Section 513 - Plugging gas wells penetrating workable coal seams(a) The owner or permittee of any gas well which is required to be plugged pursuant to the Oil and Gas Act, which penetrates a workable coal seam and which has not already been plugged as required by Pennsylvania law, shall securely plug the well using any one of the following techniques, except as provided in subsection (b) and depending on whether the coal-protection string of casing has been circulated and cemented into the surface: (1) Where a coal protection string of casing has been circulated and cemented into the surface, the well shall be filled with sand pumpings, mud or other equally nonporous material from the bottom of the well to a point 20 feet above the top of the lowest stratum bearing or having borne oil, gas or water; or a permanent bridge shall be anchored 30 feet below the lowest stratum bearing or having borne oil, gas or water, and from such bridge the well shall be filled with sand pumpings, mud or other equally nonporous material to a point 20 feet above such stratum at which point there shall be placed a plug of expanding cement to a depth of at least 20 feet which will completely seal the hole. A sufficient lapse of time shall be allowed after the introduction of the expanding cement for it to set properly before proceeding. Between this sealing plug and a point 20 feet above the next higher stratum bearing or having borne oil, gas or water, the hole shall be either filled, or bridged and filled in the manner just described, and at such point there shall be placed another similar plug of expanding cement to a depth of at least 20 feet which will completely seal the hole. In like manner, the hole shall be filled and plugged, or bridged, filled and plugged with reference to each of the strata bearing or having borne oil, gas or water. Whenever such strata are not widely separated and are free from water, they may be grouped and treated as a single horizon, and the aforesaid filling and plugging may be performed as though there were but one horizon. An expanding cement plug shall be placed approximately ten feet below the bottom of the largest casing in the well and, from this point, to a point approximately 100 feet below the bottom of coal protection string of casing, the well shall be filled with sand pumpings, mud or other equally nonporous material. A 100-foot plug of expanding cement shall then be placed at a point just below the coal protection string of casing. After such plug has been securely placed in the well, the coal protection string of casing shall be emptied of liquid from the surface to a point 100 feet below the lowest workable coal seam or to the bottom of the coal protection string of casing, whichever is shallower. A vent or other device approved by the department shall then be installed on top of the coal protection string of casing in such a manner that will prevent liquids and solids from entering the well but will permit access to the full internal diameter of the coal protection string of casing when required. The coal protection string of casing and the vent or other device approved by the department shall extend, when finally in place, a distance of no less than 72 inches above ground level and shall be permanently marked with the well number assigned by the department.(2) Where a coal protection string of casing has not been circulated and cemented into the surface, the well shall be plugged in the manner provided in paragraph (1), to a point approximately 200 feet below the lowest workable coal seam. A 100-foot plug of expanding cement shall then be placed in the well beginning at the point approximately 200 feet below the lowest workable coal bed and extending to a point approximately 100 feet below the lowest workable coal seam. A string of casing with an outside diameter not less than four and one-half inches shall then be run into the well to a point approximately 100 feet below the lowest workable coal seam and such string of casing shall be circulated and cemented into the surface. The casing shall then be emptied of liquid from a point approximately 100 feet below the lowest workable coal seam to the surface, and a vent or other device approved by the department shall be installed on the top of the string of casing in such a manner that it will prevent liquids and solids from entering the well but will permit ready access to the full internal diameter of the coal protection string of casing when required. The string of casing and the vent or other device approved by the department shall extend, when finally in place, a distance of no less than 72 inches above ground level and shall be permanently marked with the well number assigned by the department.(3) Where the coal protection-water string of casing has been circulated and cemented into the surface, the well may also be plugged by circulating with bentonite gel or other equally nonporous material. In such case an expanding cement plug or plugs shall then be set in such a way that each plug or plugs will extend from at least 50 feet below each stratum bearing or having borne oil, gas or water, to a point at least 100 feet above each stratum bearing or having borne oil, gas or water. The bentonite gel shall separate each expanding cement plug. Whenever such strata are not widely separated, they may be grouped or treated as a single stratum bearing or having borne oil, gas or water and a single expanding cement plug may be used. When the uncemented portion of the production string is removed during the plugging procedure, an expanding cement plug extending from the point where the production casing is separated to a point at least 50 feet above the point of separation shall be set. An expanding cement plug shall be set at a point at least 100 feet below the bottom of the coal protection-water string to a point at least 100 feet above the bottom of the coal protection-water string.(4) Where a coal protection-water string of casing has not been circulated and cemented into the surface, the well may also be plugged in the manner provided in paragraph (3) to a point approximately 300 feet below the bottom of the coal protection-water string. In such case a 100-foot plug of expanding cement shall then be placed in the well beginning at the point approximately 300 feet below the bottom of the coal protection-water string and extending to a point approximately 200 feet below the bottom of the coal protection-water string. A string of casing with an outside diameter no less than four and one-half inches shall then be run into the well to a point approximately 100 feet below the bottom of the coal protection-water string and such string of casing shall be circulated and cemented into the surface. The casing and open hole shall then be emptied of liquid from a point approximately 200 feet below the bottom of the coal protection-water string to the surface and a vent or other device approved by the department shall be installed on the top of the string of casing in such a manner that it will prevent liquids and solids from entering the well but will permit ready access to the full internal diameter of the coal protection string of casing when required. The string of casing and the vent or other device approved by the department shall extend, when finally in place, a distance of no less than 72 inches above ground level and shall be permanently marked with the well number assigned by the department.(b) Where the owner or operator of the gas well proposes to plug a gas well drilled prior to November 30, 1955, or a gas well permitted after such date but not plugged in accordance with the provisions of subsection (a), for the purpose of allowing the mining through of the gas well, the gas well shall be cleaned out to a depth at least 200 feet below the coal seam in which the mining through is proposed and, unless impracticable, to a point 200 feet below the lowest mineable coal seam. Such gas well shall then be plugged in accordance with subsection (a)(1), (2), (3) or (4), whichever shall be applicable.(c) Any person may apply to the department for an order authorizing him to clean out, plug or replug a nonproducing well. Such application shall be filed with the department and shall contain the well number, a general description of the well location, the name and address of the owner of the surface land upon which the well is located, a copy of or record reference to a deed, lease or other document which entitles the applicant to enter upon the surface land, and a description of the method by which such applicant proposes to clean out and replug or to plug the well. At the time such application is filed with the department, the person plugging the well shall mail, by registered or certified mail, a copy of the application to the owner or owners of the land and the oil and gas lessor and lessee of record, if any, of the site of the well. If no objection to the plugging or replugging of such well is filed by any such landowner, lessor or lessee within 30 days after the filing of the application and if the applicant proposes to plug the well in accordance with subsection (a)(1) or (2), whichever is applicable, then the applicant may proceed with the cleaning out, plugging or replugging.(d) Notwithstanding the foregoing provisions of this section, if under particular circumstances a different method of plugging is required to obtain the approval of the Federal Government for the safe mining through of said gas well, or, if a different method of plugging is necessary due to well construction, safety considerations, geological consideration or other specific conditions found in the well, the department may order or approve such different method of plugging if it finds the same to be as safe for mining through and otherwise adequate to prevent gas or other fluid migration from the oil and gas reservoirs as the methods above specified.(e) Prior to the plugging of any gas well in an area underlain by a workable coal seam, the well operator or owner or such other persons as may be authorized under subsection (c) shall notify the coal owner and the department of his intention to plug any such well and submit a plat, on a form to be furnished by the department, showing the location of the well and fixing the date and time at which the work of plugging will be commenced, which time shall be not less than 72 hours after the time when such notice is received, nor more than 30 days thereafter in order that their representatives may be present at the plugging of the well. Such notice may be waived by the department and said coal owner, and either of them may likewise waive their right to be present, but such waiver by the coal owner shall be in writing and a copy thereof attached to notice of plugging, filed with the department under this section. Whether or not such representatives appear, the well operator may, if he has fully complied with the requirements of this section, proceed at the time fixed, to plug the well in the manner prescribed by this act. When such plugging has been completed, a certificate shall be prepared and signed, on a form to be furnished by the department, by two experienced and qualified people who participated in the work setting forth the time and manner in which the well has been plugged. One copy of this certificate shall be mailed to the coal owner to whom notice was given, and another copy shall be mailed to the department.1984, Dec. 18, P.L. 1069, No. 214, § 13, effective in 90 days. Amended 2011, May 13, P.L. 7, No. 2, § 6, imd. effective.