New Mexico Administrative Code › Title 19 - NATURAL RESOURCES AND WILDLIFE › Chapter 14 - GEOTHERMAL POWER › Part 73 - GEOTHERMAL POWER PLUGGING AND TEMPORARY ABANDONMENT › Section 19.14.73.9 - TEMPORARY ABANDONMENT

Current through Register Vol. 35, No. 13, July 16, 2024
No well shall be temporarily abandoned for a period in excess
				  of six months unless a permit for such temporary abandonment has been approved
				  by the division. Such permit shall be for a period not to exceed six months and
				  shall be requested from the Santa Fe office of the division by filing form
				  G-103 in duplicate. No such permit shall be approved unless evidence is
				  furnished that the condition of the well is such as to prevent damage to any
				  producing zone, migration of fluids from one zone to another, the waste or
				  contamination of useable underground waters or other natural resources and the
				  leakage of any substance at the surface, all as substantiated by the filing of
				  form G-105, geothermal resources well log, and form G-106, geothermal resources
				  well summary report, with the request for a temporary abandonment permit.
				  Filing of these forms may be delayed as provided in Rule G-205 B [now
				  19.14.56.9
				  NMAC] and Rule G-206 B[now
				  19.14.57.9
				  NMAC] if a division representative has had access to and has inspected the data
				  and materials described in Rule G-200 B [now
				  19.14.51.9 NMAC] .
				  Also see Rule G-203 A [now subsection A of
				  19.14.54.8
				  NMAC] and Rule G-203 C(3) [now Paragraph (3) of Subsection C of
				  19.14.54.8
				  NMAC].
A. The Santa Fe office of the
				division shall have authority to grant one extention to the permit for
				temporary abandonment. Such extension shall not exceed one year and shall be
				requested in the same manner as the original permit for temporary abandonment.
				No extension shall be approved unless good cause therefor is shown, and
				evidence is furnished that the continued condition of the well is as described
				above.
B. Upon expiration of the
				permit for temporary abandonment and any extension thereto, the well shall be
				put to beneficial use or shall be permanently plugged and abandoned, unless it
				can be shown to the division after notice and hearing that good cause exists
				why the well should not be plugged and abandoned, and a permit for further
				temporary abandonment should be issued. No such permit for further temporary
				abandonment shall be approved by the division unless a one-well plugging bond
				for the well, in an amount satisfactory to the division, but not to exceed
				$10,000.00, is on file with the division to ensure future plugging of the
				well.
C. The requirements of the
				paragraph immediately above may be waived and additional extensions granted for
				thermal gradient wells and in those cases where it can be shown that a contract
				exists for the construction of electric power plants and such plants are being
				designated, on order, or under construction, where facilities are being
				designed or are under construction for direct use of geothermal energy, or in
				the case where a geothermal reservoir has been discovered and there is an
				ongoing exploration program of the reservoir to determine its commercial
				feasibility.