Administrative Rules of Montana › Department 36 - NATURAL RESOURCES AND CONSERVATION › Chapter 36.22 - OIL AND GAS CONSERVATION › Subchapter 36.22.7 - Well Spacing Units › Rule 36.22.702 - SPACING OF WELLS

Current through Register Vol. 13, July 5, 2024
In proven oil and gas fields, the spacing of wells as well as
				  the establishment of spacing units will be governed by special field rules for
				  the particular field to be adopted after notice and hearing. In the absence of
				  special field rules, the following rules shall govern:
(1) Unless a special exception is granted
				after notice and hearing, no stratigraphic test or core hole or wildcat or
				exploratory well with a projected depth of 6,000 feet or less shall be located
				closer than 330 feet to any legal subdivision line, except that a 75 foot
				tolerance to move closer to the quarter-quarter section lines will be allowed
				in extremely rough terrain where it is impractical to move in any other
				direction, but only after inspection of the location by a representative of the
				board and subsequent approval by the petroleum engineer or his authorized
				agent.
(2) A legal subdivision is
				hereby defined by the board as being a regular governmental quarter-quarter
				section or governmental lot corresponding thereto, consisting of 40 acres more
				or less.
(3) No stratigraphic test
				or core hole or wildcat or exploratory well with a projected depth between
				6,000 feet and 11,000 feet shall be located closer than 660 feet to any
				governmental quarter section line, except that a 150-foot tolerance to move
				closer to the quarter section lines will be allowed in extremely rough terrain
				where it is impractical to move in any other direction, but only after
				inspection of the location by a representative of the board and subsequent
				approval by the petroleum engineer or his authorized agent.
(4) Before any stratigraphic test or core
				hole or wildcat or exploratory well with a projected depth greater than 11,000
				feet may be commenced, two contiguous governmental quarter sections (which may
				lie in either one or two governmental sections) shall be designated as the
				320-acre drilling unit for such well. Such designation shall be made by the
				operator or operators of the two governmental quarter sections described in the
				designation, and the designation shall be subject to administrative approval by
				the board.
(5) A stratigraphic test
				or core hole or wildcat or exploratory well with a projected depth greater than
				11,000 feet shall be located no closer than 660 feet to any governmental
				quarter section line which is an exterior boundary of a 320-acre drilling unit
				and only one well shall be permitted to produce from the same reservoir within
				the same 320-acre drilling unit.
(6) A 320-acre drilling unit is defined by
				the board as two contiguous regular governmental quarter sections or a number
				of lots that approximate two contiguous quarter sections and consisting of 320
				acres more or less.
(7) Unless a
				special exception is granted after notice and hearing, no oil well with a
				projected depth of 6,000 feet or less shall be located closer than 330 feet to
				any legal subdivision line, and only one well shall be permitted to produce
				from the same reservoir within the same legal subdivision.
(8) No oil well with a projected depth
				between 6,000 feet and 11,000 feet shall be located closer than 660 feet to any
				governmental quarter section line, and only one well shall be permitted to
				produce from the same reservoir within the same governmental quarter
				section.
(9) Before the drilling of
				any oil well with a projected depth greater than 11,000 feet may be commenced,
				two contiguous governmental quarter sections (which may lie in either one or
				two governmental sections) shall be designated as the 320-acre drilling unit
				for such well. Such designation shall be made by the operator or operators of
				the two governmental quarter sections described in the designation, and the
				designation shall be subject to administrative approval by the board.
(10) An oil well with a projected depth
				greater than 11,000 feet shall be located no closer than 660 feet to any
				governmental section or quarter section line which is an exterior boundary of
				the 320-acre drilling unit and only one well shall be permitted to produce from
				the same reservoir within the same 320-acre drilling unit.
(11) Unless a special exception is granted
				after notice of hearing, no gas well shall be located closer than 990 feet to
				any governmental section line, and only one well shall be permitted to produce
				from the same reservoir within the same governmental section.
Sec.
					 82-11-111 MCA; IMP, Sec.
					 82-11-124 and
					 82-11-201
					 MCA;