PUBLIC NOTICE
West Virginia Department of
Environmental Protection
Office of Oil and Gas
601 57th Street, SE
Charleston, WV 25304
(304) 926-0450
PROPOSED VARIANCE TO WELL PLUGGING RULES FOR
LIMITED-SCOPE PILOT
PROJECT
Notice is hereby given that the chief of the Office of Oil and Gas of the West Virginia Department of Environmental Protection is seeking public comment within the next thirty (30) days on his consideration to grant a variance from a rule requirement related to well plugging for a limited-scope pilot project.
Under West Virginia Code of State Rules § 35-4-13.6, well plugging requires the attempted removal of recoverable casing. The pilot project intends to examine the effectiveness of plugging operations where recoverable (uncemented/free) casing is not removed in certain instances, but rather perforated to allow cement to fill the annular space behind the casing.
In the pilot project, Diversified Production LLC has identified the following 10 wells to be considered as part of this study. The variance consideration is limited in scope to the wells with the following API numbers: 47-019-00681 (Fayette), 47-019-00680 (Fayette), 47-019-00701 (Fayette), 47-035-02818 (Jackson), 47-039-03621 (Kanawha), 47-039-01765 (Kanawha), 47-039-01788 (Kanawha), 47-039-01923 (Kanawha), 47-039-02998 (Kanawha), and 47-039-02992 (Kanawha).
Wells plugged in the pilot project will be subject to an analysis of cement volume fill-up and gas monitoring to evaluate efficacy of the modified plugging methodology.
This variance is being considered pursuant to West Virginia Code of State Rules § 35-4-18.
Additional information may be obtained by contacting Taylor Brewer at [email protected] or at the address below:
Taylor Brewer
Office of Oil and Gas
601 57th Street, SE
Charleston, WV 25304
Information may be also be requested by calling the Office of Oil and Gas at 304-926-0450.
Written comments on the chief’s proposed action may be filed at the e-mail or address above by March 22, 2021.