Current through Register Vol. 54, No. 45, November 9, 2024
Section 78a.83b - Casing and cementing-lost circulation(a) If cement used to permanently cement the surface or coal protective casing is not circulated to the surface despite pumping a volume of cement equal to or greater than 120% of the calculated annular space, the operator shall determine the top of the cement, notify the Department and meet one of the following requirements as approved by the Department: (1) Run an additional string of casing at least 50 feet deeper than the string where circulation was lost and cement the additional string of casing back to the seat of the string where circulation was lost and vent the annulus of the additional casing string to the atmosphere at all times unless closed for well testing or maintenance. Shut-in pressure on the casing seat of the additional string of casing may not exceed the requirements of § 78a.73(e) (relating to general provision for well construction and operation).(2) Run production casing and set the production casing on a packer in a competent formation below the string where circulation was lost and vent the annulus of the production casing to the atmosphere at all times unless closed for well testing or maintenance.(3) Run production casing at least to the top of the formation that is being produced and cement the production casing to the surface.(4) Run intermediate and production casing and cement both strings of casing to the surface.(5) Produce oil but not gas and leave the annulus between the surface casing and the production pipe open.(b) In addition to meeting the requirements of subsection (a), the operator may also pump additional cement through a pour string from the surface to fill the annular space. This section cited in 25 Pa. Code § 78a.81 (relating to general provisions); 25 Pa. Code § 78a.83 (relating to surface and coal protective casing and cementing procedures); 25 Pa. Code § 78a.102 (relating to criteria for approval of inactive status); and 25 Pa. Code § 78a.103 (relating to annual monitoring of inactive wells).