312 IAC 29-33-17 - Cased hole bottom plugs other than horizontal coal bed methane wells

Authority: IC 14-10-2-4; IC 14-37-3

Affected: IC 14-37

Sec. 17.

(a) This section establishes requirements for setting a bottom plug in a cased well other than a horizontal coal bed methane well.

(b) If an owner or operator uses the circulation method, and except as provided in subsection (d), a cement plug must be placed across each completed interval and across each exposed interval into which injection is occurring within a one-fourth (1/4) mile radius of the well. The bottom cement plug shall be set beginning from the shallower of:

(1) fifty (50) feet below the deepest completed interval; or

(2) total depth or plugged back total depth.

The plug shall extend at least two hundred fifty (250) feet above the uppermost completed interval.

(c) If an owner or operator uses the dump bailer method, and except as provided in subsection (d), a cast iron bridge plug must be set inside the cemented portion of the casing immediately above either:

(1) each completed interval with a minimum of ten (10) feet of cement placed on top of each cast iron bridge plug; or

(2) the lowermost completed interval and the well bore casing filled with cement to fifty (50) feet above the top of the uppermost completed interval, with the production casing or well bore annulus filled with cement to fifty (50) feet above the uppermost completed interval.

(d) Instead of setting a bottom plug under subsection (b) or (c), an owner or operator may do the following:

(1) If using the circulation method, place cement from total depth to three (3) feet below ground elevation.

(2) For any well with two (2) or fewer completed zones and circulated casing, except a well flowing gas or fluid to the surface, use surface pumping or bullhead pumping of cement from the uppermost perforated zone to three (3) feet below the surface.

(3) For a horizontal well, instead of setting the cement bottom plug from total depth or plugged back total depth, either of the following methods may be used:

(A) The well bore shall be filled with mud up to the kick-off point, and a cement plug of not less than two hundred fifty (250) feet shall be placed above that point.

(B) A cast iron bridge plug shall be set inside the cemented production casing below the kick-off point as low in the well as the curve will allow, and a cement plug of not less than two hundred fifty (250) feet shall be placed on top of the bridge plug.

(e) Regardless of the method used for placing cement, an owner or operator must place a cast iron bridge plug at the locations identified in subsection (c)(1) and (c)(2) in any well that is flowing gas or fluid to the surface.

Notes

312 IAC 29-33-17

Natural Resources Commission; 312 IAC 29-33-17; filed 12/1/2017, 10:35 a.m.: 20171227-IR-312160230FRA Readopted filed 1/17/2023, 1:53 p.m.: 20230215-IR-312220328RFA