Mississippi Administrative Code › Title 26 - Oil and Gas › Part 3 - RULES AND REGULATIONS GOVERNING OIL AND GAS DRILLING, PRODUCING AND PIPELINE OPERATIONS IN SUBMERGED OFFSHORE LAND OF THE STATE OF MISSISSIPPI › Chapter 1 › Rule 26-3-1.5 - PLUGGING AND ABANDONMENT OF WELLS

Current through June 25, 2024
The operator shall comply with the following minimum plugging and abandonment procedures which have general application to all wells drilled for oil and gas. Plugging and abandonment operations must not be commenced prior to obtaining approval from an authorized representative of the Board. Where not in conflict with this rule or special field rules, Statewide Rules 27 and 28 shall be followed:
(1)
				Permanent Abandonment
A. Isolation in Uncased
				Hole
In uncased portions of wells, cement plugs shall be spaced to
				  extend 100 feet below the bottom to 100 feet above the top of any oil, gas and
				  fresh water zones so as to isolate them in the strata in which they are found
				  and to prevent them from escaping into other strata.
B. Isolation of Open Hole
Where there is open hole (uncased and open into the casing
				  string above) below the casing, a cement plug shall be placed in the deepest
				  casing string by (1) or (2) below, or in the event lost circulation conditions
				  exist or are anticipated, the plug may be placed in accordance with (3)
				  below:
(1) A cement plug placed by
				displacement method so as to extend a minimum of 100 feet above and 100 feet
				below the casing shoe.
(2) A cement
				retainer with effective back pressure control set not less than fifty (50)
				feet, nor more than 100 feet, above the casing shoe with a cement plug
				calculated to extend at least 100 feet below the casing shoe and fifty (50)
				feet above the retainer.
(3) A
				permanent type bridge plug set within 150 feet above the casing shoe with fifty
				(50) feet of cement on top of the bridge plug. This plug shall be tested prior
				to placing subsequent plugs.
C. Plugging or Isolating Perforated Intervals
A cement plug shall be placed opposite all open perforations
				  (perforations not squeezed with cement) extending a minimum of 100 feet above
				  and 100 feet below the perforated interval or down to a casing plug whichever
				  is less. In lieu of the cement plug, a bridge plug set at a maximum of 150 feet
				  above the open perforations with fifty (50) feet of cement on top may be used,
				  provided the perforations are isolated from the hole below.
D. Plugging of Casing Stubs
If casing is cut and recovered, a cement plug 200 feet in
				  length shall be placed to extend 100 feet above and 100 feet below the stub. A
				  retainer may be used in setting the required plug.
E. Plugging of Annular Space
No annular space that extends to the waters' floor shall be
				  left open to drilled hole below. If this condition exists, the annulus shall be
				  plugged with cement.
F.
				Surface Plug Requirement
A cement plug of at least 150 feet, with the top of the plug
				  150 feet or less below the waters' floor, shall be placed in the smallest
				  string of casing which extends to the surface.
G. Testing of Plugs
The setting and location of the first plug below the top
				  150-foot plug will be verified by either (1) placing a minimum pipe weight of
				  15,000 pounds on the plug, or (2) testing with a minimum pump pressure of 1,000
				  psig with no more than a ten percent (10%) pressure drop during a fifteen (15)
				  minute period.
H. Mud
Each of the respective intervals of the hole between the
				  various plugs shall be filled with mud fluid of sufficient density to exert
				  hydrostatic pressure exceeding the greatest formation pressure encountered
				  while drilling such interval.