During the drilling of any well, all oil, gas, and water strata must be sealed or separated where necessary in order to prevent their contents from passing into other strata.
All freshwaters and waters of present or probable value for domestic, commercial, or stock purposes must be confined to their respective strata and must be adequately protected by methods approved by the director. Special precautions must be taken in drilling and plugging wells to guard against any loss of artesian water from the strata in which it occurs and the contamination of artesian water by objectionable water, oil, or gas.
All water must be shut off and excluded from the various oil-bearing and gas-bearing strata which are penetrated. Water shutoffs ordinarily must be made by cementing casing or landing casing with or without the use of mud-laden fluid.
N.D. Admin Code 43-02-03-20
General Authority: NDCC 38-08-04
Law Implemented: NDCC 38-08-04