58 Pa. Stat. § 502

Current through Pa Acts 2024-53, 2024-56 through 2024-92
Section 502 - Definitions

The following words and phrases when used in this act shall have the meanings given to them in this section unless the context clearly indicates otherwise:

"Active coal mine." That portion of a workable coal seam which is shown on the five-year timing map prepared by the mine operator and provided to the Department of Environmental Protection upon issuance of a new permit, an amendment to an existing permit adding additional area to be mined, or renewal of an existing permit, and which is contiguous to the permit area of any operating coal mine. For purposes of this act:

(1) A five-year timing map shall include the area of the workable coal seam which may reasonably be expected to be mined and permitted for mining by the operator during the five-year period beyond the projected completion of the mining of the currently permitted area.
(2) All five-year timing maps shall be considered confidential by the department, provided, however, that the department shall provide a copy of the timing map upon request to any person who currently either operates one or more oil or gas wells, or holds a valid permit to drill an oil or gas well in this Commonwealth, and who can document a valid existing right to develop the oil or gas under any portion of the timing map. The party obtaining access to the map shall treat the timing map and the information contained therein as confidential.
(3) In the case of currently permitted mines, the mine operator shall provide the current five-year timing map to the department within 30 days of the effective date of this paragraph.

"Department." The Department of Environmental Protection.

"Gas." A natural, manufactured or byproduct gas or any mixture thereof.

"Gas well." A well which is producing or capable of producing marketable quantities of gas or of gas and oil with a gas-oil ratio of more than 100 MCF per bbl. of oil.

"Injection well." A well used for injection of gases or liquids into an underground formation.

"Inoperative gas well." A gas well which is not producing gas and for which the permittee of record has determined and reported to the department pursuant to section 10(b) that the gas well is of future utility and the permittee reasonably expects to utilize the well within five years of the date of this report.

"Nonproducing gas well." A gas well that has not been used to produce, extract or inject any gas within the preceding 24 months and any well for which the equipment necessary for production, extraction or injection has been removed, except that it shall not include any gas well waiting for a pipeline, market or storage or any well designated as an inoperative gas well or producing well pursuant to this act.

"Oil." Crude petroleum oil and all other hydrocarbons, regardless of gravity, produced at a well in liquid form by ordinary production methods, but does not include liquid hydrocarbons that were originally in a gaseous phase in the reservoir.

"Oil and Gas Act." The act of December 19, 1984 (P.L. 1140, No. 223), known as the Oil and Gas Act.

"Oil and Gas Conservation Law." The act of July 25, 1961 (P.L. 825, No. 359), known as the Oil and Gas Conservation Law.

"Oil well." A well which produces oil in marketable quantities or oil and gas with a gas-to-oil ratio of less than 100 MCF, per barrel, or bbl., of oil.

"Onondaga horizon." The top of the onondaga formation, except in those areas in which the onondaga formation is not present, and in such areas the term shall be understood to mean either the top of the stratigraphic horizon first appearing in the interval of the missing onondaga formation, or, where strata older than the top of the onondaga are exposed at the surface, then the term "onondaga horizon" shall mean the surface.

"Operating coal mine." That portion of a workable coal seam which is covered by an underground mining permit issued by the Department of Environmental Protection.

"Owner." When used in reference to a coal mine, a person who has an economic interest in a workable coal seam or, when used in reference to gas properties or rights, a person who has an economic interest in the gas rights.

"Permittee." The well operator who has received a drilling permit in accordance with the act of December 19, 1984 (P.L. 1140, No. 223), known as the Oil and Gas Act.

"Person." A natural person, corporation, association, partnership, receiver, trustee, executor, administrator, guardian, fiduciary or other representative of any kind, and includes any department, agency or instrumentality of this Commonwealth or any governmental subdivision thereof.

"Producing gas well." A well which is being used for the production or extraction of gas.

"Storage well." A well used for and in connection with the underground storage of natural gas, including injection into or withdrawal from an underground storage reservoir for the monitoring or observation of reservoir pressure.

"Tract." The contiguous surface acreage encompassed by the gas rights pursuant to which the gas well is to be drilled.

"Well." A bore hole drilled or being drilled primarily for the purpose of, or to be used for, producing or extracting oil or gas and which has not been plugged.

"Workable coal seam." Includes:

(1) A coal seam in fact being mined in the area in question under this act by underground methods.
(2) A coal seam which, in the judgment of the Department of Environmental Protection, can reasonably be expected to be mined by underground methods.

58 P.S. § 502

1984, Dec. 18, P.L. 1069, No. 214, § 2, effective in 90 days. Amended 2011, May 13, P.L. 7, No. 2, § 1, imd. effective.