Current through Register Vol. 41, No. 3, September 23, 2024
A. Each
permittee drilling a well or corehole shall complete a driller's log, a gamma
ray log, or other log showing the top and bottom points of geologic formations
and any other log required under this section. The driller's log shall state,
at a minimum, the character, depth, and thickness of geological formations
encountered, including groundwater-bearing strata, coal seams, mineral beds,
and gas-bearing or oil-bearing formations.
B. When a permittee or the director
identifies that a well or corehole is to be drilled or deepened in an area of
the Commonwealth that is known to be underlain by coal seams, the following
shall be required:
1. The vertical location
of coal seams in the well or corehole shall be determined and shown in the
driller's log and gamma ray log or other log.
2. The horizontal location of the well or
corehole in coal seams shall be determined through an inclination survey from
the surface to the lowest known coal seam. Each inclination survey shall be
conducted as follows:
a. The first survey
point shall be taken at a depth not greater than the most shallow coal seam;
and
b. Thereafter shot points shall
be taken at each coal seam or at intervals of 200 feet, whichever is less, to
the lowest known coal seam.
3. Prior to drilling any well or corehole
within 500 feet of a coal seam in which there are active workings, the
permittee shall conduct an inclination survey to determine whether the
deviation of the well or corehole exceeds one degree from true vertical. If the
well or corehole is found to exceed one degree from vertical, then the
permittee shall:
a. Immediately cease
operations;
b. Immediately notify
the coal owner and the division;
c.
Conduct a directional survey to drilled depth to determine both horizontal and
vertical location of the well or corehole; and
d. Unless granted a variance by the director,
correct the well or corehole to within one degree of true vertical.
4. Except as provided for in
subdivision B 3 of this section, if the deviation of the well or corehole
exceeds one degree from true vertical at any point between the surface and the
lowest known coal seam, then the permittee shall:
a. Correct the well or corehole to within one
degree of true vertical; or
b.
Conduct a directional survey to the lowest known coal seam and notify the coal
owner of the actual well or corehole location.
5. The director may grant a variance to the
requirements of subdivisions B 3 and B 4 of this section only after the
permittee and coal owners have jointly submitted a written request for a
variance stating that a directional survey or correction to the well or
corehole is not needed to protect the safety of any person engaged in active
coal mining or to the environment.
6. If the director finds that the lack of
assurance of the horizontal location of the well or corehole to a known coal
seam poses a danger to persons engaged in active coal mining or the lack of
assurance poses a risk to the public safety or the environment, the director
may, until 30 days after a permittee has filed the completion report required
in 4VAC25-150-360, require that a
directional survey be conducted by the permittee.
7. The driller's log shall be updated on a
daily basis. The driller's log and results of any other required survey shall
be kept at the site until drilling and casing or plugging a dry hole or
corehole are completed.
C. Each permittee completing a well shall
complete a cement bond log for the water protection string. Permittees may
petition the director to submit alternative documentation that demonstrates
effective bond between the casing and the formation.
Statutory Authority: §§ 45.1-161.3,
45.1-361.4, and 45.1-361.27 of the Code of
Virginia.
