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 2 - Environmental Protection › Article 4 - Well Stimulation Treatments › Section 1781 - Definitions

Current through Register 2024 Notice Reg. No. 28, July 12, 2024
The following definitions shall govern this
						article:
(a) "Acid fracturing" means a
					 well stimulation treatment that, in whole or in part, includes the pressurized
					 injection of acid into an underground geologic formation in order to fracture
					 the formation, thereby causing or enhancing, for the purposes of this division,
					 the production of oil or gas from a well.
(b) "Acid matrix stimulation treatment" means
					 an acid treatment conducted at pressures lower than the applied pressure
					 necessary to fracture the underground geologic formation.
(c) "Acid well stimulation treatment" means a
					 well stimulation treatment that uses, in whole or in part, the application of
					 one or more acids to the well or underground geologic formation. The acid well
					 stimulation treatment may be at any applied pressure and may be used in
					 combination with hydraulic fracturing treatments or other well stimulation
					 treatments. Acid well stimulation treatments include acid matrix stimulation
					 treatments and acid fracturing treatments.
(d) "Acid stimulation treatment fluid" means
					 one or more base fluids mixed with physical and chemical additives for the
					 purpose of performing an acid well stimulation treatment.
(e) "Additive" means a substance or
					 combination of substances added to a base fluid for purposes of preparing well
					 stimulation treatment fluid, including, but not limited to, acid stimulation
					 treatment fluid and hydraulic fracturing fluid. An additive may serve
					 additional purposes beyond the transmission of hydraulic pressure to the
					 geologic formation. An additive may be of any phase and may include
					 proppants.
(f) "ADSA" or "axial
					 dimensional stimulation area" means the estimated axial dimensions, expressed
					 as maximum length, width, height, and azimuth, of the area(s) stimulated by a
					 well stimulation treatment.
(g)
					 "Base fluid" means the continuous phase fluid used in the makeup of a well
					 stimulation treatment fluid. The continuous phase fluid may include, but is not
					 limited to, water, and may be a liquid or a hydrocarbon or nonhydrocarbon gas.
					 A well stimulation treatment may use more than one base fluid.
(h) "Chemical Disclosure Registry" means the
					 chemical registry Internet Web site known as fracfocus.org developed by the
					 Ground Water Protection Council and the Interstate Oil and Gas Compact
					 Commission.
(i) "Designated
					 Contractor for Water Sampling" means an independent third-party person or
					 entity designated by the State Water Board to sample water well and surface
					 water in accordance with Public Resources Code section
					 3160,
					 subdivision (d)(7).
(j) "Flowback
					 fluid" means the fluid recovered from the treated well before the commencement
					 of oil and gas production from that well following a well stimulation
					 treatment. The flowback fluid may include materials of any phase.
(k) "Hydraulic fracturing" means a well
					 stimulation treatment that, in whole or in part, includes the pressurized
					 injection of hydraulic fracturing fluid into an underground geologic formation
					 in order to fracture the formation, thereby causing or enhancing, for the
					 purposes of this division, the production of oil or gas from a well.
(l) "Hydraulic fracturing fluid" means one or
					 more base fluids mixed with physical and chemical additives for the purpose of
					 hydraulic fracturing.
(m)
					 "Independent third party" means a person or entity responsible to an operator,
					 but who is not an employee of the operator, is not under the ownership or
					 direct control of the operator, and does not have a direct financial interest
					 in the production activities of the operator.
(n) "Proppants" means materials inserted or
					 injected into the underground geologic formation that are intended to prevent
					 fractures from closing.
(o)
					 "Regional Water Board" means the Regional Water Quality Control Board with
					 jurisdiction over the location of a well subject to well stimulation
					 treatment.
(p) "State Water Board"
					 means the State Water Resources Control Board.
(q) "Surface property owner" means the owner
					 of real property as shown on the latest equalized assessment roll or, if more
					 recent information than the information contained on the assessment roll is
					 available, the owner of record according to the county assessor or tax
					 collector.
(r) "Tenant" means a
					 person or entity with a possessory interest in and right to occupy a legally
					 recognized parcel, or portion thereof.
(s) "Well stimulation treatment fluid" means
					 a base fluid mixed with physical and chemical additives, which may include
					 acid, for the purpose of a well stimulation treatment. A well stimulation
					 treatment may include more than one well stimulation treatment fluid. Well
					 stimulation treatment fluids include, but are not limited to, hydraulic
					 fracturing fluids and acid stimulation treatment fluids.
1. New
						section filed 12-30-2014; operative 7-1-2015 pursuant to Public Resources Code
						section
						3161(a),
						as amended by SB 4, Stats. 2014, c. 313 (Register 2015, No. 1). For prior
						history, see Register 2014, No. 26.
2. Editorial correction of
						section heading and HISTORY 1 (Register 2017, No.
						24).
Note: Authority cited: Sections
						  3013
						  and
						  3160,
						  Public Resources Code. Reference: Sections
						  3106,
						  3150,
						  3151,
						  3152,
						  3153,
						  3154,
						  3156,
						  3158,
						  3159
						  and
						  3160,
						  Public Resources Code.