| (3) If surface casing has been set deeper than 200
feet below the base of the deepest usable quality water stratum, an
additional cement plug shall be placed inside the surface casing across
the base of the deepest usable quality water stratum. This plug shall
be a minimum of 100 feet in length and shall extend at least 50 feet
below and 50 feet above the base of the deepest usable quality water
stratum.
(4) Plugs shall be set as necessary to separate multiple
usable quality water strata by placing the required plug at each depth
as determined by the Groundwater Advisory Unit of the Oil and Gas
Division.
(5) An operator may not remove, cause to be removed,
or allow to be removed surface casing from a well at abandonment.
This prohibition applies to wells drilled by cable tool and rotary
rigs alike.
(f) Plugging requirements for wells with intermediate
casing.
(1) For wells in which the intermediate casing has
been cemented through all usable quality water strata and all productive
horizons, a cement plug meeting the requirements of subsection (d)(11)
of this section shall be placed inside the casing and centered opposite
the base of the deepest usable quality water stratum, but extend no
less than 50 feet above and below the base of the deepest usable quality
water stratum.
(2) For wells in which intermediate casing is not cemented
through all usable quality water strata and all productive horizons,
and if the casing will not be pulled, the intermediate casing shall
be perforated at the required depths to place cement outside of the
casing by squeeze cementing through casing perforations.
(3) Additionally, plugs shall be set as necessary to
separate multiple usable quality water strata by placing the required
plug at each depth as determined by the Groundwater Advisory Unit
of the Oil and Gas Division.
(g) Plugging requirements for wells with production
casing.
(1) For wells in which the production casing has been
cemented through all usable quality water strata and all productive
horizons, a cement plug meeting the requirements of subsection (d)(11)
of this section shall be placed inside the casing and centered opposite
the base of the deepest usable quality water stratum and across any
multi-stage cementing tool. This plug shall be a minimum of 100 feet
in length and shall extend at least 50 feet below and 50 feet above
the base of the deepest usable quality water stratum.
(2) For wells in which the production casing has not
been cemented through all usable quality water strata and all productive
horizons and if the casing will not be pulled, the production casing
shall be perforated at the required depths to place cement outside
of the casing by squeeze cementing through casing perforations.
(3) The district director or the director's delegate
may approve a cast iron bridge plug to be placed immediately above
each perforated interval, provided at least 20 feet of cement is placed
on top of each bridge plug. A bridge plug shall not be set in any
well at a depth where the pressure or temperature exceeds the ratings
recommended by the bridge plug manufacturer.
(4) Additionally, plugs shall be set as necessary to
separate multiple usable quality water strata by placing the required
plug at each depth as determined by the Groundwater Advisory Unit
of the Oil and Gas Division.
(h) Plugging requirements for well with screen or liner.
(1) If practical, the screen or liner shall be removed
from the well.
(2) If the screen or liner is not removed, a cement
plug in accordance with subsection (d)(11) of this section shall be
placed at the top of the screen or liner.
(i) Plugging requirements for wells without production
casing and open-hole completions.
(1) Any productive horizon or any formation in which
a pressure or formation water problem is known to exist shall be isolated
by cement plugs centered at the top and bottom of the formation. Each
cement plug shall have sufficient slurry volume to fill a calculated
height as specified in subsection (d)(11) of this section.
(2) If the gross thickness of any such formation is
less than 100 feet, the tubing or drill pipe shall be suspended 50
feet below the base of the formation. Sufficient slurry volume shall
be pumped to fill the calculated height from the bottom of the tubing
or drill pipe up to a point at least 50 feet above the top of the
formation, plus 10% for each 1,000 feet of depth from the ground surface
to the bottom of the plug.
(j) The district director or the director's delegate
shall review and approve the notification of intention to plug in
a manner so as to accomplish the purposes of this section. The district
director or the director's delegate may approve, modify, or reject
the operator's notification of intention to plug. If the proposal
is modified or rejected, the operator may request a review by the
director or the director's delegate. If the proposal is not administratively
approved, the operator may request a hearing on the matter. After
hearing, the examiner shall recommend final action by the Commission.
(k) Plugging horizontal drainhole wells. All plugs
in horizontal drainhole wells shall be set in accordance with subsection
(d)(11) of this section. The productive horizon isolation plug shall
be set from a depth 50 feet below the top of the productive horizon
to a depth either 50 feet above the top of the productive horizon,
or 50 feet above the production casing shoe if the production casing
is set above the top of the productive horizon. If the production
casing shoe is set below the top of the productive horizon, then the
productive horizon isolation plug shall be set from a depth 50 feet
below the production casing shoe to a depth that is 50 feet above
the top of the productive horizon. In accordance with subsection (d)(7)
of this section, the Commission or its delegate may require additional
plugs.
|
| Source Note: The provisions of this §3.14 adopted to be effective January 1, 1976; amended to be effective February 29, 1980, 5 TexReg 499; amended to be effective January 1, 1983, 7 TexReg 3989; amended to be effective March 10, 1986, 11 TexReg 901; amended to be effective September 8, 1986, 11 TexReg 3792; amended to be effective November 9, 1987, 12 TexReg 3959; amended to be effective May 9, 1988, 13 TexReg 2026; amended to be effective March 1, 1992, 17 TexReg 1227; amended to be effective September 1, 1992, 17 TexReg 5283; amended to be effective September 20, 1995, 20 TexReg 6931; amended to be effective September 14, 1998, 23 TexReg 9300; amended to be effective December 28, 1999, 24 TexReg 11711;amended to be effective July 10, 2000, 25 TexReg 6487; amended to be effective November 1, 2000, 25 TexReg 9924; amended to be effective January 9, 2002, 27 TexReg 139; amended to be effective July 28, 2003, 28 TexReg 5853; amended to be effective December 3, 2003, 28 TexReg 10747; amended to be effective September 1, 2004, 29 TexReg 8271; amended to be effective January 30, 2007, 32 TexReg 287; amended to be effective September 13, 2010, 35 TexReg 8332; amended to be effective July 2, 2012, 37 TexReg 4892 |
