Section 60. Records, logs and general requirements

A. 1. During the drilling and production phases of every well, the owner, operator, or designated agent responsible for the conduct of drilling operations shall keep at the well an accurate record of the well's operations as outlined in subsection C of this section. These records shall be accessible to the division director at all reasonable hours.

2. The refusal of the well operator or designated agent to furnish upon request such logs or records or to give information regarding the well to the department shall constitute sufficient cause to require the cessation or shutting down of all drilling or other operations at the well site until the request is honored.

3. Drilling logs supplied to the department will be kept in confidence in accordance with § 40.1-11 of the Code of Virginia.

4. Copies of all drilling logs and productions records required by this chapter shall be sent electronically or mailed to:

Virginia Gas and Oil Division Director Department of Mines, Minerals and Energy Division of Gas and Oil P.O. Box 159 Lebanon, VA 24266

5. Samples representative of all strata penetrated in each well shall be collected and furnished to the Commonwealth. Such samples shall be in the form of rock cuttings collected so as to represent the strata encountered in successive intervals no greater than 10 feet. If coring is done, however, the samples to be furnished shall consist, at a minimum, of one-quarter segments of core obtained. All samples shall be handled as follows:

a. Rock cuttings shall be dried and properly packaged in a manner that will protect the individual samples, each of which shall be identified by the well name, identification number, and interval penetrated.

b. Samples of core shall be boxed according to standard practice and identified as to well name and identification number and interval penetrated.

c. All samples shall be shipped or mailed, charges prepaid, to:

Department of Mines, Minerals and Energy Division of Mineral Resources Fontaine Research Park 900 Natural Resources Drive P.O. Box 3667 Charlottesville, VA 22903

B. Each well operator, owner, or designated agent, within 30 days after the completion of any well, shall furnish to the division director a copy of the drilling log. Drilling logs shall list activities in chronological order and include the following information:

1. The well's location and identification number.

2. A record of casings set in wells.

3. Formations encountered.

4. Deviation tests for every one thousand feet drilled.

5. Cementing procedures.

6. A copy of the downhole geophysical logs.

C. The owner, operator, or designated agent of any production or injection well shall keep or cause to be kept a careful and accurate production record. The following information shall be reported to the division director on a monthly basis for the first six months and quarterly thereafter, or as required by permit, unless otherwise stated:

1. Pressure measurements as monitored by valves on production and injection wells.

2. The volumetric rate of production or injection measured in terms of the average flow of geothermal fluids in gallons per minute per day of operation.

3. Temperature measurements of the geothermal fluid being produced or injected, including the maximum temperature measured in the bore-hole and its corresponding depth, and the temperature of the fluid as measured at the discharge point at the beginning and conclusion of a timed production test.

4. Hydraulic head as measured by the piezometric method.

Historical Notes

Derived from VR480-04-13 § 6, eff. May 1, 1984; amended, Volume 29, Issue 02, eff. October 24, 2012.

Statutory Authority

§ 45.1-179.7 of the Code of Virginia.