All prospect wells must have adequate casing and wellhead
controls installed, unless otherwise approved by the department. The casing
must extend from the surface to at least ten percent of the proposed total
depth of the well and be cemented back to the surface. Wellhead controls must
consist of an annular preventer or double ram preventer or pipe rams and gate
valve. Controls may be manual or hydraulic.
(1) If hot water or flowing steam at 65°
C. (150° F.) or greater is encountered, further drilling must stop
immediately, the operator must notify the department, and the hole will be
either:
(a) Completed as an observation hole
using steel tubing cemented from total depth to surface; or
(b) Permanently decommissioned by plugging
with cement from total depth to surface; or
(c) Deepened only after a review of the
adequacy of wellhead control equipment and approval from the department. If the
prospect well is deepened as described in this section, it must be completed as
described in subsections (a) and (b) of this section.
(2) If cold flowing artesian water is
encountered, the hole will be completed as in subsection (1)(a) or (b) of this
rule, except that plastic tubing may be used, only with prior department
approval.
(3) Locations proposed in
natural thermal areas within a 1,000 foot radius of hot springs, fumaroles, or
other surface geothermal indicators, or in areas of known artesian water flow,
will require a detailed drilling program for each hole approved by the
department. The department may require special drilling and completion
techniques, such as cemented surface casing and simple expansion type blowout
preventers, to safely control formations containing geothermal or other
resources that may be penetrated.
(4) A supply of mud and lost circulation
material must be kept on hand while drilling to control abnormal pressure if
rotary equipment is used.
(5)
Prospect wells must not result in the co-mingling of fluids.
(6) No prospect well may be constructed,
maintained, or abandoned in such a manner as to constitute a health threat,
health hazard, or nuisance to public safety.
Notes
Or. Admin. Code §
632-020-0180
GMI 8, f. & ef.
11-17-76; GMI 4-1980, f. & ef. 10-2-80; GMI 1-1983, f. & ef. 9-30-83;
GMI 2-1995, f. & cert. ef. 3-10-95; DGMI 1-2010, f. & cert. ef.
6-22-10; DGMI 3-2013, f. & cert. ef.
3-21-13
Stat. Auth.: ORS 522
Stats. Implemented: ORS
522.155 &
522.305
