Frequently Asked Questions

• How are wells drilled in California?​​

  A well is made by drilling a hole called a wellbore, into the earth (watch a movie). Oil and gas wells can range in depth from a few hundred feet to over 20,000 feet. Metal pipe, called casing, is placed in the well-bore and cement is pumped down the casing. The cement pushes out around the bottom of the casing (watch a movie), and flows up the space between the wellbore and casing, back to the surface. When the cement hardens, it forms a bond between the walls of the wellbore and the outside of the casing. This bond protects groundwater, and oil and gas reservoirs, from contamination. Holes are then made in the casing opposite the reservoir, allowing oil and/or gas to move into the casing, and up to the surface where they are processed and transported to market.

• How are wells permanently sealed and closed, aka plugged and abandoned?

  When a well is no longer needed, either because the oil or gas reservoir becomes depleted, or because no oil or gas was found (called a dry-hole), the well is permanently sealed and closed, aka plugged and abandoned in the oil and gas industry. A well is plugged by placing cement in the well-bore or casing at certain intervals as specified in California laws or regulations. The purpose of the cement is to seal the wellbore or casing and prevent fluid from migrating between underground rock layers. Cement plugs are required to be placed across the oil or gas reservoir (zone plug), across the base-of-fresh-water (BFW plug), and at the surface (surface plug) (watch a movie). Other cement plugs may be required at the bottom of a string of open casing (shoe plug), on top of tools that may become stuck down hole (junk plug), on top of cut casing (stub plug), or anywhere else where  a cement plug may be needed. Also, the hole is filled with drilling mud to help prevent the migration of fluids.

• When buying/selling a well what paperwork must be filed?

  When buying or selling a well, a properly filled out Report of Property/Well Transfer or Acquisition form (OG30A) (with both buyer and seller signatures) must be submitted. In addition, the buyer must supply any bonds that may be required. If the buyer is a new operator, additional forms including a Designation of Agent and Contact Questionnaire form (OG150) is necessary. The well(s) will remain in the name of the seller until all paperwork is properly filled out and the buyer obtains bond coverage (if needed).
  

• What are Section, Township, and Range?

  Section/Township/Range (STR) is a surveyed rectangular land grid system that covers most of the United States. A township is the measure of units north or south of a baseline, the horizontal line where the survey began. A Range is the measure of units east or west of a meridian, the vertical line where the survey began. Each Township/Range is thirty-six square miles, measuring 6 miles by 6 miles, and contains 36 one-mile square sections. In California, there are three base meridians: Humboldt, Mount Diablo, and San Bernardino.

• How do I find oil or gas production information on a well?

  CalGEM's well data platform is known as WellSTAR. Totals by field, operator, and lease can also be obtained, with the capability of saving that information into an Excel spreadsheet.

• Where are the oil, gas, and geothermal statutes and regulations found?

  DOC's Geologic Energy Management Division (CalGEM, formerly DOGGR) Laws and Rulemakings page houses current laws, active rulemaking and past rulemaking.

• Why are some wells confidential and how and when can I get copies of the well data?

  Most well records in California are open to public inspection. However, wells that meet certain criteria may be kept in confidential status. The records (including monthly production/injection reports) for confidential wells are not open for public inspection. To be considered for confidential status, a well must be classified as an exploratory well, or there must be extenuating circumstances (defined in regulation as conditions beyond the control of the operator, preventing the operator from utilizing the competitive advantage from the information obtained from a well). Extenuating circumstances include, but are not limited to active competitive leasing or mineral rights sales in the immediate vicinity of the well; governmental or judicial action delaying oil, gas, or geothermal development; natural disasters; or scarcity of materials and equipment. Onshore wells are granted confidentiality for a two-year period, and offshore wells are granted confidentiality for a five-year period (with the possibility of extensions).

• How do I find well construction (history of work) information?

  Information on well construction can be found in the well record. Every oil, gas, or geothermal well drilled in California has information about that well such as the history of work done, permits issued, inspections made, and well logs run. That information, called a well record, is maintained in the district office where that well is located. Well records are open to public inspection and can be viewed by contacting the local district office.

  In addition, the well records for Northern District have been scanned and are available on the Internet via the Online Well Record Search web application.

• How do I report an oil or saltwater spill?​

  Per regulations, for all areas of the state other than the San Joaquin Valley, oil spills that are more than 42 gallons (1 barrel), or any oil spills that threaten or enter a waterway must be reported to the Office of Emergency Services Warning Center at (800) 852-7550 or (916) 845-8911. Also, please contact the local CalGEM district office. For oil spills that occur in the San Joaquin Valley, if a spill is within a contained area, the minimum reporting requirement is 420 gallons (10 barrels) and for spills outside a contained area, the reporting threshold is 210 gallons (5 barrels). Any spills that threaten or enter a waterway must be reported to the Office of Emergency Services. Also, please contact the local CalGEM district office.
  

  CalOES Reporting Regulations

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• ​​​What k​ind of well work requires a permit? ​

  A: Operators are required to file a written Notice of Intention for drilling, deepening or redrilling of the well, any operation involving the plugging of the well, or any operations permanently altering in any manner the casing of the well.

  Setting, removing, or replacing tubing and packe​r, retrievable bridge plugs, landed liners, or screens that are removable is not permanently altering the casing and does not require a Notice of Intention. Wellhead replacement does not require a Notice of Intention if the casing does not have to be altered.

  Well operations that require a Notice of Intention include, but may not be limited to:​
  

  Notice of Intention (Abandon)​
  

  1. ​​Plug and abandon well​​
     

  ​​Notice of Intention (Deepen)

  1. ​​​​​Deepen an existing well
     

  ​​​Notice of Intention (New Drill)
  

  1. ​​Drill a new well
     

  ​ ​Notice of Intention (Re-Abandon)​​

  1. ​ Plug and abandon a previously abandoned well
     

  ​​Notice of intention (Rework)​
  

  1. ​Mill out or remove casing or a cemented liner.
  2. Run and cement liner or inner liner.
  3. Cement off or cement squeeze existing perforations or casing holes.
  4. Reperforate existing perforations.
  5. Perforate casing.
  6. Run and cement casing or tubing.
  7. Set any type of permanent plug.
  8. Set a bridge plug that is not designed to be removed.
  9. Drill out any type of permanent plug or permanent bridge plug.
  10. Repair damaged casing by means of cementing, placing casing patch, swaging, etc.
  11. Surface work that permanently alters the casing such as patching, extending, or cutting casing.
  12. Cementing annular spaces from the surface.
      

  ​​​Notice of intention (Sidetrack)
  

  1. ​ ​​Drill a sidetrack
     

• What are Well Stimulation Treatment (WST) permitting requirements?​

  As of July 1, 2015, all WST performed in California must be permitted on an individual treatment-by-treatment basis. Prior to performing WST, the operator must submit a permit application for CalGEM's review and possible approval. WST cannot be performed on any well without a valid WST permit issued by CalGEM. Well stimulation treatment permits will be posted within five (5) business days of issuing the permit.

• What are the requirements for sealing ​​​and closing (plugging and abandoning) a well?

  The requirements for well plugging can be found in the California Code of Regulations, Section 1723. Basically, to plug and abandon a well, the following is necessary:

  -    A Notice of Intention to Abandon must be filed with the appropriate district office, and a permit to conduct operations must be received from CalGEM prior to commencing operations.

  -    The hole will be filled with drilling mud.

  -    Cement plugs will be placed across all oil or gas zones, the fresh water/salt water interface, the casing shoe (if open hole is below the shoe), casing stub (if casing was removed from the hole), and at the surface. The length required for each plug will vary.

  -    If there is junk in the hole, a cement plug is required to be placed on top of the junk.

  -    If there is uncemented casing at the base of fresh water interface, cement must be squeezed through perforations in the casing. The same applies if there is uncemented casing at the surface; all annuli need to be plugged.

  -    The payment, if applicable, of outstanding assessments, fees, or penalties.

  -    The bond for the well cannot be released until the well is plugged and abandoned properly.

  -    Plugging and abandonment operations require witnessing by a CalGEM engineer. This will be identified in the plugging permit.

• How long does it take to get a drilling permit?

  CalGEM issues most drilling permits within a week. By law, CalGEM must respond within 10 working days or the permit is automatically approved. Conditional Use Permits (CUP) from local agencies may take longer, depending on the local agency and the level of environmental review required. For unincorporated Kern County, CalGEM acts as the agency responsible for CEQA.

• How long are permits good for?

  If operations have not commenced within 24 months of receipt of the Notice of Intention, the notice shall be deemed canceled, the notice shall not be extended, and the cancellation shall be noted in CalGEM's records.
  

• What kind of well work requires a bond?

  An operator who, on or after January 1, 2018, engages in the drilling, redrilling, deepening, maintaining, abandoning, or in any operation permanently altering the casing, of a well, or who acquires a well, shall file with the supervisor an individual indemnity bond for each well so drilled, redrilled, deepened, maintained, abandoned, or permanently altered, or acquired in the following amount:

  1. $25,000 for each well that is less than 10,000 feet deep.
  2. $40,000 for each well that is 10,000 or more feet deep.
  3. $100,000 for each Class II commercial wastewater disposal well.

  ​Well operations that require bonding include, but may not be limited to:​

  1. Drill and operate a commercial geothermal well, including the plugging and abandonment of such well.​​
  2. Drill, redrill, or deepen any well.​
  3. Mill out or remove casing or a cemented liner.​
  4. Run and cement liner or inner liner.​
  5. Cement off or cement squeeze existing perforations or casing holes.
  6. Reperforate existing perforations.
  7. Perforate casing.
  8. Run and cement casing or tubing.
  9. Set any type of permanent plug.
  10. Set a bridge plug that is not designed to be removed.
  11. Drill out any type of permanent plug or permanent bridge plug.
  12. Repair damaged casing by means of cementing, placing casing patch, swaging, etc.
  13. Reentry of an abandoned well not having an existing bond.​​
• ​ What type of bond is acceptable?

  ​

  Certificates of Deposit, Savings accounts, Pass book accounts, Notes, Share and Investment Certificates or Surety bonds (from Department of Insurance-approved sureties) are acceptable. There are two types of bonds used in California, depending on the number of wells to be covered: individual bonds and blanket bonds. Individual bonds cover single wells, while blanket bonds cover multiple wells. Blanket bonds come in four amounts: $200,000 for 50 or fewer wells; $400,000 for more than 50 wells, but no more than 500; $2,000,000 for more than 500, but no more than 10,000 wells; $3,000,000 for more than 10,000 wells.​

• What other agencies issue permits for drilling wells in California?

  Depending on where a well is drilled, besides permits from the local agency (city or county) and/or CalGEM, permits may be needed from the Bureau of Land Management (for wells located on federal land), the State Lands Commission (for wells located on state-owned land), or other agencies such as the Reclamation Board.

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• ​How is groundwater protected when an oil, gas, or injection well is being drilled?

  When a well is being drilled, drilling fluid, a specially designed liquid, is pumped through the drill pipe, and circulated out through the wellbore, and back to the surface. One function of the drilling fluid is to lift rock cuttings out of the wellbore and to the surface. Drilling fluid also serves to cool the drill bit, and to counteract downhole formation pressure keeping reservoir fluids and groundwater from entering the well bore and preventing them from mixing. When a well is completed, casing is cemented in the wellbore (watch a movie), keeping reservoir fluids and groundwater from mixing.

• How do regulations ensure that Well Stimulation Treatment (WST) will not contaminate water?

  The WST regulations require rigorous testing and evaluation before, during, and after stimulation operations to ensure that wells and geologic formations remain competent and that drinking water is not contaminated. The WST regulations require operators to evaluate the casing, tubing, and cement lining of the wellbore borehole to ensure that the well’s construction is more than adequate to withstand operations that are intended to increase the permeability of the hydrocarbon producing formation. In addition, operators are required to analyze the faults, natural fracture zones, and other wells in the area to ensure that they will not cause the migration of fluid to other zones. If there is potential for induced fractures to extend beyond the treated hydrocarbon zone, the regulations impose requirements to help prevent groundwater contamination. The regulations also require operators to monitor and test the well during and after well stimulation treatment to verify that well failure has not occurred.

• Is groundwater quality, and the water used in well stimulation, monitored?

  Yes, the regulations require the following:

  1.  Operators performing well stimulation treatment must comply with the State Water Resources Control Board's (SWRCB) Model Criteria for Groundwater Monitoring in areas of oil and gas well stimulation and

  2.  As part of their WST permit application, operators must develop a water management plan that addresses the source, disposition, and anticipated water use.

• How do regulations ensure that well stimulation fluids will be handled in a safe manner?

  In 2011, in response to Assembly Bill 1960, CalGEM promulgated and implemented regulations to ensure that oilfield fluids are safely managed. As of January 29, 2011, the AB 1960 regulations require secondary containment features around fluid containers, regular testing and maintenance of tanks and pipelines, and operator implementation of a detailed spill contingency plan. Additionally, Well Stimulation Treatment regulations prohibit the storage of well stimulation fluids in unlined sumps or pits.

• How do regulations address a spill or release of well stimulation fluids?

  Various state and federal laws already require remediation and reporting of spills or releases of hazardous substances. A matrix of reporting requirements can be found on the CalOES website.
  

  WST regulations also require operators to specifically include well stimulation treatment fluids in their spill contingency plans. The implementing regulations include this requirement as well as the requirement to cleanup spills in accordance with all applicable statutes and regulations.

• How do regulations address concerns that well stimulation treatments can induce seismic activity?

  The WST regulations require operators to report to CalGEM if an earthquake of magnitude 2.7 or greater occurs in the area of a recent well stimulation treatment. Tracking of seismic activity during and after well stimulation treatment will incorporate use of the California Integrated Seismic Network, and additional evaluations will be required if an earthquake larger than magnitude 2.7 occurs within the vicinity of a well stimulation treatment.

• What happens to the well stimulation fluids after the treatment occurs?

  After the well stimulation operations are complete, much of the fluid comes back out of the well along with the oil, gas, and brackish water produced in the operation. In California, 80-90 percent of the water produced from oil wells is brackish water associated with the oil and gas in the geologic formation. The well stimulation fluid flowback is commingled with the other produced fluids. Most produced fluids in California are re-injected into oil and gas bearing zones to increase production. Other produced fluids may be injected into deep disposal wells or processed for alternative disposal.

  Wells used for sustained injection of oil and gas fluids, either for increased production or disposal, are separately regulated by CalGEM. Applicable requirements include permitting, inspection, mechanical integrity testing, and plugging and abandonment provisions.

• Is there an Environmental Impact Report (EIR) concerning well stimulation in California?

  Yes. SB 4 (2013) required CalGEM to prepare an EIR to evaluate and inform decision-makers and the public of potential environmental impacts of well stimulation. CalGEM and the Department of Conservation began the process of “scoping” the EIR in late November 2013. The scoping process defined the extent of coverage of the EIR within the parameters established under SB 4 and the California Environmental Quality Act (CEQA). The EIR was completed and certified by July 1, 2015 per regulatory deadline.

  Information about the SB 4 Final EIR is available on the CalGEM​ website.
  

• How do other regulatory agencies approach well stimulation treatments?

  The Air Resources Board (ARB) played a significant role in the implementation of Oil and Gas: Well Stimulation, Senate Bill 4 (2013), which called for a study to assess various aspects of well stimulation treatments, including air quality impacts. CalGEM consulted with ARB and other California regulatory agencies to determine appropriate approaches to protecting air and water quality, and the safe handling of chemicals used in well stimulation. The resulting inter-agency cooperation over the regulation of well stimulation treatment is the subject of several memoranda of agreement between CalGEM and these other agencies.

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• How do I determine if a well is on my property?

  One way to determine if a well is on your property is to look at CalGEM's map application Well Finder for your area.
  

• Can you tell me if a well is on my property if I give you the Assessor’s Parcel Number (APN)?

  No, the County Assessor’s Parcel Number is not used by CalGEM to locate wells or leases. The only way to tell if there is a well on your property is to compare your property’s location on Well Finder, or contact a local district office for assistance.

• If a well is on my property and the operator no longer exists, how can I get the well removed? Who pays for it?

  For orphan or idle wells that no longer have a viable owner or operator, CalGEM has a program to permanently seal and close - aka plug and abandon - these wells. Wells are prioritized for permanent closure based on their condition. Hazardous wells are given priority, followed by bonded wells, then unbonded wells.
  

• How close can someone drill to my house?

  Land-use issues such as how close can someone drill to your house, business, or school are handled by the local agency such as the city or county where you live. Each local agency will have different set-back rules that depend on your type of structure. Check with your city or county planning department to find out how close a well can be drilled to your house.

  CalGEM has well-spacing regulations that can be found in Section 3600 of the Statutes and Regulations. Also, CalGEM defines a critical well as a well that is located:

  -    Within 300 feet of a residence or airport runway, or

  -    Within 100 feet of a dedicated public street, highway, or operating railway; any navigable body of water; any public recreational facility such as a golf course, amusement park, picnic ground, campground, or any other area of periodic high-density population; or any officially recognized wildlife preserve.

  Critical wells are required to have safety devices installed on them that automatically close the well down in case of an emergency.

• What rights do I have if I don’t own the mineral rights and an operator wants to drill on my property?

  Generally, the mineral interest owner may use the surface to drill for and produce oil and gas. However, you should obtain private legal advice. There may be restrictions on the mineral interest owner's right to use the surface of your property. These may be specified in your deed or other document affecting your title. Additionally, there are common law and statutory limitations. For example, Chapter 3 of Title 5 of Division 2 (beginning with Section 883.110) of the California Civil Code addresses the termination of dormant mineral rights.

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• How do I find the owner or operator of a well?

  The quickest way to find the name of the owner or operator of a well is to look on the well-site sign. CalGEM regulations require that each well location have a sign posted in a conspicuous place containing the name of the owner or operator, the lease name, and the well number. If there is no sign at a well site, contact your local CalGEM district office. District staff will be able to assist you in identifying the name of the operator or owner.

• Is there any way I can find out if an operator is legitimate?

  CalGEM does not maintain financial records or financial reports on well owners or operators, and therefore, cannot determine the owner’s or operator’s standing. Other governmental agencies that do maintain financial information on operators include the California Secretary of State, the U.S. Securities and Exchange Commission, and the California Department of Financial Institutions.
  

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