Source: http://www.rrc.state.tx.us/about-us/resource-center/faqs/oil-gas-faqs/faq-haynesvillebossier-shale/
Timestamp: 2018-01-16 20:59:42
Document Index: 608495140

Matched Legal Cases: ['§3', '§3', '§3', '§3', '§3', '§3', '§3', '§3', '§3']

Texas RRC - Haynesville/Bossier Shale
Top Questions Asked about the Haynesville/Bossier Play
What are the sizes of the proration units for the Haynesville/Bossier Shale Fields?
The Carthage (Haynesville Shale) field has a base proration unit of 640 acres.
The Railroad Commission does not regulate how close a gas well can be drilled to a residential property. However, for a well within the city limits, the city may enact ordinances regarding the proximity to dwellings or other structures. In addition, there is an old law in the Municipal Code, Section 253.005(c), which provides: "A well may not be drilled in the thickly settled part of the municipality or within 200 feet of a private residence."
Commission Rule, 16 Texas Administrative Code (TAC) §3.76 provides that in counties with a population over 400,000 or a population over 140,000 adjacent to a county with a population over 400,000, a developer of the property may obtain Commission approval of a subdivision plan that limits drilling activity to designated drill sites of at least two acres for every 80 acres in the subdivision. You may access this rule directly at:http://texreg.sos.state.tx.us/public/readtac$ext.TacPage?sl=R&app=9&p_dir=&p_rloc=&p_tloc=&p_ploc=&pg=1&p_tac=&ti=16&pt=1&ch=3&rl=76
Many mineral leases also include clauses that define how close a well can be drilled to existing structures.
Explain why a surface location for horizontal wells is not required to be located on the lease that is being drilled?
Explain why a surface location for horizontal wells can be located on a lease closer to a lease line than the field rules require?
The field rules for a horizontal well regulate specifically the “horizontal drainhole” which is defined in Rule 86 as “That portion of the wellbore drilled in the correlative interval, between the penetration point and the terminus.” The surface location, therefore, can be located anywhere on the lease since this is not considered part of the horizontal drainhole that is within the correlative interval where production may occur.
What are the plastic lining requirements for drilling pits and frac water pits?
Railroad Commission rules require an operator to take precautions to prevent pollution of surface and subsurface water, but do not include specific requirements for plastic liners in drilling pits and frac water pits. Many operators use liners in areas where the soil is permeable. Local governments may require the use of lined pits.
What is the requirement for reporting production for a well after it has been completed and how do I find out what has been reported?
Railroad Commission rules require an operator to file a well completion form with the Commission 30 days after completion of the well or 90 days after completion of the drilling operation, whichever is earliest. (16 TAC §3.16) Production must be filed monthly starting the month after the well begins producing. You can find production information on the RRC website by using the Production Data Query application or the Drilling Permit Query application.
How long does the RRC allow an operator to flare gas from a new well completion until the gas is then connected to the pipeline?
Railroad Commission regulations generally allow gas to be released for a period not to exceed ten (10) producing days after initial completion, recompletion, in another field, or workover operations in the same field. However, the Commission may grant exceptions to this rule under certain circumstances. See 16 TAC §3.32
What is the typical size, shape and restoration of a drilling location in the Haynesville/Bossier Shale?
There are no standard location shapes or sizes; each rig has its own individual “footprint.” Texas law allows an operator the right to use as much of the surface as necessary to explore, drill and produce the minerals from a property. Leases or ordinances may limit the amount of surface that an operator may use and dictate restoration of the site.
An operator has the right of ingress and egress to the property for the purpose of exploring, drilling and producing the minerals. This right cannot be denied, but it does not require surface owners to allow operators to use existing roads. Should disagreements occur, it is a civil issue that must be pursued through the court system.
The Commission does not have any regulatory authority over the impact on property value as a result of drilling activities on your property unless a violation of Commission rules related to the prevention of pollution of usable quality water occurs. However, you should not construe that to mean you do not have legal rights with respect to the quiet enjoyment of your home. You may wish to consult with an attorney in your area to fully understand your rights and remedies available to you.
Please contact the RRC District 6 Office.
To obtain a drilling permit from the RRC, an operator must have on file an active P-5 in accordance with Statewide Rule 1 (16 TAC §3.1) (SWR 1-Organization Report; Retention of Records; Notice Requirements), which identifies the operator and its officers. (Note: all RRC Rules are available on the Commission's web page at the following link: http://texreg.sos.state.tx.us/public/readtac$ext.ViewTAC?tac_view=4&ti=16&pt=1&ch=3&rl=Y. The operator also must have the proper amount of financial assurance on file.
Permit Application Fees must be paid based on depth, exceptions and whether or not processing a permit application is expedited. There also are Financial Security Requirements (Statewide Rule 78 (16 TAC §3.78) Fees and Financial Security Requirements).
No, however, operators are required to have a legal lease, which gives them the right to extract the minerals, if any, under the surface land. In addition, they also may drill exploratory, test or service wells. These wells all require drilling permits.
No, however, operators are required to follow all RRC regulations, which are designed to ensure protection of the public and the environment. As part of this requirement, they must obtain and file a "Water Board Letter" from the Texas Commission on Environmental Quality (TCEQ) that identifies the depth to which fresh water must be protected so the well can be designed to ensure protection of subsurface freshwater.
The Drilling Permits Unit administratively approves or denies most regular permits and some exception to rules permits. However, protested permits regarding 16 TAC §3.37, most §3.38 permits, all §3.39 and §3.40 exception permits are set for hearing and will require Commission approval or disapproval.
Wells are not inspected on a set schedule. The frequency of a routine well/lease inspection is based on many factors including the type of well/operation, the location of the well in regard to public areas or sensitive environments, and the compliance record of the operator. Other actions that may trigger an inspection include a third-party complaint, notice to the Commission of a reportable incident (spill, fire, blowout), or notice of a specific job such as a casing job, plugging job, or mechanical integrity-test. During FY 09, the Commission oil and gas inspectors performed 128,270 inspections statewide.
This depends on the type of well/operation. In general, the inspector will confirm compliance with all applicable statewide rules with emphasis on rules related to public safety and protection of the environment. For example, an inspection of a lease might include an inspector noting whether proper signs are posted at the lease; is gas being flared illegally; or are there any spills or leaks from equipment or pits.
With respect to entry into lease agreements and actions of individuals, please be advised that the Railroad Commission’s jurisdiction is limited to issues concerning the permitting and production from oil and gas wells in the State of Texas. The Commission has no jurisdiction over property interests or contractual rights, including issues regarding the validity of existing oil, gas and mineral leases and the conduct of individuals attempting to obtain leases. If you have a question concerning the validity of an existing lease or the actions taken by individuals in an attempt to secure the rights to develop the minerals within a particular area, you may wish to consult an attorney with expertise in oil and gas law.
The Commission does maintain records regarding the reported production and disposition of all oil and gas produced from wells in the State. This information may be helpful in determining your interests and any development in the area surrounding your property. Additionally, the Commission also maintains records regarding the permitting of wells. These records include plats and other documents designating the acreage in a pooled unit. These records are required to obtain a drilling permit and for production after a well is completed.
If you have the RRC Identification Number for a well (either a five digit number for oil wells or a six digit number for gas wells) you can obtain all reported production information from January 1993 to present and can obtain access to the permitting records at the Commission's website http://www.rrc.texas.gov. For production information, please click here to get access to the Commission's on-line database for these records. For drilling permit information, please click here to get access to the Commission's on-line database for these records.
For background on oil and gas NORM you may also want to review the page found here.