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:
"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:
58 P.S. § 502