California Code of Regulations › Title 2 - Administration › Division 3 - State Property Operations › Chapter 1 - State Lands Commission › Article 3.3 - Oil and Gas Production Regulations › Section 2132 - Production Regulations

Current through Register 2024 Notice Reg. No. 28, July 12, 2024
(a)
				  Well Completion.
(1) A well-completion
				  program for each well, whether surface or subsea completed, shall be submitted
				  as a part of the drilling program (Refer to Article 3.2, Section
				  2128(d)(1)) for
				  approval by the Staff. In the event a completion program cannot be provided
				  with the well-drilling program, the lessee shall submit a completion program
				  for Staff approval prior to commencement of the completion work.
(2) The program shall include detailed
				  information and working drawings as appropriate, of the wellhead assembly,
				  surface and downhole production control equipment, and safety system.
(3) Proposals for subsea well completions
				  shall be reviewed and approved by the Staff on an individual well
				  basis.
(4) Wellhead Equipment.
(A) The wellhead equipment associated with
				  each casing string and tubing string and all valves and fittings which may be
				  subjected to wellbore pressure under any condition, shall have a rated working
				  pressure exceeding the maximum anticipated surface pressure to which they may
				  be subjected.
(B) All wellhead
				  equipment, valves and flow lines installed on offshore wells shall be flange or
				  other nonthread connected. All wellhead equipment, valves and flow lines on
				  upland wells that are designed for a working pressure of 2,000 psi or greater
				  shall be flange or other nonthread connected.
(C) Valves shall be installed to permit
				  fluids to be pumped into each casing string. Two master valves shall be
				  installed on any well capable of flowing.
(D) All wellhead equipment shall be tested by
				  a fluid pressure equal to its rated working pressure after installation on a
				  well.
(E) All wellhead components,
				  valves and flow lines in service upon adoption of these regulations are
				  exempted from the requirements in Section
				  2132(a) (4)(B);
				  except that any modification to existing equipment or piping, unless otherwise
				  approved in writing by the Staff shall be flange or other nonthread
				  connected.
(F) All wellhead
				  equipment, valves and flow lines on any well to be redrilled, recompleted or
				  converted to fluid injection shall comply with the provisions of Sections
				  2132(a) (4)(A)-(E)
				  above.
(G) All pressure test
				  results shall be recorded on the daily well work report.
(5) Blowout Preventer Removal. If a well is
				  capable of flowing oil or gas, a back-pressure valve or suitable tubing plug
				  shall be installed in the tubing string(s) to seal the bore of the tubing while
				  removing the blowout preventer stack and installing the Christmas
				  tree.
(6) Sealing of Casing--Tubing
				  Annulus. All wells capable of flowing oil or gas shall be equipped with a
				  tubing packer(s) to effectively seal the casing-tubing annulus. All production
				  packers shall be properly tested upon installation.
(7) Perforation and Wireline Operations Under
				  Pressure. All perforation and wireline operations conducted under pressure
				  shall be performed through a lubricator installed on appropriate wireline
				  blowout-prevention equipment. The pressure rating of the lubricator shall be
				  equal to or greater than the maximum possible surface shut-in pressure of the
				  well.
The well shall not be left unattended unless all wellhead
					 flow valves and the wireline blowout preventer are closed in or unless the
					 tools are pulled up into the lubricator and the master valve
					 closed.
(8) Subsurface
				  Safety Valves.
(A) All wells capable of
				  flowing oil or gas shall be equipped with a surface-controlled subsurface
				  safety valve installed in the tubing string(s) at a depth of 100 feet or more
				  below the ocean floor, or ground level for upland wells. Such valve shall be
				  installed in artificial lift wells, unless proof is provided to the Staff that
				  such wells are incapable of flowing. Wells which are presently equipped with
				  direct-controlled subsurface safety valves shall have surface-controlled
				  subsurface safety valves installed the first time the tubing is pulled. The
				  control system for the surface-controlled subsurface safety valves shall be
				  connected to the facility integrated safety-control system, where
				  applicable.
(B) Subsurface safety
				  valves at the time of installation shall conform to the "American Petroleum
				  Institute (API) Specification for Subsurface Safety Valves," API Spec 14 A,
				  Third Edition, November 1978, or subsequent revisions thereto that are approved
				  by the Staff.
(C) Subsurface safety
				  valves shall be installed, adjusted and maintained in accordance with the
				  "American Petroleum Institute (API) Recommended Practice for Design,
				  Installation and Operation of Subsurface Safety Valve Systems," API RP 14B,
				  First Edition, October 1973, or subsequent revisions thereto that are approved
				  by the Staff.
(D) Each subsurface
				  safety valve installed in a well shall be tested by the lessee for proper
				  operation each month. The Staff may adjust the testing frequency based upon the
				  performance record of the valve. Permission to increase the testing frequency
				  shall require substantiation by the lessee and written approval by the Staff.
				  The tests may be witnessed and approved by the Staff. If the valve does not
				  operate properly, it shall be repaired or replaced and again tested for proper
				  operation.
(E) When a subsurface
				  safety valve is removed from a well for repair or replacement it shall be
				  replaced immediately or a tubing plug shall be installed before the well is
				  left unattended.
(F) The well
				  history and any subsequent report of workover shall state the type and depth of
				  the subsurface safety valve or tubing plug installed in the well.
(G) Records shall be maintained at the
				  facility or at the nearest onshore office of the lessee. The records shall
				  contain a description and show the present status and past history of each
				  subsurface safety valve or tubing plug, including dates and details of any
				  inspection, testing, repairing, and reinstallation or replacement. The lessee
				  shall submit a copy of such records semiannually to the
				  Staff.
(9) Wellhead
				  Surface Safety Valves.
(A) All wells capable
				  of flowing oil or gas and all artificial lift wells capable of afterflow when
				  the source of power is shut off shall be equipped with an automatic,
				  fail-close, wellhead surface safety valve. High-low pressure sensors shall be
				  located in the flowline close to the wellhead and shall be set to cause shut-in
				  of the valve in the event of abnormally high or low flowline pressures. In
				  addition, each valve shall be connected to the integrated safety control system
				  on the facility.
(B) Wellhead
				  surface safety valves shall be employed in the safety control system on the
				  facility and shall be tested in accordance with the provisions of the "American
				  Petroleum Institute (API) Recommended Practice for Analysis, Design,
				  Installation, and Testing of Basic Surface-Safety Systems on Offshore
				  Production Platforms," API RP 14C, Second Edition, January 1978, or subsequent
				  revisions thereto that are approved by the Staff.
(C) Wellhead surface safety valves at the
				  time of installation shall conform to the "American Petroleum Institute (API)
				  Specification for Wellhead Surface Safety Valves for Offshore Service," API
				  Spec. 14D, Second Edition, November 1977, as amended by supplement 2, November
				  1978, or subsequent revisions thereto that are approved by the Staff.
(D) All wellhead surface safety valves shall
				  be tested by the lessee for operation and holding pressure monthly. If the
				  valve fails to test properly, it shall be repaired or replaced and again tested
				  for proper operation. Pressure sensors shall be operated and tested by the
				  lessee for proper pressure settings monthly. The monthly tests may be witnessed
				  and approved by the Staff. Results of all tests shall be recorded and
				  maintained at the facility or at the nearest onshore office of the
				  lessee.
(10) Wells on
				  Artificial Lift.
(A) Artificial lift wells
				  not equipped with a wellhead surface safety valve shall have safety devices
				  installed to shut off the source of power in the event of abnormally high or
				  low flowline pressures. The source of power shall be controllable by the
				  integrated safety system.
(B) The
				  safety devices shall be actuated and tested monthly by the lessee. If the
				  device fails to test properly, it shall be repaired or replaced and again
				  tested for proper operation. The monthly tests may be witnessed and approved by
				  the Staff. The results of all tests shall be recorded and maintained at the
				  facility or at the nearest onshore office of the lessee.
(11) Production Headers.
(A) All well flowlines shall be equipped with
				  a check valve located downstream at the production header. All check and header
				  valves, as well as any piping that might be subjected to wellhead pressure,
				  shall be of sufficient strength to withstand any possible shut-in wellhead
				  pressure.
(B) The flowline check
				  valve shall be tested for holding pressure monthly by the lessee. If the valve
				  fails to test properly, it shall be repaired or replaced and again tested for
				  proper operation. The monthly tests may be witnessed and approved by the Staff.
				  The results of all tests shall be recorded and maintained at the facility or at
				  the nearest onshore office of the lessee.