Pennsylvania Code › Title 25 - ENVIRONMENTAL PROTECTION › Part I - Department of Environmental Protection › Subpart C - Protection of Natural Resources › Article I - Land Resources › Chapter 78a - UNCONVENTIONAL WELLS › Subchapter D - WELL DRILLING, OPERATION AND PLUGGING › PLUGGING › Section 78a.92 - Wells in coal areas-surface or coal protective casing is cemented

Current through Register Vol. 54, No. 28, July 13, 2024
(a) In a well
						  underlain by a workable coal seam, where the surface casing or coal protective
						  casing is cemented and the production casing is not cemented or the production
						  casing is not present, the owner or operator shall plug the well as follows:
(1) The retrievable production casing shall
						  be removed by applying a pulling force at least equal to the casing weight plus
						  5,000 pounds or 120%, whichever is greater. If this fails, an attempt shall be
						  made to separate the casing by cutting, ripping, shooting or other method
						  approved by the Department, and making a second attempt to remove the casing by
						  exerting a pulling force equal to the casing weight plus 5,000 pounds or 120%
						  of the casing weight, whichever is greater. The well shall be filled with
						  nonporous material from the total depth or attainable bottom of the well to a
						  point 50 feet below the lowest stratum bearing or having borne oil, gas or
						  water. At this point there shall be placed a plug of cement, which shall extend
						  for at least 50 feet above this stratum. Each overlying formation bearing or
						  having borne oil, gas or water shall be plugged with cement a minimum of 50
						  feet below this formation to a point 50 feet above this formation. The zone
						  between cement plugs shall be filled with nonporous material. The cement plugs
						  shall be placed in a manner that will completely seal the hole. The operator
						  may treat multiple strata as one stratum and plug as described in this
						  subsection with a single column of cement or other materials approved by the
						  Department. Where the production casing is not retrievable, the operator shall
						  plug that portion of the well under §
														78a.91(d)
						  (relating to general provisions).
(2) After plugging strata bearing or having
						  borne oil, gas or water, the well shall be filled with nonporous material to a
						  point approximately 100 feet below the surface or coal protective casing seat,
						  whichever is deeper. At this point, a 100-foot plug of cement shall be
						  installed.
(3) After the plug has
						  been installed below the casing seat, the inner casing shall be emptied of
						  liquid from the surface to the plug of cement. A vent or other device approved
						  by the Department shall then be installed on top of the inner string of casing
						  to prevent liquids and solids from entering the well but permit access to the
						  full internal diameter of the inner casing when required. The vent or other
						  device approved by the Department must extend, when finally in place, a
						  distance of at least 72 inches above ground level and the permit or
						  registration number must be permanently affixed.