Current through Reg. 49, No. 12; March 22, 2024
(a) The commission
shall assign a new field designation and/or discovery allowable after an
operator furnishes to the commission's Austin office proper evidence, other
than horizontal distance, proving that a well is a new discovery. An operator
shall include the following in the application:
(1) a legible area map, drawn to scale,
preferably on white paper, which shows the following:
(A) all oil, gas, and abandoned wells within
at least a 2 1/2-mile radius of the well claimed to be a discovery
well;
(B) the producing intervals
of all pertinent oil and gas wells identified in subparagraph (A) of this
paragraph;
(C) all
commission-recognized fields within a 2 1/2-mile radius of the well claimed to
be a discovery well, that are presently active or were active in the past,
identified by commission-assigned field names, names of the producing
formations, and approximate average depth of the producing interval;
(D) the total depth of all wells identified
in subparagraph (A) of this paragraph that penetrated the subject
zone;
(E) scale, legend, and name
of person who prepared the map;
(2) a complete legible electric log of the
well. However, an operator is not required to file a complete electric log if
the operator has filed all other required data, a portion of the log showing
the top and bottom of the proposed reservoir interval, log headings, and
applicable scales, and satisfactorily proves discovery as a new reservoir. Any
electric log filed shall be considered public information pursuant to §
RSA
3.16 of this title (relating to Log and
Completion or Plugging Report) (Statewide Rule 16).
(3) a bottom-hole pressure for oil wells,
submitted on the appropriate form. This bottom-hole pressure may be determined
by a pressure build-up test, drill stem test, or wire- line formation tester.
Calculations based on fluid level surveys or calculations made on flowing wells
using shut-in wellhead pressures may be used if no test data is
available.
(4) a subsurface
structure map and/or cross section(s), if separation is based on structural
differences, including faulting and pinch-outs. The structure map shall show
the contour of the top of the producing formation and the line(s) of cross
section. The cross section(s) shall be prepared from comparable electric logs
(not tracings) with the wells, producing formation, and hydrocarbon reservoir
identified. The engineer or geologist who prepared the map and cross section
shall sign them.
(5) reservoir
pressure measurements or calculations, if separation is based on pressure
differentials.
(6) core data,
drillstem test data, cross sections of nearby wells, and/or production data
estimating the fluid level, if separation is based on differences in fluid
levels. The operator shall obtain the fluid level data within 10 days of the
potential test date.
(b)
The staff may require additional data deemed necessary to make a determination.
Deviation from the requirements of subsection (a) of this section may be
allowed at the staff's discretion.
(c) The director, oil and gas, may
administratively grant an application if all required data is submitted with
the form prescribed, and the evidence proves that the new reservoir is
effectively separated from any other reservoir previously shown to be
productive.
(d) If the director of
the Oil and Gas Division, or the director's delegate, declines administratively
to grant an application, the operator may request a hearing. If the commission
receives the hearing request within 10 days of the date of the notice of
administrative denial of the application, the commission shall schedule a
hearing. After hearing, the examiner shall recommend final commission
action.