Utah Admin. Code 655-1-2

Current through Bulletin No. 2024-21, November 1, 2024

Section R655-1-2 - Drilling

2.1 Applications:

2.1.1 Application to drill for Geothermal Resources.

Any person, owner or operator, who proposes to drill a well for the production of geothermal resources or to drill an injection well shall first apply to the Division in accordance with Title 73, Chapter 3. Applications to appropriate water for geothermal purposes will be processed and investigated by the Division, and if they meet the requirements of Section 73-3-8, they will be approved by the State Engineer on a well-to-well basis or as a group of wells which comprise an operating unit and have like characteristics.

Appropriation of water for geothermal purposes shall not be considered mutually interchangeable with water for any other purpose. Water, brine, steam or condensate produced during a geothermal operation may be subject to further appropriation if physical conditions permit.

2.1.1.1 The driller must have a current well driller's license and bond from the State Engineer in accordance with R655-4 UAC. The driller must also adhere to the rules of R655-4 UAC when drilling through groundwater aquifers.

2.1.2 Plan of Operations:

Before drilling an exploratory, production well, or injection well, the applicant shall submit a plan of operations to the State Engineer for his approval. The plan shall include:

(a) Location, elevation and layout including a map showing the parcel boundaries and well location.

(b) Lease identification and Well Number.

(c) Tools and equipment description including maximum capacity and depth rating.

(d) Expected depth and geology.

(e) Drilling, mud, cementing and casing program.

(f) BOPE installation and test.

(g) Logging, coring and testing program.

(h) Methods for disposal of waste materials.

(i) Environmental considerations such as the placement of pits or sumps, the disposal of solid and liquid wastes, and the handling of test fluids.

(j) Emergency procedures.

(k) Other information as the State Engineer may require.

2.1.3 Application to deepen or modify an existing well.

If the owner or operator plans to deepen, redrill, plug, or perform any operation that will in any manner modify the well, an application shall be filed with the Division and written approval must be received prior to beginning work; however, in an emergency, the owner or operator may take action to prevent damage without receiving prior written approval from the Division, but in those cases the owner or operator shall report his action to the Division as soon as possible.

2.1.4 Application for permit to convert to injection.

If the owner or operator plans to convert an existing geothermal well into an injection well with no change of mechanical condition, written request shall be filed with the Division and written approval must be received prior to beginning injection.

2.1.5 Amendment of permit.

No changes in the point of diversion, place or nature of use shall be allowed until an amendment to the application is approved by the State Engineer in accordance with Section 73-3-3.

2.1.6 Notice to other agencies.

Notice of applications, permits, orders, or other actions received or issued by the Division may be given to any other agency or entity which may have information, comments, or interest in the activity involved.

2.2 Fees: Any application or plan of operation filed with the State Engineer shall be accompanied by a filing fee in accordance with Section 73-2-14.

2.3 Bonds:

2.3.1 Any operator having approval to drill, re-enter, test, alter or operate a well, prior to any construction or operation, shall file with the Division of Water Rights and obtain its approval of a surety bond, payable to the Division of Water Rights for not less than $10,000 for each individual well or $50,000 for all wells. The surety bond shall be on a form prescribed by the Division and shall be conditioned on faithful compliance with all statutes and these rules. A cash bond can be submitted in lieu of a surety bond upon approval of the Division of Water Rights.

2.3.2 Bonds shall remain in force for the life of the well or wells and may not be released until the well or wells are properly abandoned or another valid bond is substituted.

2.3.3 Transfer of property does not release the bond. If any property is transferred and the principal desires to be released from his bond, the operator shall:

a. Assign or transfer ownership in the manner prescribed in Sections 73-1-10 and 73-3-18, identifying the right by application number, well number or location and,

b. Provide the Division with a declaration in writing from the assignee or transferee that he accepts the assignment and tenders his own bond therewith or therein accepts responsibility under his blanket bond on file with the Division.

2.4 Well Spacing:

2.4.1 Any well drilled for the discovery or production of geothermal resources or as an injection well shall be located 100 feet or more from and within the outer boundary of the parcel of land on which the well is situated, or 100 feet or more from a public road, street, or highway dedicated prior to the commencement of drilling. This requirement may be modified or waived by the State Engineer upon written request if it can be demonstrated that public safety is preserved and that the integrity of the geothermal source is not jeopardized.

2.4.2 For several contiguous parcels of land in one or different ownerships that are operated as a single geothermal field, the term outer boundary line means the outer boundary line of the land included in the field. In determining the contiguity of parcels of land, no street, road, or alley lying within the lease or field shall be determined to interrupt such contiguity.

2.4.3 The State Engineer shall approve the proposed well spacing programs or prescribe modifications to the programs as he deems necessary for proper development giving consideration to factors as, but not limited to, topographic characteristics of the area, the number of wells that can be economically drilled to provide the necessary volume of geothermal resources for the intended use, protecting correlative rights, minimizing well interference, unreasonable interference with multiple use of lands, and protection of the environment.

2.4.4 Directional drilling.

Where the surface of the parcel of land is unavailable for drilling, the surface well location may be located upon property which may or may not be contiguous. Surface well locations shall not be less than 25 feet from the outer boundary of the parcel on which it is located, nor less than 25 feet from an existing street or road. The production or injection interval of the well shall not be less than 100 feet from the outer boundary of the parcel into which it is drilled.

Directional surveys must be filed with the Division for all wells directionally drilled.

2.5 Identification: Each well being drilled or drilled and not abandoned shall be identified by a durable sign posted in a conspicuous place near the well. The lettering shall be large enough to be legible at 50 feet under normal conditions and shall show the name of the applicant, well number, location by 10-acre tract, and name of lease.

The well number shall be according to the modified Kettleman Well Numbering System adopted by the U.S. Geological Survey.

2.6 Unit Agreements: At the request of any interested party or on his own initiative, the State Engineer may establish a unit plan or agreement for a geothermal area to prevent waste, protect correlative rights and avoid drilling unnecessary wells. Proper notice to interested parties must be given and a hearing held before the State Engineer before the unit may be created.

2.7 Casing Requirements:

2.7.1 General.

All wells shall be cased in a manner to protect or minimize damage to the environment, usable ground waters and surface waters, geothermal resources, life, health, and property. The permanent well head completion equipment shall be attached to the production casing or to the intermediate casing if production casing does not reach the surface.

Specifications for casing strings shall be determined or approved on a well-to-well basis. All casing strings reaching the surface shall provide adequate anchorage for blowout-prevention equipment, hole pressure control and protection for all natural resources. The casing requirements given are general but should be used as guidelines in submitting proposals to drill (Plan of Operations).

2.7.2 Conductor Casing.

A minimum of 40 feet of conductor casing shall be installed. The annular space is to be cemented solid to the surface. A 24-hour cure period for the grout must be allowed prior to drilling out the shoe unless additives approved by the State Engineer are used to obtain early strength. An annular blowout preventer shall be installed on all exploratory wells and on development wells when deemed necessary by the Division. For low-temperature geothermal wells less than 90 degrees C. this requirement may be reduced or waived by the State Engineer.

2.7.3 Surface Casing.

Except in the case of low-temperature geothermal wells, the surface casing hole shall be logged with an induction electrical log, or equivalent, before running casing or by gamma-neutron log. This requirement may vary from area to area, depending upon the amount of pre-existing subsurface geological data available. If sufficient subsurface geologic data is available, the State Engineer may not require additional logging of the surface casing hole. However, permission to omit this requirement must be granted by the Division prior to running surface casing.

Surface casing shall provide for control of formation fluids, for protection of shallow usable ground water and for adequate anchorage for blowout-prevention equipment. All surface casing shall be cemented solid to the surface. A 24-hour cure period shall be allowed prior to drilling out the shoe of the surface casing unless additives approved by the State Engineer are used to obtain early strength.

2.7.3.1 Length of Surface Casing.

(a) In areas where subsurface geological conditions are variable or unknown, surface casing in general shall be set at a depth of wells drilled in those areas. A minimum of surface casing shall be set through a sufficient series of low permeability, competent lithologic units to ensure a solid anchor for blowout-prevention equipment and to protect usable ground water and surface water from contamination. A second string or intermediate casing may be required if the first string has not been cemented through a sufficient series of low permeability, competent lithologic units and either a rapidly increasing geothermal gradient or rapidly increasing formation pressures are encountered.

(b) In areas of known high formation pressure, surface casing shall be set at a depth approved by the Division after a careful study of geological conditions.

(c) Within the confines of designated geothermal fields, the depth to which surface casing shall be set shall be approved by the Division on the basis of known field conditions.

(d) These requirements may be reduced or waived by the State Engineer for low-temperature geothermal wells.

2.7.3.2 Mud Return Temperatures.

The temperature of the return mud shall be monitored regularly during the drilling of the surface casing hole. Either a continuous temperature monitoring device shall be installed and maintained in working condition, or the temperature shall be read manually. In either case, return mud temperature shall be logged after each joint of pipe has been drilled down 30 feet.

2.7.3.3 Blowout-Prevention Equipment.

BOPE capable of shutting-in the well during any operation shall be installed on the surface casing and maintained ready for use at all times. BOPE pressure tests shall be witnessed by Division personnel on all exploratory wells prior to drilling out the shoe of the surface casing. The decision to require and witness BOPE pressure tests on all other wells shall be made on a well-to-well basis. The Division must be contacted 24 hours in advance of a scheduled pressure test. The State Engineer may give verbal permission to proceed with the test upon request by the operator.

2.7.4 Intermediate Casing.

Intermediate casing shall be required for protection against unusual pressure zones, cave-ins, wash-outs, abnormal temperature zones, uncontrollable lost circulation zones or other drilling hazards. Intermediate casing strings shall be cemented solid to the surface or to the top of the liner hanger whenever the intermediate casing string is run as a liner. The liner lap shall be pressure tested prior to resumption of drilling.

2.7.5 Production Casing.

Production casing may be set above or through the producing or injection zone and cemented above the injection zones. Sufficient cement shall be used to exclude overlying formation fluids from the geothermal zone, to segregate zones and to prevent movement of fluids behind the casing into zones that contain usable ground water. Production casing shall either be cemented solid to the surface or lapped into intermediate casing, if run. If the production casing is lapped into an intermediate casing, the casing overlap shall be at least 100 feet, the lap shall be cemented solid, and it shall be pressure tested to ensure its integrity.

2.8 Electric Logging:

All wells, except observation wells for monitoring purposes only, shall be logged with an induction electrical log or equivalent or gamma-neutron log from the bottom of the hole to the bottom of the conductor pipe. This requirement may be modified or waived by the Division upon written request if such request demonstrates sufficient existing data of surrounding wells.

2.9 Cementing Casing.

Cements used in cementing casing and sealing formations must be of a grade and type best suited for expected reservoir temperature, formation water chemistry and bonding properties. Cements acceptable for use in high-temperature holes include Modified Type A or G, Alumina Silica Flour, Phosphate Bonded Glass, or other equivalent high-temperature design cement as approved by the Division.

Utah Admin. Code R655-1-2

Amended by Utah State Bulletin Number 2018-9, effective 4/9/2018