Utah Admin. Code 614-2-19

Current through Bulletin 2024-12, June 15, 2024

Section R614-2-19 - Drilling Industry - Special Services

A. Special Services.

1. The owner/operator shall require that all applicable requirements of other sections of these Rules and Regulations, in addition to the following requirements, shall apply to Special Services and Operations.

2. The supervisor of the special service shall hold a pre-job meeting with his crew to review responsibilities for the operations to be performed.

3. Special services fire extinguishers shall be placed in an accessible position.

4. Precautions shall be taken to prevent personnel or vehicles from crossing under or over unprotected wire lines, pressurized hoses, or pipe.

5. There shall be a minimum number of employees in the derrick or within 6 feet of the wellbore during the time a swab line or other wire line is being run in the hole.

6. Smoking or open fires shall be permitted only in designated areas.

7. A frozen flow line or hose shall not knowingly be flexed or hit.

8. Line wipers shall be adequately secured.

9. Oil savers should not be adjusted while the line is in motion except by remote means.

10. Only a qualified person shall operate the cathead.

11. All discharge lines shall be laid with sufficient flexible joints, preventing rigidity so as to prevent excess vibration at wellbore.

12. When using an open ended flow line to flow or bleed off a well, it shall be secured at the end of the flow line and at each 30 foot interval before opening the flow line.

B. Mud Pits and Tanks.

1. Portable tanks shall be located where it is not possible for employees or equipment to come into contact with overhead power lines.

2. All valves and gauges shall be checked to be sure there is no pressure on the lubricator before working on or removing it. Prior to breaking out (rigging down), all pressure shall be bled off the lines that are to be broken out.

3. A lubricator or other adequate control devices shall be used to allow the removal of the downhole tool under controlled conditions.

4. Only necessary personnel shall be permitted near the pressurized lubricator, flow lines, and wellbore.

5. All wellbore adapters, wireline valves, and lubricating equipment shall be of such a design, strength, and material to withstand the maximum surface pressure of the well and the lateral movement of the lubricator.

C. Safety Procedures for Drill Stem Tests.

1. Initial opening of drill stem test tools shall be restricted to daylight hours only.

2. Test line and valves shall be checked, and the test line shall be securely anchored at each end and at each 30 foot interval.

3. When taking a drill stem test, and hydrocarbons appear at the surface, it shall be mandatory that such hydrocarbons are reversed out before coming out of the hole.

4. Drill stem tests shall not be taken in known or expected zones containing H₂S with tubular goods of strengths less than Grade "E" drill pipe.

5. All drill stem tests in known or expected zones containing H₂S shall be reversed out. This shall be done in daylight hours only.

6. A reversing mechanism shall be included in the test tool assembly in order to be able to reverse.

7. The kelly hose shall not be used as part of the test line.

D. Treating.

1. The special services supervisor shall personally check to see that all valves in discharge lines are open before giving orders to pump.

2. During operations each employee designated to handle the pumping shall remain constantly at his designated position while the pump is in operation, unless relieved by an authorized employee as directed by the supervisor on that job.

3. Cementing pressure shall not exceed equipment maximum safe working pressure.

4. All acidizing, fracturing, and hot oil trucks and tanks shall be at least 75 feet from the wellbore.

5. The services supervisor shall see that all flammable fluid spilled on location is adequately covered with dirt before pumping operations start.

6. Flammable fluids shall not be bled back into open measuring tanks on equipment designed for pumping.

7. All spilled oil or acid shall be covered or properly disposed of after breakout with adequate precautions taken to prevent personnel from contact with such material.

8. All equipment that could produce a source of ignition shall not be permitted within 75 feet of any tank containing a flammable material.

9. When pumping a flammable fluid, all electrical or internal combustion equipment not used for performance of the job, and all fires shall be shut down or off during treatment.

10. All blending equipment used in fracturing operations shall be grounded to a conductive rod driven into the ground and all sand hauling equipment, unloading sand into blender hopper, shall be "electrically bonded" to the blender.

11. All supercharged suction hoses shall be covered with hose covers to deflect fluids when pumping flammable fluids.

Utah Admin. Code R614-2-19