond one year. A fee of one hundred dollars shall be submitted for each application to extend the temporary abandonment status of any well.

3. In addition to the waiver in subsection 2, the commission may also waive the duty to plug and reclaim an abandoned well for any other good cause found by the commission. If the commission exercises this discretion, the commission shall set a date or circumstance upon which the waiver expires.