N.D. Admin. Code 43-02-02-22
After the plugging of a well, a plugging records (form 7-sm) shall be filed with the state geologist. After the completion of a well, recompletion of a well in a different pool, or drilling horizontally in an existing pool, a completion report (form 6-sm) shall be filed with the state geologist. In no case shall subsurface minerals be transported from the lease prior to the filing of a completion report unless approved by the director The operator shall cause to be run an open hole electrical, radioactivity, or other similar log, or combination of open hole logs, of the operator's choice, from which formation tops and porosity zones can be determined. The operator shall run a gamma ray log from total depth to ground level elevation of the well bore. Prior to completing the well, the operator shall run a log form which the presence and quality of bonding of cement can be determined in every well in which production or intermediate casing has been set. The obligation to log may be waived or postponed by the director if the necessity therefore can be demonstrated to the director's satisfaction. Waiver will be contingent upon such terms and conditions as the director deems appropriate. All logs run shall be available to the director at the well site prior to proceeding with plugging or completion operations. All logs run shall be submitted to the state geologist free of charge. Logs shall be submitted as one digital tagged image file format (TIFF) copy and one digital LAS (log ASCII) formatted copy, or a format approved by the director. In addition, operators shall file two copies of drill stem test reports and charts, formation water analyses, core analyses, geologic reports, and noninterpretive lithologic logs or sample descriptions if compiled by the operator.
All information, except the operator name, well name, location, spacing or drilling unit description, spud date, rig contractor, and any production runs, furnished to the state geologist on recompletions or reentries, shall be kept confidential for a period of one year if requested by the operator and such period may be further extended upon approval by the commission. The one-year period shall commence on the expiration date of the permit. The confidentiality period will become void if the operator engages in a wholesale release of the confidential information in a wide public form. Any information furnished to the state geologist prior to approval of the recompletion or reentry shall remain public.
Approval must be obtained on a sundry notice (form 4-sm) from the director prior to perforating or recompleting a well in a pool other than the pool in which the well is currently permitted.
After the completion of any remedial work, or attempted remedial work, such as plugging back or drilling deeper, acidizing, shooting, formation fracturing, squeezing operations, setting liner, perforating, reperforating, or other similar operations not specifically covered herein, a report on the operation shall be filed on a sundry notice (form 4-sm) with the state geologist. The report shall present a detailed account of all work done and the date of such work; the daily production of subsurface minerals and water both prior to and after the operation; the shots per foot, size, and depth of perforations; the quantity of sand, crude, chemical, or other materials employed in the operation; and any other pertinent information or operations which affect the original status of the well and are not specifically covered herein.
Upon the installation of pumping equipment on a flowing well, or change in type of pumping equipment designed to increase productivity in a well, the operator shall submit a sundry notice (form 4-sm) of such installation. The notice shall include all pertinent information on the pump and its operation, including the date of such installation, and the daily production of the well prior to and after the pump has been installed.
All forms, reports, logs, and other information required by this section shall be submitted within thirty days after the completion of such work, although a completion report shall be filed immediately after the completion or recompletion of a well in a pool or reservoir not then covered by an order of the commission.
The following basic data collected by the operator shall be delivered, free of charge, to the state geologist within six months of the expiration date of the permit:
When requested by the operator, the data submitted shall be confidential for a period of one year commencing on the expiration date of the permit. Such period may be further extended upon approval of the commission.
Data restricted to a particular stratigraphic interval containing the actual ore being explored, developed, or mined, shall be confidential as long as the operator is exploring, developing, or producing from that particular stratum. The general area, as used herein, shall be defined jointly by the state geologist and the operator. Definition of the stratigraphic interval will be made by the state geologist. Data from the stratigraphic interval will, at the discretion of the state geologist, be retained in the North Dakota office of the operator during the period of confidentiality. The industrial commission and the state geologist shall have access to all confidential data.
The director may release such confidential completion and production data to health care professionals, emergency responders, and state, federal, or tribal environmental and public health regulators if the state geologist deems it necessary to protect the public's health, safety, and welfare.
N.D. Admin Code 43-02-02-22
General Authority: NDCC 38-12-02
Law Implemented: NDCC 38-12-02