Current through Bulletin 2024-18, September 15, 2024
1. For any drilling activities proposed
within the Great Salt Lake, the APD required by Subsection
R649-3-4 shall be filed at least 30 days prior to the date on which the operator intends
to commence operations. As part of the APD, the operator shall include:
1.1. The name of the drilling contractor and
the number and type of rig to be used.
1.2. An illustration of the boundaries of any
state or federal parks, wildlife refuges, or waterfowl management areas within
one mile of the proposed well location.
1.3. An illustration of the locations of any
evaporation pits, producing wells, structures, buildings, and platforms within
one mile of the proposed well location.
1.4. An oil spill emergency contingency
plan.
2. Unless permitted
by the board after notice and hearing, no well shall be drilled that has a
surface location:
2.1. Within 1,320 feet from
an evaporation pit without the consent of the operator of such pit.
2.2. Within one mile from the boundary of a
state or federal park, wildlife refuge, or waterfowl management area without
the consent of the appropriate state or federal regulatory agency.
2.3. Within three miles of Gunnison Island
during the Pelican nesting season (March 15 through September 30) or within one
mile from said island at any other time.
2.4. Within any area south of the Salt Lake
Base Meridian Line.
2.5. Within any
area north of Township 10 North.
2.6. Within one mile inside of what would be
the water's edge if the water level of the Great Salt Lake were at the
elevation of 4,193.3 feet above sea level.
3. Well casing and cementing shall be subject
to the following special requirements for the purpose of this rule, the several
casing strings in order of normal installation are drive or structural casing,
conductor casing, surface casing, intermediate casing, and production casing.
Any depths refer to vertical depth:
3.1. The
drive or structural casing shall be set by drilling, driving or jetting to a
minimum depth of 50 feet below the floor of the lake bed or to such greater
depth required to support unconsolidated deposits and to provide hole stability
for initial drilling operations. If drilled in, the drilling fluid shall be a
type that will not pollute the lake; in addition, a quantity of cement
sufficient to fill the annular space back to the lake floor with returns
circulated, must be used.
3.2. The
conductor casing shall be set at a minimum depth of 200 feet below the floor of
the lake, and shall be cemented with a quantity sufficient to fill the annular
space back to the lake surface with returns circulated.
3.3. The surface casing shall be set at a
minimum depth of 500 feet if the proposed depth of the well is less than 7,000
feet; or 1,000 feet if the proposed depth is over 7,000 feet but less than
11,000 feet; or 1,500 feet if the depth is 11,000 feet. The casing shall be
cemented with a quantity sufficient to fill the annular space back to the lake
surface with returns circulated, and the bottom of the casing shall be in
competent rock.
3.4. The
intermediate and production casing shall be set at any time when drilling below
the surface casing and hole conditions justify setting casing. This casing will
be cemented in such a manner that any hydrocarbons, water aquifers,
lost-circulation or zones of significant porosity and permeability, significant
beds containing priority minerals, and abnormal pressure intervals are covered
or isolated.
3.5. Prior to drilling
the plug after cementing, any casing strings except the drive or structural
casing, shall be pressure tested. This test shall not exceed the rated working
pressure of the casing. If the pressure declines more than ten percent in 30
minutes, or if there are other indications of a leak, corrective measures must
be taken until a satisfactory test is obtained. Any casing pressure tests shall
be recorded on the driller's log.
4. Blowout preventers and related well
control equipment shall be installed, and tested in a manner necessary to
prevent blowouts and shall be subject to the following special conditions:
4.1. Prior to drilling below the surface
casing, blowout prevention equipment shall be installed and maintained ready
for use until drilling operations are completed.
4.2. An inside blowout preventer assembly and
a full opening string safety valve in the open position shall be maintained on
the rig floor at any time while drilling operations are being conducted.
4.2.1. Valves shall be maintained on the rig
floor to fit any pipe in the drill string.
4.2.2. A top kelly cock shall be installed
below the swivel and another at the bottom of the kelly of such design that it
can be run through the blowout preventers.
4.3. Before drilling below the surface casing
the blowout prevention equipment shall include a minimum of:
4.3.1. Three remotely and manually
controlled, hydraulically operated blowout preventers with a rated working
pressure that exceeds the maximum anticipated surface pressure, including one
equipped with pipe rams, one with blind rams and one hydril type.
4.3.2. A drilling spool with side outlets, if
side outlets are not provided in the blowout preventer body.
4.3.3. A choke manifold.
4.3.4. A kill line.
4.3.5. A fill-up line.
4.4. Ram-type blowout preventers and related
control equipment shall be tested to the rated working pressure of the stack
assembly or to the working pressure of the casing, whichever is the lesser, at
the following times:
4.4.1. When
installed.
4.4.2. Before drilling
out after each string of casing is set.
4.4.3. Not less than once each week while
drilling.
4.4.4. Following repairs
that require disconnecting a pressure seal in the assembly.
4.5. The hydril-type blowout preventer shall
be tested to 70 percent of the pressure testing requirements of ram-type
blowout preventers. The hydril-type blowout preventer shall be actuated on the
drill pipe once each week.
4.6.
Accumulators or accumulators and pumps shall maintain a reserve capacity at any
time to provide for repeated operation of hydraulic preventers.
4.7. A blowout prevention drill shall be
conducted weekly for each drilling crew to ensure that any equipment is
operational and that crews are properly trained to carry out emergency duties.
Any blowout preventer tests and crew drills shall be recorded on the driller's
log.
5. The
characteristics and use of drilling mud and the conduct of related drilling
procedures shall be such as are necessary to maintain the well in a safe
condition to prevent uncontrolled blowouts of any well. Quantities of mud
materials sufficient to insure well control shall be maintained and readily
accessible for use at any time.
6.
Mud testing equipment shall be maintained on the derrick floor at any time, and
mud tests consistent with good operating practice shall be performed daily, or
more frequently as conditions warrant. The following mud system monitoring
equipment must be installed, with derrick floor indicators, and used throughout
the period of drilling after setting and cementing the surface casing:
6.1. A recording mud pit level indicator
including a visual and audio warning device to determine mud pit volume gains
and losses.
6.2. A mud return
indicator to determine when returns have been obtained, or when they occur
unintentionally, and additionally to determine that returns essentially equal
the pump discharge rate.
7. In the conduct of any oil and gas
operations, the operator shall prevent pollution of the waters of the Great
Salt Lake. The operator shall comply with the following pollution prevention
requirements:
7.1. Oil in any form, liquid or
solid wastes containing oil, shall not be disposed of into the waters of the
lake.
7.2. Liquid or solid waste
materials containing substances that may be harmful to aquatic life or
wildlife, or injurious in any manner to life and property, or that in any way
unreasonably adversely affects the chemicals or minerals in the lake shall not
be disposed of into the waters of the lake.
7.3. Waste materials, exclusive of cuttings
and drilling media, shall be transported to shore for
disposal.
8. Any spills
or leakage of oil and liquid or solid pollutants shall be immediately reported
to the division. A complete written statement of any circumstance, including
subsequent clean-up operation, shall be forwarded to said agencies within 72
hours of such occurrences.
9.
Standby pollution control equipment consistent with the state of the art, shall
be maintained by, and shall be immediately available to, each
operator.
