California Code of Regulations › Title 14 - Natural Resources › Division 2 - Department of Conservation › Chapter 4 - Development, Regulation, and Conservation of Oil and Gas Resources › Subchapter 1 - Onshore Well Regulations › Article 3 - Requirements › Section 1722.3 - Casing Requirements

Current through Register 2024 Notice Reg. No. 28, July 12, 2024
(a) Conductor casing. This casing shall be
					 cemented at or driven to a maximum depth of 100 feet. Exceptions may be granted
					 by the appropriate Division district deputy if conditions require deeper casing
					 depth.
(b) Surface casing. Surface
					 casing shall be cemented into or through a competent bed and at a depth that
					 will allow complete well shut-in without fracturing the formation immediately
					 below the casing shoe. As a general guideline, the surface casing for prospect
					 wells shall be cemented at a depth that is at least 10 percent of the proposed
					 total depth, with a minimum of 200 feet and a maximum of 1,500 feet of casing.
					 A second string of surface casing, cemented into or through a competent bed,
					 shall be required in prospect wells if the first string has not been cemented
					 in a competent bed or if unusual drilling hazards exist. In development wells,
					 the surface casing requirement shall be determined on the basis of known field
					 conditions. The appropriate Division district deputy may vary these general
					 surface casing requirements, including the adoption of a field rule, consistent
					 with known geological conditions and engineering factors, to provide adequate
					 protection for freshwater zones and blowout control.
(c) Intermediate casing. This casing may be
					 required for protection of oil, gas, and freshwater zones, and to seal off
					 anomalous pressure zones, lost circulation zones, and other drilling
					 hazards.
(d) Production casing.
					 This casing shall be cemented and, when required by the Division, tested for
					 fluid shutoff above the zone or zones to be produced. The test may be witnessed
					 by a Division inspector. When the production string does not extend to the
					 surface, at least 100 feet of overlap between the production string and next
					 larger casing string shall be required. This overlap shall be cemented and
					 tested by a fluid-entry test to determine whether there is a competent seal
					 between the two casing strings. A pressure test may be allowed only when such
					 test is conducted pursuant to an established field rule. The test may be
					 witnessed by a Division inspector.
1. New
						section filed 2-17-78; effective thirtieth day thereafter (Register 78, No.
						7).
2. Amendment of section heading and NOTE filed 12-28-84;
						effective thirtieth day thereafter (Register 84, No. 52).
3.
						Amendment of subsection (b) and NOTE filed 8-4-95; operative 9-3-95 (Register
						95, No. 31).
4. Change without regulatory effect amending section
						filed 12-26-2006 pursuant to section
						100, title 1, California Code of
						Regulations (Register 2006, No. 52).
Note: Authority cited: Section
						  3013,
						  Public Resources Code. Reference: Sections
						  3106
						  and
						  3220,
						  Public Resources Code.