Deseret evening news. [volume] (Great Salt Lake City [Utah]) 1867-1920, 1892-04-15

An Act to Prevent the wasting ~ Natural Gas
and Provide Tor the PlunIng ot al
Abandoned Wells.


Abandoned Wells.
lie 1t enacted by tue Governor ana
Legislative Assembly Of the Territory
OF Umh;
Section 1. That from aud after the
passhge Of tails net, any person Or cor
pOratiOn, and each and every Que VI
them, Ia possession, whether ~ owner
lessee, agent or manager, Of any wolf
In which natural gus has been found,
shall, unless said gas IL sooner utilized,
within "A reasonable time, moi, however,
exceeding three nontha, from the com.
plulion u said well, In order u pre-
vent said gas wasting by escape, smut
In md connne the same 10 said well
until such time as It snail DO utilized;
provided, however, that this section
shall not apply to any well while u Is
buiug operated u. AN ollwell.
Sec. .. That whenever any well
shall have been put down for the pur.
poie Of drilling or exploring for gas
upon abandoning or ceasing to operate
tue SAINT, the person o. corporation In
POSSESSION as Aforesaid shall, Tor tho
purpose oil excluding all surface water
or walers from the strata above from
tho gas. bearing rock, anu before draw
ing the casing, iill up the well with
saudi or rock sediment 70 depth " Mt
least twenty (20) feet above the gas
bearing rock, aRd drive round,
seasoned wooden plug, at least three
feet (3l In length, equal In diameter to
the diameter OF the well below the
casing, 10 point AZ least five (iv feet
below the bottom Of the casing; ami
Immediately after drawing the casing,
shall drive round seasoned wooden
plug, at point Just below where the
lower end NJ the casing re,toi which
plug shall be at least three lal feet in
length, taperilg In form, and Of the
same diameter NJ the distance Of
eighteen u.s. inches from the smaller
end ns the drmeter " the hole below
The point at which i II TO be driven.
After the plug has been properly
driven there shall he filed on the top
OF the same sand Uf rock sediment 10
the depth OF at least i've (5) feet Pro.
vidcd, that IN case such geological for
nation shall he encountered In thu
bore rs 10 make some other method
more effective for preventing the Hood
ing 10y water from suppressed strata,
Then, Hud IN that case, tho inspector
may direC, what other plan shall be
pursued without unreasonable cost "a
the owner or Lessee Of the well.
Sec. .. Amy person or corporation
VINO shall violate any OF the provisions
Of the FIRST or second sections OF thia
act shall be liable tO n penalty u two
hundred dolurd for each and every
violation thereof, aud to the further
penalty Of two hundred dullaus for each
thirty days during which such Viola
tion fhall continue; aud all such pen.
allies shall bu recovered, with cost OF
suit In Il civll action or actions, I'm the
name Of the Territory, for the use Of
the county In which the well snail be
opened,
Sec I. Whenever any person or cor.
poration shall abandon any gas we'll,
and shall Tall to comply with thc sec,
ond section Of this ACT, any perou OF
corporation lawfully In possession Of
/ LANDS adjacent 20 or in the ueighb0r.
/ hoOdl Of said well may enter upon the
land upon which said well ~ situated
and take possession Of said well, and
1 plug the same In tue manner provided
/ by tho second section Of this act, aud
| may maintain civil action Ia any
court Of this Territory against the
| owner or person abandoning saih well,
and every Of them, Jointly and sever.
ally, TO recover the costs thereof This
shnll be In addition 10 the penalties
provided by thu third section OF ihi'
| act,
SEE. 5, Any person, corporation, OF
association DESTROYS ~ obtaining tho
right OF way Tor pipe line or lineg, 81
Tor the location Of any gas tsnk, ~
reservoir, ahall he entitled To eNt rclst
the right Of eminent domain as pro,
vided for in title VII Of volume II
Compiled Laws Of Utah, 1855, by com.
| plying with the provisions thereof,
Sec. o. For tho purpose Of carrying
out the provisions OF this act 10 N,
proper filing up Of wells, the county
| rouit shall from lime 10 time appoint
some person Ms lnspectorwho shsll re
| ceiye Tga.O nabls c0mpgnsf on, to b,
fixed by the county court, and paid out
Of the county treasury, for each wei
supervised.
Sec. Z. This act shall take effect from
Its approval.
Approved March 10, 1902,