Wyoming Administrative Code › Agency 055 - Oil and Gas Conservation Commission › Sub-Agency 0001 - General Agency, Board or Commission Rules › Chapter 3 - OPERATIONAL RULES, DRILLING RULES › Section 3-16 - Temporarily Abandoned or Shut-In Wells (Forms 2 and 4)

Current through July 13, 2024
(a) A well may be
				maintained as temporarily abandoned or shut-in provided any change in the
				status of the well is reported to the Supervisor on Form 4 and every month
				subsequent to the reported change, the well is listed on Form 2.
(b) A well may not be maintained as
				temporarily abandoned or shut-in for more than twenty-four (24) consecutive
				months from the date the well was first reported as temporarily abandoned or
				shut-in on Form 4 unless the Operator of the well applies for and receives
				approval for an extension from the Supervisor. The Supervisor may prescribe
				forms or other information to be submitted with the extension request.
				Extensions may be granted for periods up to two (2) years.
(c) Prior to approving a request for
				extension, the Supervisor may, upon a finding of good cause, require mechanical
				integrity testing in accordance with provisions of Chapter 4, Section 5(d) of
				these rules, or other surveillance method approved by the Supervisor, be
				performed on a temporarily abandoned or shut-in well. A temporarily abandoned
				or shut-in well which successfully passes a mechanical integrity or
				surveillance test shall not be required to undergo another test for five (5)
				years unless the Supervisor finds upon good cause that circumstances have
				substantially changed to alter the condition of the well.
(d) The Supervisor may require any well which
				has been temporarily abandoned or shut-in for more than twenty-four (24)
				consecutive months or any temporarily abandoned or shut-in well which has not
				been mechanically integrity tested within the preceding five (5) year period to
				undergo a mechanical integrity or other surveillance test prior to change in
				operator. Mechanical integrity testing must be performed in a manner consistent
				with Underground Injection Control (UIC) Program pressure testing rules in
				Chapter 4.
(e) The manner in which
				the well is to be maintained must be reported to and approved by the Supervisor
				on Form 4. Bonding requirements, as provided in Sections 4, 5, and 6 of this
				chapter will be kept in force until such time as the well is permanently
				abandoned.
(f) The Commission may,
				in its sole discretion, approve the Supervisor's use of conservation funds
				collected in accordance with Wyo. Stat. Ann. §
									
										30-5-116(b), to plug wells
				and seismic holes and reclaim the surrounding area affected by them if the
				Commission is unable to enforce its Rules and Regulations and laws, up to and
				including legal action when appropriate, requiring the Owner, Operator,
				geophysical/seismic company, client company, or hole plugger to plug and
				reclaim and if there exists neither a plugging bond nor other security adequate
				to properly plug and abandon and rehabilitate the surface. The Supervisor shall
				establish and maintain a well plugging schedule which prioritizes wells for
				plugging through an assessment of the well's potential to adversely impact
				public health, public safety, surface or ground waters, surface use or other
				mineral resources.