10-year Inactive Wells

HB2259 and Commission Rule 15 (effective 9/13/2010) provide for a five-year phase-in period to remove surface equipment from land wells that have been inactive for more than 10 years as of September 1, 2010. The Commission has identified all 10-year inactive wells as of September 1, 2010; a listing of those wells is available through following link:

List of 10 Year Inactive Wells 

Under HB2259 and Rule 15, a percentage of these wells must be brought into compliance in each year: 20% must be brought into compliance by 9/1/2011, a total of 40% by 9/1/2012, a total of 60% by 9/1/2013, a total of 805 by 9/1/2014, and all wells by 9/1/2015.

To bring a well into compliance, the operator must file appropriate documentation with the Commission showing that the operator has restored the well to active operation; has plugged and removed the surface equipment from the well; or has removed the surface equipment and obtained a plugging extension for these well. Transfer of a well from one operator to another does not constitute compliance under these rules. The transferring operator cannot count a transferred well towards their requirement, and the receiving operator will have only six months to bring the well into compliance following the transfer.

IMPORTANT: The five-year phase-in period does NOT apply to wells that reach their 10th year of inactivity after September 1, 2010; nor does it apply to disconnection of electricity. Any disconnection of electric service required by HB2259 and Rule 15 must be completed prior to renewal of an operator's P-5 Organization Report under these rules.