reglab/statecodes huggingface dataset:
Virginia Administrative Code › Title 4 - CONSERVATION AND NATURAL RESOURCES › Agency 25 - DEPARTMENT OF ENERGY › Chapter 150 - VIRGINIA GAS AND OIL REGULATION › Part I - Standards of General Applicability › Article 5 - Technical Standards › Section 4VAC25-150-260 - Erosion, sediment control and reclamation

Current through Register Vol. 40, No. 24, July 15, 2024
A. Applicability. Permittees shall meet the
					 erosion and sediment control standards of this section whenever there is a
					 ground disturbance for a gas, oil or geophysical operation. Permittees shall
					 reclaim the land to the standards of this section after the ground-disturbing
					 activities are complete and the land will not be used for further permitted
					 activities.
B. Erosion and sediment
					 control plan. Applicants for a permit shall submit an erosion and sediment
					 control plan as part of their operations plan. The plan shall describe how
					 erosion and sedimentation will be controlled and how reclamation will be
					 achieved.
C. Erosion and sediment
					 control standards. Whenever ground is disturbed for a gas, oil or geophysical
					 operation, the following erosion and sediment control standards shall be met.
1. All trees, shrubs and other vegetation
					 shall be cleared as necessary before any blasting, drilling, or other site
					 construction, including road construction, begins.
a. Cleared vegetation shall be either removed
					 from the site, properly stacked on the permitted site for later use, burned, or
					 placed in a brush barrier if needed to control erosion and sediment control.
					 Only that material necessary for the construction of the permitted site shall
					 be cleared. When used as a brush barrier, the cleared vegetation shall be cut
					 and windrowed below a disturbed area so that the brush barrier will effectively
					 control sediment migration from the disturbed area. The material shall be
					 placed in a compact and uniform manner within the brush barrier and not
					 perpendicular to the brush barrier. Brush barriers shall be constructed so that
					 any concentrated flow created by the barrier is released into adequately
					 protected outlets and adequate channels. Large diameter trunks, limbs, and
					 stumps that may render the brush barrier ineffective for sediment control shall
					 not be placed in the brush barrier.
b. During construction, soil sufficient to
					 provide a suitable growth medium for permanent stabilization with vegetation
					 shall be used to stabilize the site in accordance with the standards of
					 subdivisions C 2 and C 3 of this section.
Virginia Administrative Code › Title 4 - CONSERVATION AND NATURAL RESOURCES › Agency 25 - DEPARTMENT OF ENERGY › Chapter 150 - VIRGINIA GAS AND OIL REGULATION › Part I - Standards of General Applicability › Article 5 - Technical Standards › Section 4VAC25-150-270 - Stormwater management

Current through Register Vol. 40, No. 24, July 15, 2024
A. This
					 section shall apply whenever an applicant or permittee must complete an erosion
					 and sediment control plan under
					 4VAC25-150-260. The erosion and
					 sediment control plan shall also describe how stormwater runoff will be managed
					 in accordance with the standards of this section.
B. Areas downstream from permitted sites
					 shall be protected from sediment disposition, erosion and damage due to
					 increases in volume, velocity and peak flow rates of stormwater runoff for the
					 stated frequency storm of 24-hour duration in accordance with the following:
1. Increased volumes of sheet flows or
					 concentrated flows that may cause erosion and sedimentation on adjacent
					 property shall be diverted to a stable outlet, adequate channel or a sediment
					 control, detention or retention facility.
2. Adequacy of all channels and pipes shall
					 be verified in the following manner:
a. The
					 applicant shall demonstrate that the total drainage area to the point of
					 analysis within the channel is 100 times greater than the contributing drainage
					 area of the site in question; or
b.
					 The receiving channel or pipe shall be analyzed as follows:
(1) Natural channels shall be analyzed using
					 data for a two-year storm to verify that stormwater will not overtop channel
					 banks or cause erosion of the channel bed or banks.
(2) All previously constructed man-made
					 channels shall be analyzed using data for a 10-year storm to verify that
					 stormwater will not overtop its banks and using data for a two-year storm to
					 demonstrate that stormwater will not cause erosion of the channel bed or
					 banks.
(3) Pipes and storm sewer
					 systems shall be analyzed using data from a 10-year storm to verify that
					 stormwater will be contained within the pipe or system. A downstream stability
					 analysis at the outfall of the pipe or storm sewer system shall also be
					 performed.
3.
					 All hydrologic analyses shall be based on the existing watershed
					 characteristics and the ultimate development condition of the site.
4. If the applicant chooses an option that
					 includes stormwater detention or retention, then the plan must provide for
					 maintenance of the detention or retention facilities. The plan shall set forth
					 the maintenance requirements of the facility and the person responsible for
					 performing the maintenance.
5.
					 Outflows from a sediment basin, stormwater management facility or other
					 concentrated runoff leaving a permitted site shall be discharged into an
					 adequate channel.
Virginia Administrative Code › Title 4 - CONSERVATION AND NATURAL RESOURCES › Agency 25 - DEPARTMENT OF ENERGY › Chapter 150 - VIRGINIA GAS AND OIL REGULATION › Part I - Standards of General Applicability › Article 5 - Technical Standards › Section 4VAC25-150-290 - Actual well or corehole location

Current through Register Vol. 40, No. 24, July 15, 2024
A. The actual horizontal surface location of
					 the well shall be within three feet of the permitted location designated on the
					 well plat, except where an operator has stated that the location may vary up to
					 10 feet in the notice as required in § 45.2-1632 of the Code of
					 Virginia.
B. The permittee shall
					 survey the actual location of the well which may be made from a minimum of two
					 temporary points not disturbed during development of the well or site and shown
					 on the plat submitted with the permit application. The permittee shall submit
					 an updated plat, certified by a licensed land surveyor or licensed professional
					 engineer, showing the actual well location certified to be within three feet of
					 the permitted location, or within 10 feet as provided for in subsection A of
					 this section. This updated plat shall be included with the drilling report
					 submitted in accordance with
					 4VAC25-150-360.
Statutory Authority: § 45.2-103 of the Code of
						  Virginia.
Virginia Administrative Code › Title 4 - CONSERVATION AND NATURAL RESOURCES › Agency 25 - DEPARTMENT OF ENERGY › Chapter 150 - VIRGINIA GAS AND OIL REGULATION › Part I - Standards of General Applicability › Article 5 - Technical Standards › Section 4VAC25-150-300 - Pits

Current through Register Vol. 40, No. 24, July 15, 2024
A. General
					 requirements.
1. Pits are to be temporary in
					 nature and are to be reclaimed when the operations using the pit are complete.
					 All pits shall be reclaimed within 180 days unless a variance is requested and
					 granted by the field inspector.
2.
					 Pits may not be used as erosion and sediment control structures or stormwater
					 management structures, and surface drainage may not be directed into a
					 pit.
3. Pits shall have a properly
					 installed and maintained liner or liners made of 10 mil or thicker high-density
					 polyethylene or its equivalent.
4.
					 Pits shall be constructed of sufficient size and shape to contain all fluids
					 and maintain a two-foot freeboard.
5. Pits shall be enclosed by adequate fencing
					 to secure the site from access by the public and wildlife.
Virginia Administrative Code › Title 4 - CONSERVATION AND NATURAL RESOURCES › Agency 25 - DEPARTMENT OF ENERGY › Chapter 150 - VIRGINIA GAS AND OIL REGULATION › Part I - Standards of General Applicability › Article 5 - Technical Standards › Section 4VAC25-150-310 - Tanks

Current through Register Vol. 40, No. 24, July 15, 2024
A. All tanks
					 installed on or after September 25, 1991, shall be designed and constructed to
					 contain the fluids to be stored in the tanks and prevent unauthorized discharge
					 of fluids.
B. All tanks shall be
					 maintained in good condition and repaired as needed to ensure the structural
					 integrity of the tank.
C. Every
					 permanent tank or battery of tanks shall have secondary containment achieved by
					 constructing a dike or firewall with a capacity of 1-1/2 times the volume of
					 the largest tank when plumbed at the top, or all tanks when plumbed at the
					 bottom, utilizing a double wall tank or another method approved by the
					 division.
D. Dikes and firewalls
					 shall be maintained in good condition, and the reservoir shall be kept free
					 from brush, water, oil or other fluids.
E. Permittees shall inspect the structural
					 integrity of tanks and tank installations, at a minimum, annually. The report
					 of the annual inspection shall be maintained by the permittee for a minimum of
					 three years and be submitted to the director upon request.
F. Load lines shall be properly constructed
					 and operated on the permitted area.
Statutory Authority
§§ 45.1-161.3 and 45.1-361.27 of the Code of
						  Virginia.
Virginia Administrative Code › Title 4 - CONSERVATION AND NATURAL RESOURCES › Agency 25 - DEPARTMENT OF ENERGY › Chapter 150 - VIRGINIA GAS AND OIL REGULATION › Part I - Standards of General Applicability › Article 5 - Technical Standards › Section 4VAC25-150-320 - Blowout prevention

Current through Register Vol. 40, No. 24, July 15, 2024
A.
					 Applicability. All wells shall be equipped to control formation pressure during
					 drilling and servicing as follows:
1. Blowout
					 prevention equipment is required when formation pressures of 1,000 pounds or
					 greater are encountered or are expected to be encountered, or when drilling in
					 an area where there is no prior knowledge of the formation pressures to be
					 encountered.
2. A diverter system
					 is required when formation pressures are expected to be less than 1,000
					 pounds.
Virginia Administrative Code › Title 4 - CONSERVATION AND NATURAL RESOURCES › Agency 25 - DEPARTMENT OF ENERGY › Chapter 150 - VIRGINIA GAS AND OIL REGULATION › Part I - Standards of General Applicability › Article 5 - Technical Standards › Section 4VAC25-150-330 - Swabbing, perforating and wireline operations

Current through Register Vol. 40, No. 24, July 15, 2024
A. All wells and coreholes shall be cleaned
					 into properly constructed pits or containers at a safe distance from the rig
					 floor and from any potential fire hazard.
B. Possible sources of ignition, such as all
					 engines and motors not essential to the swabbing operation, shall be shut down
					 while swabbing operations are being conducted.
C. Swabbing operations shall be conducted
					 only during daylight hours or with adequate illumination.
D. Swabbing shall be conducted so that fluids
					 are routed through a closed-flow system to the maximum extent
					 possible.
E. All oil savers shall
					 be of the type that do not require a person to be near the lubricator or
					 wellhead to control the oil saver.
F. All swabbing lines, blow down lines or
					 flow lines to pits or tanks shall be securely anchored. Whenever hydrocarbons
					 or other volatile fluids may be expected, these lines shall extend a safe
					 distance from the well and away from any other source of ignition.
G. On wells where there is a possibility of
					 flow during swabbing or other wireline operations, a lubricator shall be used
					 that will allow the removal of the swabbing or other tools without venting gas
					 from the well.
H. There shall be no
					 radio or radio-phone transmitters operated where perforating operations are in
					 progress. Warning signs shall be conspicuously placed at entrances to work
					 sites, which shall be at a minimum, 200 feet from the operation where
					 perforating is being done.
I. Upon
					 the conclusion of perforating operations, the work area shall be inspected and
					 all explosive material and scraps shall be placed in containers and removed
					 from the site.
J. Electrical
					 grounding between the well head, service unit, and rig structure shall be made
					 prior to operating tools using explosives.
Statutory Authority
§§ 45.1-161.3 and 45.1-361.27 of the Code of
						  Virginia.
Virginia Administrative Code › Title 4 - CONSERVATION AND NATURAL RESOURCES › Agency 25 - DEPARTMENT OF ENERGY › Chapter 150 - VIRGINIA GAS AND OIL REGULATION › Part I - Standards of General Applicability › Article 5 - Technical Standards › Section 4VAC25-150-340 - Drilling fluids

Current through Register Vol. 40, No. 24, July 15, 2024
A. Operations
					 plan requirements. Applicants for a permit shall provide, prior to commencing
					 drilling, documentation that the water meets the requirements of subsection B
					 of this section, and a general description of the additives and muds to be used
					 in all stages of drilling. Providing that the requirement in subsection C of
					 this section is met, variations necessary because of field conditions may be
					 made with prior approval of the director and shall be documented in the
					 driller's log.
B. Water quality in
					 drilling.
1. Before the water-protection
					 string is set, permittees shall use one of the following sources of water in
					 drilling:
a. Water that is from a water well
					 or spring located on the drilling site; or
b. Conduct an analysis of groundwater within
					 a one-quarter-mile radius of the drilling location, and use:
(1) Water which is of equal or better quality
					 than the groundwater; or
(2) Water
					 which can be treated to be of equal or better quality than the groundwater. A
					 treatment plan must be included with the application if water is to be
					 treated.
(3) If, after a diligent
					 search, a groundwater source (such as a well or spring) cannot be found within
					 a one-quarter-mile radius of the drilling location, the applicant may use water
					 meeting the parameters listed in the Department of Environmental Quality's
					 "Ground water criteria,"
					 9VAC25-280-70. The analysis shall
					 include, but is not limited to, the following items:
(a) Chlorides;
(b) Total dissolved solids;
(c) Hardness;
(d) Iron;
(e) Manganese;
(f) PH;
(g) Sodium; and
(h) Sulfate.
(4) Drilling water analysis shall be taken
					 within a one-year period preceding the drilling application.
Virginia Administrative Code › Title 4 - CONSERVATION AND NATURAL RESOURCES › Agency 25 - DEPARTMENT OF ENERGY › Chapter 150 - VIRGINIA GAS AND OIL REGULATION › Part I - Standards of General Applicability › Article 5 - Technical Standards › Section 4VAC25-150-350 - Gas, oil or geophysical operations in hydrogen sulfide areas

Current through Register Vol. 40, No. 24, July 15, 2024
A. Applicability.
					 This section shall apply to every permittee who drills or operates a well or
					 drills a corehole:
1. In areas of unknown
					 hydrogen sulfide conditions;
2.
					 Below the base of the devonian shale; or
3. In areas where the hydrocarbons contain
					 gas with a concentration of 100 parts per million (ppm) or greater of hydrogen
					 sulfide as a constituent of the gas.
Virginia Administrative Code › Title 4 - CONSERVATION AND NATURAL RESOURCES › Agency 25 - DEPARTMENT OF ENERGY › Chapter 150 - VIRGINIA GAS AND OIL REGULATION › Part I - Standards of General Applicability › Article 5 - Technical Standards › Section 4VAC25-150-360 - Drilling, completion, and other reports

Current through Register Vol. 40, No. 24, July 15, 2024
A. Each permittee conducting drilling shall
					 file, electronically or on a form prescribed by the director, a drilling report
					 within 90 days after a well reaches total depth.
B. Each permittee drilling a well shall file,
					 electronically or on a form prescribed by the director, a completion report
					 within 90 days after the well is completed. All completion reports shall
					 include the cement bond log required in subsection C of
					 4VAC25-150-280. Subject to the
					 approval of the director, permittees may submit alternative documentation that
					 demonstrates effective bond between the casing and the formation.
C. The permittee shall file the driller's
					 log, the results of any other log or survey required to be run in accordance
					 with this chapter or by the director, and the plat showing the actual location
					 of the well with the drilling report, unless they have been filed
					 earlier.
D. The permittee shall,
					 within 90 days of reaching total depth, file with the division the results of
					 any gamma ray, density, neutron , induction, and cement bond logs, or their
					 equivalent, that have been conducted on the wellbore in the normal course of
					 activities that have not previously been required to be filed.
Statutory Authority: §§ 45.1-161.3,
						  45.1-361.4, and 45.1-361.27 of the Code of
						  Virginia.
Virginia Administrative Code › Title 4 - CONSERVATION AND NATURAL RESOURCES › Agency 25 - DEPARTMENT OF ENERGY › Chapter 150 - VIRGINIA GAS AND OIL REGULATION › Part I - Standards of General Applicability › Article 5 - Technical Standards › Section 4VAC25-150-365 - Disclosure of well stimulation fluids

Current through Register Vol. 40, No. 24, July 15, 2024
A. In addition to other requirements that may
					 be prescribed by the director, each completion report required in
					 4VAC25-150-360
					 shall also contain the following disclosures:
The operator of the well shall complete the Chemical
						Disclosure Registry form and upload the form on the Chemical Disclosure
						Registry, including:
a. The operator
					 name;
b. The date of completion of
					 the hydraulic fracturing treatment or treatments;
c. The county in which the well is
					 located;
d. The American Petroleum
					 Institute (API) number for the well;
e. The well name and number;
f. The longitude and latitude of the
					 wellhead;
g. The total vertical
					 depth of the well;
h. The total
					 volume of water used in the hydraulic fracturing treatment or treatments of the
					 well or the type and total volume of the base fluid used in the hydraulic
					 fracturing treatment or treatments, if something other than water;
i. Each additive used in the hydraulic
					 fracturing treatments and the trade name, supplier, and a brief description of
					 the intended use or function of each additive in the hydraulic fracturing
					 treatment or treatments;
j. Each
					 chemical ingredient used in the hydraulic fracturing treatment or treatments of
					 the well that is subject to the requirements of
					 29 CFR
					 1910.1200(g)(2), as provided
					 by the chemical supplier or service company or by the operator, if the operator
					 provides its own chemical ingredients;
k. The actual or maximum concentration of
					 each chemical ingredient listed under subdivision j of this subsection in
					 percent by mass;
l. The CAS number
					 for each chemical ingredient listed, if applicable; and
m. A supplemental list of all chemicals,
					 their respective CAS numbers, and the proportions thereof not subject to the
					 requirements of
					 29 CFR
					 1910.1200(g)(2), that were
					 intentionally included in and used for the purpose of creating the hydraulic
					 fracturing treatments for the well.
Virginia Administrative Code › Title 4 - CONSERVATION AND NATURAL RESOURCES › Agency 25 - DEPARTMENT OF ENERGY › Chapter 150 - VIRGINIA GAS AND OIL REGULATION › Part I - Standards of General Applicability › Article 5 - Technical Standards › Section 4VAC25-150-370 - Wellhead equipment

Current through Register Vol. 40, No. 24, July 15, 2024
A. All
					 wellhead connections and equipment, including but not limited to pipe fittings,
					 valves and unions placed on or connected with a well, well casing, casing head,
					 drill pipe, or tubing shall have a working pressure rating of a minimum of 110%
					 of the maximum anticipated pressure that the material will be exposed to, and
					 shall be in good working condition.
B. Adequate and proper wellhead equipment
					 shall be installed and maintained in good working order on every well that is
					 not permanently abandoned and plugged, so that pressure measurements may be
					 obtained at any time. Valves shall be installed so that pressures can be
					 separately obtained from each production string.
Statutory Authority
§§ 45.1-161.3 and 45.1-361.27 of the Code of
						  Virginia.
Virginia Administrative Code › Title 4 - CONSERVATION AND NATURAL RESOURCES › Agency 25 - DEPARTMENT OF ENERGY › Chapter 150 - VIRGINIA GAS AND OIL REGULATION › Part I - Standards of General Applicability › Article 5 - Technical Standards › Section 4VAC25-150-380 - Incidents, spills and unpermitted discharges

Current through Register Vol. 40, No. 24, July 15, 2024
A. Incidents. A permittee shall, by the
					 quickest available means, notify the division in the event of any unplanned
					 off-site disturbance, fire, blowout, pit failure, hydrogen sulfide release,
					 unanticipated loss of drilling fluids, or other incident resulting in serious
					 personal injury or an actual or potential imminent danger to a worker, the
					 environment, or public safety. The permittee shall take immediate action to
					 abate the actual or potential danger. The permittee shall submit a written or
					 electronic report within seven days of the incident containing:
1. A description of the incident and its
					 cause;
2. The date, time and
					 duration of the incident;
3. A
					 description of the steps that have been taken to date;
4. A description of the steps planned to be
					 taken to prevent a recurrence of the incident; and
5. Other agencies notified.
Virginia Administrative Code › Title 4 - CONSERVATION AND NATURAL RESOURCES › Agency 25 - DEPARTMENT OF ENERGY › Chapter 150 - VIRGINIA GAS AND OIL REGULATION › Part I - Standards of General Applicability › Article 5 - Technical Standards › Section 4VAC25-150-390 - Shut-in wells

Current through Register Vol. 40, No. 24, July 15, 2024
A. If a well is
					 shut-in or otherwise not produced for a period of 12 consecutive months, the
					 permittee shall measure the shut-in pressure on the production string or
					 strings and report such pressures to the division annually. If the well is
					 producing on the backside or otherwise through the casing, the permittee shall
					 measure the shut-in pressure on the annular space.
B. A report of the pressure measurements on
					 the nonproducing well shall be maintained and reported to the director annually
					 by the permittee for a maximum period of two years.
C. Should the well remain in a nonproducing
					 status for a period of two years, the permittee shall submit a plan for future
					 well production to the director. A nonproducing well shall not remain unplugged
					 for more than a three-year period unless approved by the director.
Statutory Authority
§§ 45.1-161.3 and 45.1-361.27 of the Code of
						  Virginia.
Virginia Administrative Code › Title 4 - CONSERVATION AND NATURAL RESOURCES › Agency 25 - DEPARTMENT OF ENERGY › Chapter 150 - VIRGINIA GAS AND OIL REGULATION › Part I - Standards of General Applicability › Article 5 - Technical Standards › Section 4VAC25-150-400 - Measurement of gas and oil

Current through Register Vol. 40, No. 24, July 15, 2024
A.
					 Natural gas.
1. Each producer shall measure
					 all gas produced from each well, or as prescribed by the director, using a
					 method permitting the computation of volumes, in Mcf. This requirement may be
					 met by use of the standards in:
a. "Orifice
					 Metering of Natural Gas," ANSI/API 2530, American Gas Association,
					 1978;
b. "AGA Gas Measurement
					 Manual, Part 2: Displacement Measurement," American Gas Association, 1977;
					 or
c. "AGA Gas Measurement Manual,
					 Part 3: Gas Turbine Metering," American Gas Association, 1989.
Virginia Administrative Code › Title 4 - CONSERVATION AND NATURAL RESOURCES › Agency 25 - DEPARTMENT OF ENERGY › Chapter 150 - VIRGINIA GAS AND OIL REGULATION › Part I - Standards of General Applicability › Article 5 - Technical Standards › Section 4VAC25-150-410 - Venting and flaring of gas; escape of oil

Current through Register Vol. 40, No. 24, July 15, 2024
A. It shall be unlawful for any permittee to
					 allow crude oil or natural gas to escape from any well, gathering pipeline or
					 storage tank except as provided for in this section or in an approved
					 operations plan. The permittee shall take all reasonable steps to shut in the
					 gas or oil in the well, or make the necessary repairs to the well, gathering
					 pipeline or storage tank to prevent the escape. All actions shall be consistent
					 with the requirements of an abatement plan, if any has been set, in a notice of
					 violation or closure, emergency or other order issued by the
					 director.
B. A permittee shall
					 drill or repair a well with special diligence so that waste of gas or oil from
					 the well shall not continue longer than reasonably necessary under the
					 following circumstances:
1. When, during
					 drilling, gas or oil is found in the well and the permittee desires to continue
					 to search for gas or oil by drilling deeper; or
2. When making repairs to any well producing
					 gas or oil, commonly known as cleaning out.
Virginia Administrative Code › Title 4 - CONSERVATION AND NATURAL RESOURCES › Agency 25 - DEPARTMENT OF ENERGY › Chapter 150 - VIRGINIA GAS AND OIL REGULATION › Part I - Standards of General Applicability › Article 5 - Technical Standards › Section 4VAC25-150-430 - Disposal of solids

Current through Register Vol. 40, No. 24, July 15, 2024
A.
					 Applicability. All drill cuttings and solids shall be disposed of in the
					 on-site pit as provided in subsection C of this section or as approved by the
					 director. All other solid waste from gas, oil or geophysical operations shall
					 be disposed of in a facility permitted to accept that type of waste.
B. Plan. Each operator shall submit a
					 description of how drill cuttings and solids will be disposed of in the
					 operations plan.
C. Disposal in a
					 pit. Drill cuttings and solids may be disposed of on-site in an approved pit,
					 without testing of the material.
The drill cuttings and solids shall be covered with a
						liner meeting the standards of
						4VAC25-150-300, or a
						low-permeability clay cap, and shall be covered by soil. The combination of
						soil and liner or cap shall be at least four feet thick, capable of shielding
						the cuttings and solids remaining in the pit, suitable for supporting
						vegetation, and sloped to prevent ponding.
Statutory Authority
§§ 45.1-161.3 and 45.1-361.27 of the Code of
						  Virginia.
Virginia Administrative Code › Title 4 - CONSERVATION AND NATURAL RESOURCES › Agency 25 - DEPARTMENT OF ENERGY › Chapter 150 - VIRGINIA GAS AND OIL REGULATION › Part I - Standards of General Applicability › Article 6 - Plugging and Abandonment › Section 4VAC25-150-435 - Plugging for abandonment or plug-back operations

Current through Register Vol. 40, No. 24, July 15, 2024
A. Permit requirements; variances.
1. Plugging operations shall not commence
					 until a detailed plugging plan has been submitted to and approved by the
					 director. A permit modification is required if the well was not previously
					 permitted for plugging.
2. Any
					 person may file an application with the director to replug a previously plugged
					 well in any manner permissible under provisions of this section to facilitate
					 the safe mining-through of the well at a later date. The application shall be
					 treated in all respects like any other application for a permit under §
					 45.2-1631 of the Code of Virginia.
3. The director may, upon application by the
					 permittee, approve a variance to the prescribed plugging methods for the
					 following reasons if it is determined that the alternate plan meets the
					 requirements of the Act:
a. The coal owner or
					 operator requests a special plugging program to facilitate mine safety, mining
					 through the well, or to obtain approval from another governmental agency for
					 the safe mining-through of a well. The application for a variance must include
					 documentation of the request from the coal owner or operator.
b. The permittee has obtained written
					 authorization from the coal owner or operator for alternate plugging of the
					 coal-bearing section. The application for a variance must include documentation
					 of approval by the coal owner or operator.
c. Downhole conditions such as junk in the
					 hole, a stuck or collapsed casing, caving or other adverse conditions which
					 would prevent proper execution of the prescribed plugging methods.
d. A permittee presents an alternate plugging
					 plan which may differ in method from that prescribed herein, but which will
					 achieve the desired result.
Virginia Administrative Code › Title 4 - CONSERVATION AND NATURAL RESOURCES › Agency 25 - DEPARTMENT OF ENERGY › Chapter 150 - VIRGINIA GAS AND OIL REGULATION › Part I - Standards of General Applicability › Article 6 - Plugging and Abandonment › Section 4VAC25-150-440 - Abandonment of a gas or oil well or corehole as a water well

Current through Register Vol. 40, No. 24, July 15, 2024
A permittee wishing to develop a gas or oil well or
						corehole as a water well shall submit an application for a permit modification
						in accordance with
						4VAC25-150-110.
Statutory Authority
§§ 45.1-161.3 and 45.1-361.27 of the Code of
						  Virginia.
Virginia Administrative Code › Title 4 - CONSERVATION AND NATURAL RESOURCES › Agency 25 - DEPARTMENT OF ENERGY › Chapter 150 - VIRGINIA GAS AND OIL REGULATION › Part I - Standards of General Applicability › Article 6 - Plugging and Abandonment › Section 4VAC25-150-450 - Identification, plugging and control of wells or coreholes in which radioactive source logging tools have been abandoned

Current through Register Vol. 40, No. 24, July 15, 2024
A. Permittees shall, by the quickest
					 available means, notify the division of the loss of a radioactive source in a
					 well or corehole.
B. No radioactive
					 source shall be declared abandoned until all reasonable effort has been
					 expended to retrieve the radioactive source tool.
C. A well or corehole in which a radioactive
					 source has been abandoned shall be mechanically equipped and plugged so as to
					 prevent either accidental or intentional mechanical disintegration of the
					 radioactive source, as follows:
1. Sources
					 abandoned in the bottom of the hole shall be covered with a 100-foot standard
					 color cement plug, dyed with red iron oxide, and an approved deflection device
					 shall be placed on top of the plug. The dye is to alert any reentry operator
					 prior to encountering the source. From this point to the surface, the well or
					 corehole shall be plugged as provided in
					 4VAC25-150-435.
2. Sources lost in locations other than in
					 the bottom of the hole shall be abandoned in accordance with the following
					 standards:
a. If a well or corehole with the
					 lost radioactive source will be abandoned and plugged, then a 100-foot standard
					 color cement plug, dyed with red iron oxide, shall be placed above the
					 abandoned source and an approved deflection device shall be placed on top of
					 the plug. From this point to the surface, the well or corehole shall be plugged
					 as provided in
					 4VAC25-150-435.
b. If a well or corehole is to be deviated or
					 sidetracked around a lost radioactive source, then a 100-foot standard color
					 cement plug, dyed with red iron oxide, shall be placed above the abandoned
					 source, and an approved deflection device shall be placed on top of the
					 plug.
c. Upon abandoning a well in
					 which a radioactive source has been cemented in place behind a casing string
					 above total depth, a 100-foot standard color cement plug, dyed with red iron
					 oxide, shall be placed opposite the abandoned source and an approved deflection
					 device placed on top of the plug, in addition to the plugging standards
					 provided in
					 4VAC25-150-435.
3. If a permittee finds, after
					 expending reasonable effort, that hole conditions make it impossible to abandon
					 the source as prescribed in subdivision C 1 or C 2 of this section, then the
					 permittee shall apply for a variance from the director for an alternate
					 abandonment procedure.
Virginia Administrative Code › Title 4 - CONSERVATION AND NATURAL RESOURCES › Agency 25 - DEPARTMENT OF ENERGY › Chapter 150 - VIRGINIA GAS AND OIL REGULATION › Part I - Standards of General Applicability › Article 6 - Plugging and Abandonment › Section 4VAC25-150-460 - Identifying plugged wells and coreholes; plugging affidavit

Current through Register Vol. 40, No. 24, July 15, 2024
A. Abandoned wells
					 and coreholes shall be permanently marked in a manner as follows:
1. The marker shall extend not less than 30
					 inches above the surface and enough below the surface to make the marker
					 permanent.
2. The marker shall
					 indicate the permittee's name, the well name, the permit number and date of
					 plugging.
Virginia Administrative Code › Title 4 - CONSERVATION AND NATURAL RESOURCES › Agency 25 - DEPARTMENT OF ENERGY › Chapter 150 - VIRGINIA GAS AND OIL REGULATION › Part I - Standards of General Applicability › Article 6 - Plugging and Abandonment › Section 4VAC25-150-470 - Release of bond

Current through Register Vol. 40, No. 24, July 15, 2024
A. Application
					 for bond release.
A permittee desiring to have a bond released by the
						director shall apply in writing identifying the operation, and documenting that
						the well or disturbed land meets the requirements for partial or full bond
						release. A bond may be reduced or released by the director only in
						writing.
B. Partial bond
					 release.
The portion of a permittee's bond covering disturbed land
						may be released as follows:
1. A
					 permittee with an individual bond under § 45.2-1633 of the Code of
					 Virginia shall be eligible for release of the portion of the bond covering
					 disturbed land after the land has been successfully reclaimed to the standards
					 of
					 4VAC25-150-260
					 of this chapter.
2. A permittee
					 with a blanket bond under § 45.2-1633 of the Code of Virginia shall be
					 eligible for release of 75% of the portion of the bond calculated on acreage of
					 disturbed land after the land has been successfully reclaimed to the standards
					 of
					 4VAC25-150-260
					 of this chapter.
Virginia Administrative Code › Title 4 - CONSERVATION AND NATURAL RESOURCES › Agency 25 - DEPARTMENT OF ENERGY › Chapter 150 - VIRGINIA GAS AND OIL REGULATION › Part I - Standards of General Applicability › Article 6 - Plugging and Abandonment › Section 4VAC25-150-480 - Orphaned wells; right of entry

Current through Register Vol. 40, No. 24, July 15, 2024
A. Written consent from the owner of record
					 or lessee, or their authorized agents, is the preferred means for obtaining
					 agreements to enter lands in order to carry out plugging of orphaned wells and
					 restoration of their sites. Nonconsensual entry under § 45.2-1629 E of the
					 Code of Virginia shall be undertaken only after reasonable efforts have been
					 made to obtain written consent.
B.
					 Consent and entry shall meet the following standards:
1. The director or authorized contractors may
					 enter lands to perform plugging and restoration activities or to conduct
					 studies or investigations of orphaned wells if consent from the owner is
					 obtained.
2. If consent is not
					 obtained, then, prior to entry under this section, the director shall find, in
					 writing, with supporting reasons, that:
a.
					 Citizens or the environment of the Commonwealth or persons involved in coal or
					 mineral mining may be at risk from an orphaned well; and
b. The owner of the land where entry must be
					 made to plug an orphaned well and restore the site is not known or readily
					 available, or the owner will not give permission for the director or authorized
					 contractors to enter to plug the orphaned well and reclaim the site.
Virginia Administrative Code › Title 4 - CONSERVATION AND NATURAL RESOURCES › Agency 25 - DEPARTMENT OF ENERGY › Chapter 150 - VIRGINIA GAS AND OIL REGULATION › Part II - Conventional Gas and Oil Wells › Section 4VAC25-150-490 - Applicability, conventional gas and oil wells and Class II injection wells

Current through Register Vol. 40, No. 24, July 15, 2024
A. Part II of this
				  chapter sets forth requirements unique to conventional gas and oil wells and
				  wells classified as Class II injection wells by the United States,
				  Environmental Protection Agency under 40 CFR Part 146, Section 146.5.
B. Permittees must comply with the standards
				  of general applicability in Part I of this chapter and with the standards for
				  conventional gas and oil and Class II injection wells in this part, except that
				  whenever the Environmental Protection Agency imposes a requirement under the
				  Underground Injection Control (UIC) Program, 40 CFR Part 146, Sections 146.3,
				  146.4, 146.5, 146.6, 146.7, 146.8, 146.22 and 146.23 that governs an activity
				  also governed by this chapter, the Environmental Protection Agency requirement
				  shall control the permit issued under this chapter.
C. An application for a permit for a Class II
				  injection well which has not been previously drilled under a permit from the
				  director shall be submitted as an application for a new permit. An application
				  for a permit for conversion of a permitted gas or oil well to a Class II
				  injection well shall be submitted as an application for a permit
				  modification.
D. The director shall
				  not issue a permit for a Class II injection well until after the Environmental
				  Protection Agency has issued its permit for the injection well.
Statutory Authority
§§ 45.1-161.3 and 45.1-361.27 of the Code of
						Virginia.
Virginia Administrative Code › Title 4 - CONSERVATION AND NATURAL RESOURCES › Agency 25 - DEPARTMENT OF ENERGY › Chapter 150 - VIRGINIA GAS AND OIL REGULATION › Part II - Conventional Gas and Oil Wells › Section 4VAC25-150-500 - Application for a permit, conventional well or Class II injection well

Current through Register Vol. 40, No. 24, July 15, 2024
A. In addition to
				  the requirements of
				  4VAC25-150-80 or
				  4VAC25-150-110, every application
				  for a permit or permit modification for a conventional gas or oil well or a
				  Class II injection well shall contain:
1. The
				  approximate depth to which the well is proposed to be drilled or deepened, or
				  the actual depth to which the well has been drilled;
2. The approximate depth and thickness, if
				  applicable, of all known coal seams, known groundwater-bearing strata, and
				  other known gas or oil strata between the surface and the depth to which the
				  well is proposed to be drilled;
3.
				  If casing or tubing is proposed to be or has been set, a description of the
				  entire casing program, including the size of each string of pipe, the starting
				  point and depth to which each string is to be or has been set, and the extent
				  to which each string is to be or has been cemented; and
4. If the proposed work is for a Class II
				  injection well, a copy of either the permit issued by, or the permit
				  application filed with the Environmental Protection Agency under the
				  Underground Injection Control Program.
5. The procedures to be followed to protect
				  the safety of persons working in an underground coal mine for any well to be
				  drilled within 200 feet of or into active workings. The permittee shall give
				  notice of such drilling to the mine operator and the chief at least two working
				  days prior to drilling.
Virginia Administrative Code › Title 4 - CONSERVATION AND NATURAL RESOURCES › Agency 25 - DEPARTMENT OF ENERGY › Chapter 150 - VIRGINIA GAS AND OIL REGULATION › Part II - Conventional Gas and Oil Wells › Section 4VAC25-150-510 - Plats, conventional wells or Class II injection wells

Current through Register Vol. 40, No. 24, July 15, 2024
A. In addition to the requirements of
				  4VAC25-150-90, every plat
				  for a conventional gas or oil well shall show:
1. The boundaries of any drilling unit
				  established by the board around the subject well;
2. The boundaries and acreage of the tract on
				  which the well is located or is to be located;
3. The boundaries and acreage of all other
				  tracts within one-half of the distance specified in § 45.2-1616 of the
				  Code of Virginia or within one-half of the distance to the nearest well
				  completed in the same pool, whichever is less, or within the boundaries of a
				  drilling unit established by the board around the subject well;
4. Surface owners on the tract to be drilled
				  and on all other tracts within the unit where the surface of the earth is to be
				  disturbed;
5. All gas, oil or
				  royalty owners on any tract located within one half of the distance specified
				  in § 45.2-1616 of the Code of Virginia or within one-half of the distance
				  to the nearest well completed in the same pool, whichever is less, or within
				  the boundaries of a drilling unit established by the board around the subject
				  well;
6. Coal owners and mineral
				  owners on the tract to be drilled and on all other tracts located within 500
				  feet of the subject well location;
7. Coal operators who have registered
				  operations plans with the department for activities located on the tract to be
				  drilled, or who have applied for or obtained a coal mine license, coal surface
				  mine permit or a coal exploration notice or permit from the department with
				  respect to all tracts within 500 feet of a proposed gas or oil well;
8. Any inhabited building, highway, railroad,
				  stream, permitted surface mine or permitted mine opening within 500 feet of the
				  proposed well; and
9. If the plat
				  is for an enhanced oil recovery injection well, any other well within 2,500
				  feet of the proposed or actual well location, which shall be presumed to
				  embrace the entire area to be affected by an enhanced oil recovery injection
				  well in the absence of a board order establishing units in the target pool of a
				  different size or configuration.
Virginia Administrative Code › Title 4 - CONSERVATION AND NATURAL RESOURCES › Agency 25 - DEPARTMENT OF ENERGY › Chapter 150 - VIRGINIA GAS AND OIL REGULATION › Part II - Conventional Gas and Oil Wells › Section 4VAC25-150-520 - Setback restrictions, conventional wells or Class II injection wells

Current through Register Vol. 40, No. 24, July 15, 2024
No permit shall be issued for any well to be drilled closer
					 than 200 feet from any inhabited building unless site conditions as approved by
					 the director warrant the permission of a lesser distance and there exists a
					 lease or agreement between the operator and the owner of the inhabited
					 building. A copy of the lease or agreement shall accompany the application for
					 a permit.
Statutory Authority
§§ 45.1-161.3 and 45.1-361.27 of the Code of
						Virginia.
Virginia Administrative Code › Title 4 - CONSERVATION AND NATURAL RESOURCES › Agency 25 - DEPARTMENT OF ENERGY › Chapter 150 - VIRGINIA GAS AND OIL REGULATION › Part II - Conventional Gas and Oil Wells › Section 4VAC25-150-530 - Casing requirements for conventional gas or oil wells

Current through Register Vol. 40, No. 24, July 15, 2024
A. Water-protection
				  string.
1. Except as provided in subdivision
				  A 5 of this section, the permittee shall set a water-protection string to a
				  point at least 300 feet below the surface or 50 feet below the deepest known
				  groundwater horizon, whichever is deeper, circulated and cemented in to the
				  surface. If the cement does not return to the surface, every reasonable attempt
				  shall be made to fill the annular space by introducing cement from the
				  surface.
2. The operator shall test
				  or require the cementing company to test the cement mixing water for pH and
				  temperature prior to mixing the cement and to record the results on the
				  cementing ticket.
3. After the
				  cement is placed, the operator shall wait a minimum of eight hours and allow
				  the cement to achieve a calculated compressive strength of 500 psi before
				  drilling, unless the director approves a shorter period of time. The
				  wait-on-cement (WOC) time shall be recorded within the records kept at the
				  drilling rig while drilling is taking place.
4. When requested by the director, the
				  operator shall submit copies of cement tickets or other documents that indicate
				  the above specifications have been followed.
5. A coal-protection string may also serve as
				  a water-protection string.
Virginia Administrative Code › Title 4 - CONSERVATION AND NATURAL RESOURCES › Agency 25 - DEPARTMENT OF ENERGY › Chapter 150 - VIRGINIA GAS AND OIL REGULATION › Part II - Conventional Gas and Oil Wells › Section 4VAC25-150-535 - Pressure testing requirements for production casing in conventional gas or oil wells

Current through Register Vol. 40, No. 24, July 15, 2024
A. The operator
				  shall install casing that can withstand the effects of tension and can prevent
				  leaks, burst, and collapse during (i) the casing's installation and cementing
				  and (ii) subsequent drilling and producing operations.
B. Except as provided in subsection C of this
				  section, all casing must be a string of new pipe with an internal pressure
				  rating that is at least 20% greater than the anticipated maximum pressure to
				  which the casing will be exposed.
C. Used casing may be approved for use as
				  surface, intermediate, or production casing but shall be pressure tested after
				  cementing and before completion. A passing pressure test is holding the
				  anticipated maximum pressure to which it will be exposed for 30 minutes with
				  not more than a 10% decrease in pressure.
D. New or used plain end casing, except when
				  being used as conductor pipe, that is welded together for use must meet the
				  following requirements:
1. The casing must
				  pass a pressure test by holding the anticipated maximum pressure to which the
				  casing will be exposed for 30 minutes with not more than a 10% decrease in
				  pressure. The operator shall notify the department electronically at least 24
				  hours before conducting the test. The test results shall be entered on the
				  drilling report.
2. The casing
				  shall be welded using at least three passes with the joint cleaned between each
				  pass.
Virginia Administrative Code › Title 4 - CONSERVATION AND NATURAL RESOURCES › Agency 25 - DEPARTMENT OF ENERGY › Chapter 150 - VIRGINIA GAS AND OIL REGULATION › Part III - Coalbed Methane Gas Wells › Section 4VAC25-150-550 - Applicability, coalbed methane wells

Current through Register Vol. 40, No. 24, July 15, 2024
Part III of this chapter sets forth requirements unique to
					 coalbed methane gas wells. Permittees must comply with the standards of general
					 applicability in Part I of this chapter and with the standards for coalbed
					 methane gas wells in this part.
Statutory Authority
§§ 45.1-161.3 and 45.1-361.27 of the Code of
						Virginia.