178.00.06 Ark. Code R. 007 - B-15 - Casing Requirements

RULE B-15 CASING REQUIREMENTS

a. In all established fields, casing requirements shall be governed by the specific field rules for that field, and are not superceeded by this rule.

b. All fresh water sands shall be fully protected by the setting and cementing of surface casing to prevent the fresh water sands from becoming contaminated with oil, gas, or salt water. Surface casing shall be set and cement circulated to surface utilizing the pump and plug method. Cement shall be allowed to set a minimum of twelve (12) hours.

1) The minimum surface casing requirements for wildcat wells or wells not covered by field rules, in the counties of Ashley, Bradley, Calhoun, Columbia, Hempstead, Lafayette, Miller, Nevada, Ouachita, and Union, are as follows:

TVD of well	Amount of Surface Casing
0'- 3,000'	100'
3,001'- 4,000'	160'
4,001'- 5,000'	300'
5,001'- 6,500'	500'
6,501'- 7,500'	750'
7,501'- 8,500'	1,000'
8,501'-10,500'	1,250'
10,501 & below	1,500'

2) The minimum surface casing requirements for wildcat wells or wells not covered by field rules, in the counties of Crawford, Franklin, Johnson, Logan, Madison, Pope, Scott, Sebastian, Washington, and Yell, are as follows:

TVD of Well	Amount of Surface Casing
0'- 1,500'	100'
1,501'- 3,000'	200'
3,001'- 6,500'	500'
6,501'-10,000'	800'
10,001 & below	1,000'

3. The minimum surface casing requirements for wildcat wells or wells not covered by field rules, in the counties of Cleburne, Conway, Faulkner, Independence, Jackson, Searcy, Stone, Van Buren, and White, shall be to a depth of 500 feet or the top of the Paleozoic age rock sequence, whichever is greater.

4. The minimum surface casing requirements for wildcat wells or wells not covered by field rules, in the counties of Arkansas, Lonoke, Monroe, Prairie, and Woodruff, shall be to a depth of 1,250 feet.

5. The minimum surface casing requirements for wildcat wells or wells not covered by field rules, in the counties of Crittenden, Cross, Lee, Phillips and St. Francis, shall be to a depth of 2,000 feet.

c. A producing string of casing shall be set at least to the top of the producing formation and shall be cemented so that the calculated fill, after allowing for twenty-five percent excess, will be at least two hundred fifty feet above the top of any productive interval. Cementing shall be done by the pump and plug method. Cement shall be allowed to set a minimum of twenty-four (24) hours before drilling the plug.

d. The Director may grant exceptions to the above requirements if conditions exist that require more than these requirements for the purpose of safety or for the protection of fresh water sands and oil or gas bearing sands or may establish minimum surface casing requirements in future producing areas not covered by this rule.

Notes

178.00.06 Ark. Code R. 007

9/12/2006