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.94 - Wells in noncoal areas-surface casing is not cemented or not present

Current through Register Vol. 54, No. 28, July 13, 2024
(a) The owner or
						  operator shall plug a noncoal well, where the surface casing and production
						  casing are not cemented, or is not present 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 must 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
						  paragraph with a single column of cement or other materials as approved by the
						  Department. When the production casing is not retrievable, the operator shall
						  plug this 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
						  approximately 100 feet below the surface casing seat and there shall be placed
						  another plug of cement or other equally nonporous material approved by the
						  Department extending at least 50 feet above that point.
(3) After setting the uppermost 50-foot plug,
						  the retrievable surface 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 hole shall be filled from the top of the 50-foot plug to the
						  surface with nonporous material other than gel. If the surface casing is not
						  retrievable, the hole shall be filled from the top of the 50-foot plug to the
						  surface with a noncementing material.