(a) For the purposes of this article, the following words and phrases shall have the meanings respectively ascribed to them by this section.
(1) "Abandonment" means the restoration of the drill site as required by this article.
(2) “A.P.I.” means the American Petroleum Institute.
(3) "Approved" means approved by the City Manager. "Approved type" or "approved design" means improvements, equipment or facilities of a type or design approved by the City Manager.
(4) “A.S.M.E.” means the American Society of Mechanical Engineers.
(5) "Blowout" means the uncontrolled discharge of gas, liquid or solids or a mixture thereof from a well into the atmosphere.
(6) "Blowout preventer" means a mechanical, hydraulic, pneumatic or other device or a combination of such devices secured to the top of a well casing, including valves, fittings and control mechanisms connected therewith, designed and capable of preventing a blowout.
(7) "Cellar" means an excavation around or above the top joint of the casing in a well.
(8) "Cement" means hydraulic cement properly mixed with water.
(9) "City" means all areas within the geographical boundaries of the City of St. Marys, West Virginia.
(10) "City Manager" means the City Manager of the City or his duly authorized representative.
(11) "Completion of drilling" means a well is completed after the drilling crew has been released.
(12) "Department of Mines" means the Office of Oil and Gas of the Department of Mines of the State of West Virginia.
(13) "Derrick" means any framework, tower or mast which is used in connection with the drilling, redrilling or well servicing of or in any oil or gas well.
(14) "Desertion" means the cessation of operations on the property with the intent to abandon such property without compliance with the provisions of this article.
(15) "Disposal well" means a well used to discharge waste oil field fluids into subsurface formations.
(16) "Drill site" means the location and area required to drill and produce oil or to maintain an oil well, disposal well, injection well and related facilities.
(17) "Drilling" means the sinking, drilling, boring or digging of a shaft or hole in the earth for any purpose in conjunction with the production of gas or oil.
(18) "Gas" means all natural gas and all other fluid hydrocarbons not defined as oil in subsection (23) hereof.
(19) "Idle well". (See Section 725.13(a))
(20) "Injection well" means a well used to inject substances into subsurface formations for the purpose of stimulating production of hydrocarbons and/or for controlling land subsidence.
(21) "Natural gasoline plant or absorption plant" means a plant for the processing of natural gas for the purpose of extracting gasoline or liquified petroleum gas from natural gas produced from wells.
(22) "Office of oil and gas" or"office" means the Office of Oil and Gas of the Department of Mines of the State of West Virginia, or any other State or federal agency that may in the future be charged with its responsibilities.
(23) "Oil" means natural crude oil or petroleum and other hydrocarbons, regardless of gravity, which are produced at the well in liquid form by ordinary production methods and which are not the result of condensation of gas after it leaves the underground reservoirs.
(24) "Outer boundary line". Where several contiguous parcels of land in one or different ownerships are operated as a single oil or gas lease or operating unit, the term "outer boundary line" means the exterior limits of the land included in the lease or unit. In determining the contiguity of any such parcel of land, no street, road or alley lying within the lease or unit shall be deemed to interrupt such contiguity.
(25) "Owner" includes any person or persons, firm, partnership, association or corporation that owns, manages, operates, controls or possesses such well as principal or as lessee or contractor, employee or agent of such principal.
(28) "Person" means any natural person, corporation, firm, partnership, partnership association, venture, receiver, trustee, executor, administrator, guardian, fiduciary or other representative of any kind, and includes any governmental or any political subdivision or any agency thereof.
(29) "Source of ignition" means any flame, arc, spark or heated object or surface capable of igniting flammable liquids, gases or vapors.
(30) "Structure" means that which is built or constructed, including, but not limited to a tank, edifice or building of any kind.
(31) "Sump" means an excavation used or intended to be used for the collection or retention of fluids produced or used in oil well drilling and producing operations.
(32) “Tank” means a container, covered or uncovered, used in conjunction with the drilling or production of an oil well for holding or storing liquids at or near atmospheric pressure.
(33) "Well" means any shaft or hole sunk, drilled, bored or dug into the earth or into underground strata for the extraction or injection or placement of any liquid or gas; or any shaft or hole sunk or used in conjunction with such extraction or injection or placement including, but not limited to, temporary core or test holes drilled for the purpose of seismic or geophysical operations; or any shaft or hole for the purpose of secondary recovery or waste disposal. The term "well" does not include any shaft or hole sunk, drilled, bored or dug into the earth for the sole purpose of testing for or pumping or extracting therefrom potable, fresh or usable water for household, domestic, industrial, agricultural or public use.
(34) "Existing well" means any shaft or hole in the earth which produces oil or natural gas in quantities sufficient to preclude its classification as an idle well under Section 725.13(a) or which has not been classified as an idle well.
(35) "Well operator" or "operator" means any person or persons that proposes to or does locate, drill, operate or abandon any well as herein defined.
(36) "Well servicing" means remedial or maintenance work performed within any existing well which does not involve drilling, redrilling, fracturing or refracturing.
(Passed 11-20-81)