| (1) | A well that is no longer active, or producing, or for which the approved suspension period determined in terms of regulation 130(b) has passed, must be plugged and decommissioned in accordance with— |
| (a) | a decommissioning plan approved by the designated agency; and |
| (b) | the relevant provision of the Environmental Impact Assessment Regulations. |
| (2) | The decommissioning plan must take into account the following factors: |
| (a) | Current condition and design of the well; |
| (b) | height of cement in annulus outside casing; |
| (c) | permeable formations outside casing that must be covered by cement; |
| (d) | cement casing overlaps; |
| (e) | the need for abandonment plugs to cover the full diameter of the hole; |
| (f) | the type of fluid in annuli above cement; |
| (g) | the difficulties of injecting cement into the annulus; |
| (h) | future monitoring of the integrity of the well plug; |
| (i) | the depth below surface at which casing must be cut; and |
| (j) | related seismic activity risks. |
| (3) | The surface area of a decommissioned well must be clear of obstructions and equipment and the well bore must be cemented for the full length and diameter of the wellbore to surface. |
[Regulation 132 inserted by section 2 of Notice No. R. 466 dated 3 June 2015]
