A. Wells with no access. A well abandonment report shall be required for all abandoned wells marked as “no access & methane mitigation required” on the well access exhibit and shall be submitted to the Oil Services Coordinator for review.
B. City abandonment permit. All abandonments and reabandonments, including wells not requiring a well abandonment report, shall require a city abandonment and restoration permit issued by the Oil Services Coordinator pursuant to Section 16.24.090.
C. Report contents. The well abandonment report shall include the following:
1. A statement of intent describing the purpose for the abandonment such as pending property sale, development, or redevelopment of all or a portion of the site for a use other than a petroleum operation and a proposed schedule for abandonment, demolition and development or restoration of the property. The statement shall include intent regarding the disposition of utilities that served the oil and gas operations, including fire protection, power, sewage disposal, transportation, and water, as well as the name, address, and contact information for the permittee, and the address and a general description of the current land use of the subject property.
3. An equivalency standard assessment report prepared by the applicant’s registered petroleum engineer, registered petroleum geologist, or a professional with the equivalent of these registrations as determined by the Oil Services Coordinator and submitted for review by the city’s Petroleum Engineer. The report shall include an assessment which is based on the DOGGR well bore data and well history including all correspondence with DOGGR regarding all abandonment proceedings. The assessment shall state whether each well meets, or does not meet, the City’s equivalency standard pursuant to Section 16.24.070.
a. If a well is determined not to meet the city’s equivalency standard, a reabandonment plan shall be submitted to the Oil Services Coordinator and shall include a copy of the DOGGR well bore data, well history and an assessment statement that following reabandonment, the abandoned well is likely to meet the city’s equivalency standard pursuant to Section 16.24.070.
b. If the well is determined to meet the city’s equivalency standard the applicant shall submit the DOGGR documentation used to make the determination, including a copy of the DOGGR well bore data, well history and DOGGR confirmation of completion of the abandonment work.
4. An abandonment activities plan that details the estimated hours of operation, number of workers, structures proposed for decommissioning, projected method and routes of transporting equipment, structures, and estimated debris from the property to the place of disposition as well as the number of trips required, and an estimated schedule for completion of the work.
5. A waste management plan that details methods to maximize recycling and minimize wastes.
6. An ongoing development plan that details any existing structures, roadways, and other improvements on the property proposed to be retained to support other existing or proposed uses of the property following abandonment of the oil or gas operations.
7. A restoration plan pursuant to Section 16.24.090 that details grading, drainage and measures proposed to prevent or reduce nuisance effects (e.g., dust, fumes, glare, noise, odor, smoke, traffic congestion, vibration) and to prevent danger to life and property, including a list of any other permits, as may be required for restoration pursuant to Title 15 of the city code.
8. Any other information deemed reasonably necessary by the Oil Services Coordinator to address site-specific factors.
D. City assessment letter. The city’s Petroleum Engineer shall review the equivalency standard assessment report and provide an assessment letter and a recommendation to the Oil Services Coordinator confirming whether the wells meet, do not meet, or if a reabandonment plan is required, are likely to meet the city’s equivalency standard pursuant to Section 16.24.070.
E. City summary report. Following receipt of the assessment letter from the city’s Petroleum Engineer, the Oil Services Coordinator shall prepare a summary report for the well assessments and, for each well marked “no access & methane mitigation required” on the well access exhibit, providing one of the following determinations:
1. For wells that meet the city’s equivalency standard, a finding that “no additional work is required” shall be made and a determination that the project may proceed with site plan and design review pursuant to Chapter 20.52.
2. For wells that do not meet the city’s equivalency standard, but are confirmed as likely to meet the standard, the Oil Services Coordinator shall make a finding that reabandonment shall proceed and shall issue a permit for proposed well abandonments pursuant to Section 16.24.090. Following completion of reabandonments the property owner or responsible party shall submit well bore data and well history, including all correspondence with DOGGR regarding abandonment proceedings and any field changes with an assessment from the applicant’s registered petroleum engineer, registered petroleum geologist, or a professional with the equivalent of these registrations as determined by the Oil Services Coordinator that the abandonment meets the city’s equivalency standard. The Oil Services Coordinator shall make a finding that the abandonment meets the city’s equivalency standard and that “no additional work is required” and the project may proceed with site plan and design review pursuant to Chapter 20.52.
3. If the applicant does not wish to complete the abandonments for wells qualified as described in subparagraph 2 above, the Oil Services Coordinator shall make a finding that an “at risk” letter is required. The letter from the applicant shall acknowledge that the success or failure to complete well abandonments in compliance with the city’s equivalency standard will determine whether wells may be built over or in close proximity to. Further, the letter shall state that it is understood that failure to abandon wells to the city’s equivalency standard will prohibit development over or in close proximity to the wells resulting in revisions to the site plan and potentially additional site plan and design review pursuant to Chapter 20.52. Following receipt of the “at risk” letter, the Oil Services Coordinator shall make a finding that “reabandonment work is required and an ‘at risk’ letter has been provided” and the project may proceed with site plan and design review pursuant to Chapter 20.52.
4. City abandonment and restoration permit. All abandonments and reabandonments shall require a city abandonment and restoration permit issued by the Oil Services Coordinator pursuant to Section 16.24.090.
a. Field modifications. It is the obligation of the property owner or responsible party to notify the Oil Services Coordinator prior to any changes made in the field to the abandonment plan. The applicant’s registered petroleum engineer, registered petroleum geologist, or a professional with the equivalent of these registrations as determined by the Oil Services Coordinator shall provide a revised assessment report with a determination that the final abandonment with intended field changes meets, or does not meet the city’s equivalency standard.
b. Verification of abandonment. Following completion of any abandonment work, the applicant shall submit all available DOGGR well bore data and well history including all correspondence with DOGGR regarding abandonment proceedings and any field changes from the initial abandonment plan with an assessment from the applicant’s registered petroleum engineer, registered petroleum geologist, or a professional with the equivalent of these registrations as determined by the Oil Services Coordinator that each well meets, or does not meet, the city’s equivalency standard pursuant to Section 16.24.070. The Oil Services Coordinator shall verify that abandonments for wells proposed to be built over or marked as “no access” pursuant to Section 16.24.050(B), meet the city’s equivalency standard prior to issuing a final of the permit. Any well that does not meet the standard shall not be built over or in close proximity to “Improvements” pursuant to Section 16.24.070.
(Ord. 2015-05-1475 § 8)