Okla. Admin. Code § 165:10-3-4

Current through Vol. 42, No. 4, November 1, 2024

Section 165:10-3-4 - Casing, cementing, wellhead equipment, and cementing reports

(a)Scope.

(1) This Section governs the following:

(A) Surface casing and cementing requirements.

(B) Alternate casing and cementing procedure used instead of adequate surface casing and cement.

(C) Minimum cementing and testing requirements for intermediate and production casing.

(D) Minimum valve and blowout preventer requirements.

(E) Cementing reports.

(2) This Section shall apply to the following:

(A) Wells drilled or reentered for the production of oil, gas or brine.

(B) Wells drilled or reentered for disposal of oil field wastes.

(C) Wells drilled for injection.

(D) Wells drilled in subsurface gas storage units created by order of the Commission.

(E) Other oil field related service wells.

(b)Effect on area rules.

(1) If any area rules promulgated by order of the Commission require less casing and cement than required by this Section, then this Section shall supersede the area rules.

(2) If an applicable area rule promulgated by order of the Commission has more stringent casing and cementing requirements than what are required by this Section, the Conservation Division shall enforce the area rules.

(c)Quality of cement.

(1)Parameters. Cement used in the procedures described in this Section shall meet or exceed the following specifications:

(A) Minimum compressive strength: 500 psi;

(B) Maximum Young's modulus: < 1.2 x 10 6 psi;

(C) Permeability: < 0.1 mD; and

(D) Minimum concentration of Portland cement: approximately 20%.

(2)Required information.

(A) If requested by a representative of the Conservation Division, the cementer shall provide quality control data sheets regarding the cement to the Technical Services Department, which data shall include, but not be limited to, the most recent laboratory test results for the cement. Laboratory test results for the cement must be no more than 12 months old.

(B) If requested by a representative of the Conservation Division, a sample of the cement shall be split and an adequate portion (approximately one gallon) shall be properly labeled and delivered or otherwise provided to the Technical Services Department.

(d)Surface casing and cementing requirements for wells listed in (a)(2) of this Section:

(1)Minimum surface casing requirements. Unless an alternate casing program is authorized by the Conservation Division or by an order of the Commission, suitable and sufficient surface casing shall be run and cemented from bottom to top with a minimum setting depth which is the greater of:

(A) Ninety feet below the surface, or

(B) Fifty feet below the base of treatable water.

(2)Penalty for noncompliance. An operator setting less than the required amount of surface casing or failing to remediate uncirculated cement before resuming operations may be fined up to $5,000.00.

(3)Exceptions to (d)(1). Operators having wells producing hydrocarbons which were in compliance with the surface casing requirements at the time of completion shall not be required to comply with (1) of this subsection.

(4)Well to be used for annular injection under 165:10-5-13. If the operator intends to dispose of drilling or stimulation fluids by annular injection, then the operator shall comply with 165:10-5-13 which requires a surface casing string to be set not less than 200 feet below the base of treatable water, unless a Commission order provides otherwise.

(5)Depth limitation on setting surface casing. The well operator shall run and cement the surface casing string required by this subsection before drilling the well more than 250 feet below the base of treatable water, unless otherwise approved on the Permit to Drill.

(6)Penalties. Operators failing to obtain permission to drill a well more than 250 feet below the treatable water, or to obtain permission for an alternate casing and cementing procedure may be fined up to $2,500.00.

(7)Cementing procedures.

(A)Approved methods. Except as provided in (B) of this paragraph for bradenhead cementing, cement shall be run by either the tubing and pump method, the pump and plug method, or the displacement method.

(B)Bradenhead cementing prohibited. Bradenhead cementing is prohibited without written permission from the appropriate Conservation Division District Office.

(C)Restrictions on stage cementing.

(i)Above 200 feet. Running cement through small tubulars is permitted above 200 feet in depth without special permission.

(ii)Below 200 feet. Below 200 feet in depth, the operator shall obtain permission from the appropriate Conservation Division District Office before using small tubulars to run cement.

(D)Steel casing required. For purposes of the surface casing requirements of this Section, surface casing shall be oil field grade steel casing.

(E)Minimum cement setup time. The cement behind the surface casing shall set at least eight hours before further drilling. The cement behind the surface casing in wells drilled in an underground storage facility pursuant to OAC 165:10-3-5 shall set at least twenty-four hours before further drilling.

(F)Down-hole testing of surface casing and cement. Before drilling the shoe of the surface casing, the operator shall test the surface casing using the procedure prescribed by (g) of this Section.

(G)Failure to circulate cement or fall back of cement behind surface casing.

(i)Verifying the top of cement. If no conductor string is set and the cement did not circulate to the surface or falls back more than five feet, the operator shall determine the top of the cement using a method approved by the District Manager or Field Inspector Supervisor.

(ii)Top of cement less than 200 feet from the surface. If the top of the cement is found less than 200 feet from the surface, the operator may circulate cement to surface using small tubulars.

(iii)Top of cement greater than 200 feet from the surface. If the top of the cement is greater than 200 feet from the surface, the operator shall perform a corrective cementing operation by circulating cement to the surface from the determined top of the cement. The District Manager or Field Inspector Supervisor may grant permission to circulate cement through small tubulars.

(H)Insufficient surface casing or mechanical failure. Within 24 hours after discovery of a problem with the surface casing or cement, the operator shall notify the appropriate Conservation Division District Office by telephone, facsimile or electronic mail of:

(i) Any mechanical failure of the surface casing or cement.

(ii) Discovery of a treatable water formation below the shoe of the surface casing.

(I)Penalty. An operator, failing to report a rupture, break, or opening in the surface casing, may be fined up to $1,000.00 and the well shut down.

(J)Notice. The District Manager or Field Inspector shall be given at least 24 hours notice by telephone, facsimile or electronic mail prior to any cementing operation in order that they may have the opportunity to witness.

(e)Alternate casing and cementing procedures.

(1)Requirement of approval on the Permit to Drill. Use of an alternative casing and cementing procedure instead of surface casing and cement required by (d) of this Section is prohibited without authorization on the Permit to Drill for the well.

(2)Disapproval. The Manager of Technical Department may not issue a permit for an alternate casing string and cementing procedure if one or more of the following conditions exist:

(A) The well will penetrate a known lost circulation zone.

(B) The treatable water bearing formation(s) will be endangered.

(C) The projected depth of the well is less than 100 feet from the top of any authorized secondary project or gas storage facility.

(3)Applicability of other casing and cementing standards. Alternate casing and cementing procedures under this subsection are subject to the provisions of (d)(7) of this Section.

(4)Alternate casing and cementing procedure.

(A) An operator having permission to run an alternate casing string may, for protection of the treatable water, drill the well to casing point and circulate cement to the surface, or circulate cement from a depth of 100 feet below the base of treatable water to the surface after following the procedures set out in (g) of this Section.

(B) Oil based drilling mud shall be prohibited.

(C) If a well is completed using an alternate casing and cementing procedure, a bond log covering the interval from 100 feet below the base of the treatable water to the surface shall be required. The District Manager may waive this requirement. A completion attempt, in cases where the protection of treatable water is questionable, is strictly prohibited.

(D) Unless extended by the District Manager, the operator shall have 72 hours after drilling and testing is completed to run production casing or plug the well. A minimum of 24 hours prior notice by telephone, facsimile or electronic mail must be given to the appropriate Conservation Division District Office prior to cementing operations so that a Field Inspector may have the opportunity to witness the cementing or plugging procedures. If the well is plugged and abandoned, procedures set out in (f) of this Section shall be followed.

(E) In the event that casing is run and cement does not circulate to the surface, or falls back, the operator shall determine the top of the cement using a method approved by the District Manager.

(5)Remedial actions.

(A) If the top of the cement is less than 200 feet from the surface, the operator may circulate cement from that point to the surface using small tubulars or by perforating the casing at that point and circulating cement to the surface.

(B) If the top of the cement is greater in depth than 200 feet, the operator shall perforate the casing at the top of the cement and circulate cement to the surface, or with the written permission of the District Manager or Field Inspector Supervisor, use small tubulars.

(C) In the event that a conductor string had been set and the top of the cement is at least ten feet above the base of the conductor casing no remedial action is needed.

(D) Unless waived by the appropriate Conservation Division District Office, all corrective cementing operations shall be approved and witnessed by the Field Inspector.

(E) In wells where corrective actions were needed for casing or cementing problems, a completion attempt shall not be made without approval by the District Manager.

(f)Permanent well marker. In the event that the well is a dry hole and no casing has been run, then during the plugging of the well the operator shall run and cement from bottom to top at least one joint of casing at the surface not less than 25 feet in length for use as a permanent well marker. The casing used as a well marker shall be oil field grade steel casing with an outside diameter of at least seven inches. The top of the marker shall be three feet below the surface and be capped with a steel plate inscribed or embedded with the well number and date of plugging on the steel plate. An operator failing to run and cement the well marker as required may be fined up to $1,000.00 and shall, under the supervision of the Commission, replug the well.

(g)Minimum cement for additional casing strings. If additional casing other than surface casing is run, except for temporary purposes, it shall be run, set, and cemented with a calculated volume of cement sufficient to fill the annular space behind the casing string from the base of the casing string to a minimum height which is the greater of five percent of the depth to which the casing string is set, or a height of 200 feet. Any well approved for horizontal completion shall be cemented with a calculated volume of cement sufficient to fill the annular space behind the production casing string to isolate the producing formation. The Conservation Division may grant a variance to this requirement for a horizontal well upon request.

(h)Pressure testing of casing strings.

(1) Before drilling the cement plug in a casing string, the operator shall pressure test the installed casing for 30 minutes at a minimum pressure which is the lesser of the surface gauge pressure equal in pounds per square inch to 0.2 of the length of the casing in feet or 1500 psig.

(2) During the 30 minute test, if the surface pressure drops ten percent or more, the operator shall:

(A) Repair and retest the casing until the requirements of this subsection are met; or

(B) Plug the well according to the rules of this Chapter.

(i)Minimum wellhead equipment for drilling wells. All reasonable and prudent precautions shall be taken for keeping the well under control during drilling operations, including but not limited to the use of blowout preventers or other similar equipment with appropriate pressure fittings attached to properly cemented casing strings and the maintenance of mud-laden fluid of sufficient weight to provide proper well control. A blowout preventer or other equipment necessary to maintain control of the well shall be installed prior to drilling out of the surface casing. Blowout preventers and associated equipment shall be maintained in good working order. Blowout preventers shall be pressure tested at regular intervals, not to exceed twenty-one days, to ensure proper operation. A function test shall be conducted on a routine basis during drilling operations to ensure that annular preventers and rams will operate properly. Alternate testing procedures may be approved by the District Manager. The rig personnel shall be trained in the use of blowout prevention equipment and well control procedures on the rig.

(j)Cementing reports.

(1) The operator of the well shall submit a Form 1002C Cementing Report within 45 days of the release of the rig used to drill such well, describing all cementing operations on surface, intermediate, and production casing strings, including multistage cementing jobs.

(2) If additional cementing operations occur after submission of the Cementing Report, the operator shall submit an amended Form 1002C for the well.

(k)Surface casing requirements for re-entry wells. For a re-entry as defined by 165:10-1-2, casing and cementing requirements at the time of re-entry shall apply.

(l)Surface casing requirement for recompletions. For a recompletion as defined by 165:10-1-2, casing and cementing requirements applicable to wells commenced on the latter of the spud date or re-entry date for the well shall apply.

(m)Casing and cementing requirements for wells converted for injection or disposal. If a well is converted for use as an injection or disposal well, it shall be subject to the casing and cementing requirements of this Section effective at the time of conversion of the well.

(n)Casing and cementing requirements for wells penetrating unitized common sources of supply. Each newly drilled or re-entered well which penetrates a common source of supply in which enhanced recovery operations are being conducted shall be properly cased and cemented from not less than 100 feet below to not less than 100 feet above each unitized common source of supply to prevent migration of formation fluids and contain formation pressure. In the event the well is to be plugged without being cased, the well shall be properly cemented over the aforementioned interval(s) during plugging procedures.

(o)Insufficient surface casing and cement. When it has been determined that a treatable water-bearing formation has not been properly cased and cemented, the operator shall take such measures designated by the Director of Conservation or ordered by the Commission to protect any treatable water-bearing formation.

Okla. Admin. Code § 165:10-3-4

Amended at 9 Ok Reg 2337, eff 6-25-92 ; Amended at 26 Ok Reg 2498, eff 7-11-09 ; Amended at 27 Ok Reg 2128, eff 7-11-10 ; Amended at 28 Ok Reg 1949, eff 7-11-11 ; Amended at 29 Ok Reg 950, eff 7-1-12 ; Amended at 30 Ok Reg 1041, eff 7-1-13

Amended by Oklahoma Register, Volume 32, Issue 23, August 17, 2015, eff. 8/27/2015.

Amended by Oklahoma Register, Volume 36, Issue 21, July 15, 2019, eff. 8/1/2019

Amended by Oklahoma Register, Volume 37, Issue 24, September 1, 2020, eff. 10/1/2020

Amended by Oklahoma Register, Volume 39, Issue 24, September 1, 2022, eff. 10/1/2022