La. Admin. Code tit. 43 § XIX-137

Current through Register Vol. 50, No. 5, May 20, 2024

Section XIX-137 - Plugging and Abandonment

A. Deadlines for Abandonment

1. Inactive, Future Utility Wells. All inactive wells classified as having future utility shall be plugged within five years of the date of the well becoming inactive. Failure to accurately report wells on the inactive well report shall be subject to the provisions of R.S. 30:17.

a. For wells that have been inactive for a period of four years or more on the effective date of this rule, the well shall be plugged within one year of the effective date of this Rule.

b. If an operator chooses not to plug an inactive well in accordance with this Section for reasons of future utility, an annual assessment shall be assessed until the well is plugged in the amount specified by Table 1 hereof depending on the total depth of the well and length of inactivity according to the Office of Conservation records.

Table 1-Annual Well Assessment Amounts
	Length of Inactivity (years)
Total Depth (ft.)	5-10	10+
0-3,000	$125	$188
3,001-9,999	$250	$375
10,000+	$500	$750

c. For all inactive wells not already covered by financial security as required in §104, financial security shall be provided within one year of the promulgation of this Rule.

d. All inactive wells shall be subject to the above provisions until the well has reported production for three consecutive months.

2. Other Wells on or after Effective Date of Order

a. All such wells classified on the inactive well report by either the operator, the engineering enforcement section manager or the district manager as having no future utility shall be plugged within 90 days from the date of such classification.

b. All wells classified on the inactive well report as having no future utility shall be subject to an annual assessment specified by Table 1 hereof depending on the total depth of the well and the length of inactivity according to Office of Conservation records. Wells which have been inactive for more than 90 days but less than 10 years will be assessed using the amount for 5-10 years specified by Table 1.

c. For all inactive wells not already covered by financial security as required in §104, financial security shall be provided within one year of the promulgation of this Rule.

3. Reduction of Inactive Well Assessment Amounts Based on Plugging Activity

a. Operators that plug ten or more wells during the calendar year immediately preceding an inactive well assessment may apply for a reduction in the inactive well assessment based on Table 2 hereof for each well plugged and abandoned based on Office of Conservation records.

Table 2-Annual Well Assessment Reduction Amounts Based on Wells Plugged
Total Depth (ft.)	Reduction Amount
0-3,000	$375
3,001-9,999	$750
10,000+	$1500

4. Reporting

a. All wells wherein production operations or use as a service well have ceased on or after the effective date of this order shall continue to be reported on the Form DM-1-R or Form DT-1 with the appropriate notation that the well is off production or no longer in use as a service well along with the date of last production or date the service well ceased to be used; and, after six months, if such a well has not been restored to production or use as a service well, it shall thereafter be reported by the operator on the semiannual inactive well report, Form INACT WR-1 (1974) which report shall be filed with the Department of Conservation showing the status of such well as of May 1 and November 1 of each year (report to be filed no later than May 25 and November 25). Such wells shall continue to be reported on the Form DM1-R or Form DT-1 showing the date of last production or the date the well ceased to be used as a service well, together with a notation showing the well is carried on the Form INACT WR-1 (1974), Inactive Well Report, until the well is plugged and abandoned.

b. The inactive well report shall list the field, well name, well number and other pertinent data and provide an appropriate column to classify such well as having either future utility, or no future utility. If the well is classified as having future utility, operator shall specify such utility by completing the appropriate column on the form. Wells so classified shall be reviewed periodically by the district manager who, at his discretion, may require an operator to supply additional information to justify the classification.

c. Administrative Interpretation. For purposes of administering the heretofore mentioned paragraphs, it is understood that:

i. a wellbore which is completed in more than one common source of supply (multiple completions) shall not be considered as ceasing to produce and shall not be reported on the inactive well report as long as there is production from or operations in any completion in the wellbore;

ii. wells classified as having future utility may be off production or shut-in but are considered to have future utility for producing oil or gas, or for use as a service well.

B. The responsibility of plugging any well over which the commissioner of conservation has jurisdiction shall be the owner(s) of record.

C. In the event any owner(s) responsible for plugging any well fails to do so, and after a diligent effort has been made by the department to have said well plugged, then the commissioner may call a public hearing to show cause why said well was not plugged.

D. The commissioner or his agent may require the posting of a reasonable bond with good and sufficient surety in order to secure the performance of the work of proper abandonment.

E. The district manager shall be notified immediately by the new operator whenever a change of operator occurs. This must be accomplished by submitting Department of Conservation Form MD-10-RA (application for amended permit to drill for minerals) to reflect the new operator.

F. Plugging Procedures

1. Notification of intention to plug any well or wells over which the commissioner of conservation has jurisdiction, shall be given to the appropriate district manager prior to the plugging thereof. Notification shall be made in writing to the district office in the form of a work permit (Form DM-4 Rev.) for which an original and three copies are required. Where plugging involves a well with a rig on location, the district manager may grant verbal approval to plug and abandon the well provided the work permit is subsequently submitted. Any operator who fails to comply with this requirement may be required by the district manager to place additional cement plug(s) and/or prove the plug(s) are placed as the operator states they are.

2. Once an operator has been issued a work permit to plug and abandon a well by the appropriate district manager, then said operator shall be required to contact the appropriate oil and gas inspector a minimum of 12 hours prior to beginning the plugging operations. During drilling and/or workover operations, the requirement to contact the appropriate oil and gas inspector a minimum of 12 hours prior to beginning the plugging operations shall be waived at the time verbal notification is made to the district office.

3. In plugging wells, it is essential that all oil or gas bearing formations be protected.

a. Sufficient cement shall be used to adequately isolate each perforated pool, one from the other. A cement plug of at least 100 feet shall be placed immediately above or across the uppermost perforated interval of the pool. If he deems it advisable, the district manager may allow a bridge plug with a minimum of 10 feet of cement on top to be placed immediately above each producing pool.

b. In wells completed with screen or perforated liners, if it is impractical for the operator to remove the screen or perforated liner, he shall place a cement plug of at least 100 feet with the bottom as near as practical to the top of the screen or liner. If the district manager deems it advisable, a bridge plug with a minimum of 10 feet of cement on top and placed as near as practical to the top of the screen or liner may be used in lieu of the cement plug.

c. When production casing is not run or is removed from the well, a cement plug of at least 100 feet shall be placed from at least 50 feet below the shoe of the surface casing to at least 50 feet above. In lieu of the above, the operator shall have the option of using a cement retainer placed at least 50 feet above the surface casing shoe and a sufficient amount of cement shall be squeezed below the retainer to form a cement plug from the base of the retainer to 50 feet below the base of the surface casing. A 10-foot cement plug shall be placed on top of the retainer.

d. If fresh-water horizons are exposed when production casing is removed from the well, or as a result of production casing not being run, a cement plug shall be placed fro m at least 100 feet below the base of the deepest fresh-water sand to at least 150 feet above the base of the sand. A cement plug of at least 100 feet shall also be placed from at least 50 feet below the shoe of the surface casing to at least 50 feet above it. In lieu of the above, the operator shall have the option of using a cement retainer placed at least 50 feet above the surface casing shoe and a sufficient amount of cement shall be squeezed below the retainer to form a cement plug from the base of the retainer to 50 feet below the base of the surface casing. A 10-foot cement plug shall be placed on top of the retainer.

e. The setting and location of the first plug below the top 30-foot plug shall be verified by tagging. In the event a retainer is used, tagging will not be necessary

f. Additional cement plugs shall be placed to adequately contain any high pressure oil, gas or water sands or as may be required by the district manager.

g. A 30-foot cement plug minimum shall be placed in the top of the well.

h. Mud laden fluid of not less than 9 pounds per gallon shall be placed in all portions of the well not filled with cement, unless otherwise approved by the district manager.

i. All cement plugs shall be placed by the circulation or pump down method unless otherwise authorized by the district manager. The hole must be in a static condition at the time the plugs are placed.

j. After placing the top plug, the operator shall be required on all land locations to cut the casing a minimum of two feet below plow depth. On all water locations, the casing shall be cut a minimum of 10 feet below the mud line. If an operator contemplates reentering the well at some future date for saltwater disposal or other purpose, the district manager may approve after receiving written request from an operator not to cut off the casing below plow depth or mud line.

k. The plan of abandonment may be altered if new or unforeseen conditions arise during the well work but only after approval by the district manager.

4. Upon plugging any well for any cause, a complete record thereof shall be made out, duly verified and filed in triplicate on Form P&A in the district office within 20 days after the plugging of such well. A cementing report shall be filed with the plugging report.

G. Well to be Used for Fresh Water. When the well to be plugged may be safely used as a fresh-water well and the owner or owners of the well have, by a mutual written agreement with the landowner, agreed to turn the well over to the landowner for that purpose, then the well need not be filled above the plug set below the fresh-water formation; provided, however, that the signed agreement or (if recorded in the public records) a certified copy thereof be filed with the appropriate district manager, which shall relieve the owner or owners who turn the well over to the landowner from responsibility above the plug. The plugging report shall indicate that the well has been or will be converted to a fresh water well.

H. Temporary Abandonment of Drilling Wells. Any drilling well which is to be temporarily abandoned and the rig moved away, shall be mudded and cemented as it would be for permanent abandonment, except a cement plug at the surface may be omitted.

La. Admin. Code tit. 43, § XIX-137

Adopted by the Department of Conservation (August 1943), amended (March 1974), amended by the Department of Natural Resources, Office of Conservation, LR 40:2597 (December 2014), LR 41:953 (May 2015), repromulgated LR 41:1120 (June 2015), Amended LR 491746 (10/1/2023).

AUTHORITY NOTE: Promulgated in accordance with R.S. 30:4 et seq.