Alabama Administrative Code › Title 400 - STATE OIL AND GAS BOARD OF ALABAMA › GOVERNING COALBED METHANE GAS OPERATIONS › Chapter 400-3-2 - PERMITING OF WELLS › Section 400-3-2-.05 - Change Of Operator

Current through Register Vol. 42, No. 9, June 28, 2024
(1)
				The operator of record shall immediately notify the Supervisor in writing of
				any agreement or other transaction, by which a new operator is to be designated
				for a well or wells, including all associated production, processing,
				injection, plant, and gathering line and pipeline facilities, and all other
				equipment associated with such well or wells. Such notification shall include,
				but not be limited to, identification of the proposed new operator and a list
				of wells and all associated facilities and equipment.
(2) Within sixty (60) days of the effective
				date of any agreement or other transaction causing a change of operator, any
				person or persons desiring to become the new operator of a well or wells must
				submit for approval to the Supervisor Form OGB-1E, Application for Change of
				Operator. A single Application for Change of Operator, Form OGB-1E, may be
				filed requesting a change of operator for multiple wells, facilities, and
				equipment. Form OGB-1E shall be signed by both the operator of record or
				present operator and the proposed new operator, with both parties applying to
				change the operator for the well or wells, including all associated production,
				processing, injection, plant, and gathering line and pipeline facilities, and
				all other equipment associated with such well or wells.
(3) In the application for Change of
				Operator, Form OGB-1E, the new operator shall acknowledge that it has ownership
				or control of one hundred percent (100%) of the rights to drill and produce
				with respect to oil and gas underlying the lands comprising the unit assigned
				to the well or wells in which a change of operator is requested. Further, the
				Application for Change of Operator (Form OGB-1E) shall be accompanied by a bond
				on Form OGB-3 or OGB-4, whichever is appropriate, if such requirement has not
				been fulfilled as prescribed in Rule
				400-2-2-.04, relating to Bond; an
				Operator's Certificate of Compliance and Authorization to Transport Oil, Gas,
				or Condensate from Well on Form OGB-12 if required by Rule
				400-2-7-.01; an Operator's
				Certificate of Compliance for Operations Involving Hydrogen Sulfide on Form
				OGB-24 and other sour gas filing requirements prescribed in Rule
				400-2-8-.04 if required by Rule
				400-2-8-.04; and an Organization
				Report on Form OGB-5, if not already on file with the Board and
				current.
(4) In the event that the
				new operator is uncertain whether it owns or controls one hundred percent
				(100%) of the rights to drill or produce, then the new operator may petition
				the Board to delay filing of the Application for Change of Operator, Form
				OGB-1E. The Board may, after notice and hearing for good cause, delay the
				filing of the Application for Change of Operator, Form OGB-1E, for a period of
				up to 120 days thereby allowing the new operator time to ensure that the
				operator owns one hundred percent (100%) of the ownership rights or to force
				pool and integrate the interests in the unit or units assigned to the well or
				wells for which a change of operator is requested. The Board, on the petition
				by the new operator after notice and hearing for good cause, may delay for an
				additional period beyond 120 days the filing of the Application of Change of
				Operator, Form OGB-1E.
(5) In
				addition to the filing of an Application for Change of Operator on Form OGB-1E
				as required in section (2) and the additional filing requirements in section
				(3), filing requirements for Class II injection wells shall include, an
				Application for Permit to Inject Fluids on Form OGB-1C, an Affidavit of
				Ownership or Control, Underground Injection Control on Form OGB-2C, an
				affidavit of source, and a current analysis of fluids being injected.
(6) In addition to the filing of an
				Application for Change of Operator on Form OGB-1E as required in section (2)
				and the additional filing requirements in section (3), filing requirements for
				change of operator for a natural gas storage operation shall include an
				Application for Permit to Inject Storage Gas on Form OGB-1D, and an Affidavit
				of Ownership or Control, Natural Gas Storage Operations on Form
				OGB-2D.
(7) If the request for a
				change of operator pertains to a well which has not been drilled or completed,
				and the new operator wishes to drill and complete said well in accordance with
				the casing and cement, mud, and blowout prevention programs and report of
				shallow hazards filed as a part of the permit application, the new operator
				must submit a written statement to the Supervisor stating that it has reviewed
				the above mentionedin formation and will drill and complete the well in
				conformance with those programs. In such case, the refiling of the casing and
				cement, mud, and blowout prevention programs and report of shallow hazards
				documents may not be necessary.
(8)
				Prior to the Supervisor's approval of an Application for Change of Operator on
				Form OGB-1E, the current operator of record must be in compliance with the
				Board's submission requirements for forms and geologic data, such as logs,
				cuttings and cores for the subject well (s).
(9) The Supervisor may waive any filing
				requirements, or request additional information, associated with an application
				for change of operator.
(10) She
				Application for Change of Operator, Form OGB-1E, shall become effective upon
				approval by the Supervisor. Until such approval, the current operator of record
				shall be responsible for ensuring continued compliance with all applicable
				laws, and all rules, regulations, and orders, including specialfield rules,
				promulgated by the Board.
Previous Chapter 400-3 (Rules 400-3-X-.01 through
					 400-3-X-.08)
Repealed and New Chapters
400-3-1 through
					 400-3-6
adopted in lieu thereof:
Filed August 7, 1984.
Previous Chapter 400-3-2 (Rules
					 400-3-2-.01 through
					 400-3-2-.03)
Repealed and
					 New Chapters
(Rules
					 400-3-2-.01 through 400-3-2-.05)
					 adopted in lieu thereof: Filed April 11,
					 2000.
Author:
J. H. Massingill
Statutory Authority:
Code of Ala.
					 1975
, §§
											9-17-1,
et
seq
.
The
				  amended version of this section by
				  Alabama
				  Administrative Monthly Volume XLII, Issue No. 09, June 28, 2024,
				  filed May 23, 2024 is not yet
				  available.