OAR 632-020-0180: Blowout Prevention Rules for Prospect Wells Less than 2,000 Feet in Depth

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.