Texas Administrative Code › Title 16 - ECONOMIC REGULATION › Part 1 - RAILROAD COMMISSION OF TEXAS › Chapter 3 - OIL AND GAS DIVISION › Section 3.14 - Plugging

Current through Reg. 49, No. 28; July 12, 2024
(a) Definitions and
				application to plug.
(1) The following words
				and terms, when used in this section, shall have the following meanings, unless
				the context clearly indicates otherwise:
(A)
				Approved cementer--A cementing company, service company, or operator approved
				by the Commission or its delegate to mix and pump cement for the purpose of
				plugging a well in accordance with the provisions of this section. The term
				shall also apply to a cementing company, service company, or operator
				authorized by the Commission or its delegate to use an alternate material other
				than cement to plug a well.
(B)
				Funnel viscosity--Viscosity as measured by the Marsh funnel, based on the
				number of seconds required for 1,000 cubic centimeters of fluid to flow through
				the funnel.
(C) Groundwater
				conservation district--Any district or authority created under §52,
				Article III, or §59, Article XVI, Texas Constitution, that has the
				authority to regulate the spacing of water wells, the production from water
				wells, or both.
(D) Operator
				designation form--A certificate of compliance and transportation authority or
				an application to drill, deepen, recomplete, plug back, or reenter that has
				been completed, signed, and filed with the Commission or its
				delegate.
(E) Productive
				horizon--Any stratum known to contain oil, gas, or geothermal resources in
				producible quantities in the vicinity of an unplugged well.
(F) Related piping--The surface piping and
				subsurface piping that is less than three feet beneath the ground surface
				between pieces of equipment located at any collection or treatment facility.
				Such piping would include piping between and among headers, manifolds,
				separators, storage tanks, gun barrels, heater treaters, dehydrators, and any
				other equipment located at a collection or treatment facility. The term is not
				intended to refer to lines, such as flowlines, gathering lines, and injection
				lines that lead up to and away from any such collection or treatment
				facility.
(G) Reported
				production--Production of oil or gas, excluding production attributable to well
				tests, accurately reported to the Commission or its delegate on Form PR,
				Monthly Production Report.
(H)
				Serve notice on the surface owner or resident--To hand deliver a written notice
				identifying the well or wells to be plugged and the projected date the well or
				wells will be plugged to the surface owner, or resident if the owner is absent,
				at least three days prior to the day of plugging or to mail the notice by first
				class mail, postage pre-paid, to the last known address of the surface owner or
				resident at least seven days prior to the day of plugging.
(I) Usable quality water strata--All strata
				determined by the Groundwater Advisory Unit of the Oil and Gas Division to
				contain usable quality water.
(J)
				Written notice--Notice actually received by the intended recipient in tangible
				or retrievable form, including notice set out on paper and hand-delivered,
				facsimile transmissions, and electronic mail transmissions.