Mississippi Administrative Code › Title 26 - Oil and Gas › Part 2 - WIDE RULES AND REGULATIONS (Order No. 201-51) › Chapter 1 › Rule 26-2-1.28 - PLUGGING AND ABANDONMENT

Current through June 25, 2024
Each abandoned hole or well shall be plugged by or on behalf
				  of the owner, operator or producer who is in charge of the well and responsible
				  therefore.
A. Schedule of Abandonment
				and Reporting on Form No. OGB 9-12-15-Z and Form No. 9-A.
1. Dry Holes
All wells drilled for oil or gas and found to be dry prior
				  to or after the effective date of this order shall be plugged within one
				  hundred twenty (120) days after operations have been completed thereon or one
				  hundred twenty (120) days after the effective date of this order, whichever is
				  later, unless an extension of time is granted by the Mississippi State Oil and
				  Gas Board following notice and hearing. A petition for inactive well status for
				  a dry hole shall be accompanied by a duly executed "Inactive Well Status
				  Report" (Form No. 9-A) requesting that the inactive well status of such well be
				  extended for an additional period of time not to exceed twelve (12) months. Any
				  such extension of inactive well status for a dry hole may only be approved by
				  the Board for such additional period as the Board, in its discretion, may deem
				  appropriate but in no event for longer than twelve (12) months. Any petition
				  filed by an operator with the Board to extend a dry hole's inactive status must
				  state the grounds for such extension (e.g., proof of the well's future
				  utility.)
2. All Other
				Wells
a. All wells wherein production
				operations or use as a service well have ceased on or after the effective date
				of this order shall continue to be reported on Form No. OGB 9-12-15-Z with the
				appropriate notation that the well is off production or no longer in use as a
				service well along with the date of last production or date the service well
				ceased to be used. After twelve (12) months, if such a well has not been
				restored to production or use as a service well, the operator shall either: (i)
				properly plug and abandon the well in accordance with all applicable rules and
				regulations concerning same; or, (ii) return the well to production operations
				or use as a service well; or, (iii) file a petition with the Mississippi State
				Oil and Gas Board, accompanied by a duly executed "Inactive Well Status Report"
				(Form No. 9-A) requesting that the inactive status of such well be extended for
				an additional period of time not to exceed twelve (12) months. Any such
				extension of inactive well status for a well may only be approved by the Board,
				following notice and hearing, for such additional period as the Board, in its
				discretion, may deem appropriated but in no event for longer than twelve (12)
				months. Any petition filed by an operator with the Board to extend a well's
				inactive status must state the grounds for such extension (e. g., proof of the
				well's future utility). Any well granted "Inactive Well" status must continue
				to be reported on Form No. OGB 9-12-15-Z showing the date of last production or
				the date the well ceased to be used as a service well, together with a notation
				showing the well is carried on Form No. 9-A, "Inactive Well Status Report"
				until the well is plugged and abandoned. The extension of Inactive Well status
				shall not affect the extension or dissolution of the unit as provided in Rule 7
				and Rule 8 hereof.
b. The
				"Inactive Well Status Report" shall list the field, well name, well number and
				other pertinent data and provide an appropriate column to classify such well as
				having either (1) future utility, or (2) no future utility. If the well is
				classified as having future utility, the operator shall specify such utility by
				completing the appropriate column on the form. Wells so classified shall be
				reviewed periodically by the Supervisor who, at his or her discretion, may
				require an operator to supply additional information to justify the
				classification.
c. All such wells
				classified on the "Inactive Well Status Report" (Form No. 9-A) by either the
				operator or the Supervisor as having no future utility shall be plugged within
				one hundred twenty (120) days from the date of such classification unless an
				extension of time is otherwise granted by the Mississippi State Oil and Gas
				Board, following notice and hearing.
d. Notwithstanding anything above to the
				contrary, all such wells within designated secondary and tertiary recovery
				projects do not have to be reported on the "Inactive Well Status Report" if the
				designated secondary or tertiary recovery project is listed on the Form No. OGB
				9-12-15-Z beside each inactive well reported therein.
3. Administrative Interpretation
For purposes of administering the heretofore mentioned
				  paragraphs, it is understood that:
a.
				A wellbore which is completed in more than one common source of supply
				(multiple completions) shall not be considered as ceasing to produce and shall
				not be reported on the "Inactive Well Status Report" as long as there is
				production from or operations in any completion in the wellbore.
b. Failure to file the "Inactive Well Status
				Report" and to indicate the date the well was last produced or utilized may
				subject the well to immediate plugging.
c. Any interested party at any time shall
				have the right to review by the Board upon notice and hearing with respect to
				the administration of any provision hereof.
d. A designated secondary or tertiary
				recovery project shall be considered to be a fieldwide unit approved by the
				Board for operation pursuant to Mississippi Code Annotated Section  53-3-101, et
				seq., and which is currently being operated under Special Field Rules which
				provide for secondary recovery, pressure maintenance, cycling operations, water
				flood, tertiary recovery, or any combination thereof.