NAC534A.540. Permission to engage in certain activities; report of progress or completion; authority of Division.

     1. A person shall not engage in an activity listed in subsection 3 or 4 without the permission of the Division.

     2. The owner of the geothermal resource or operator shall submit an application for permission to engage in an activity listed in subsection 3 or 4 on Form 4 (Sundry Notices and Reports on Wells). Upon request, the Administrator may, as he or she deems appropriate in extraordinary circumstances, grant oral permission to engage in an activity listed in subsection 3 or 4. Oral permission to engage in an activity listed in subsection 3 or 4 does not relieve the owner of the geothermal resource or operator of his or her obligation to submit an application pursuant to this section.

     3. The fee is $300 to file an application for permission to engage in any one of the following activities:

     (a) Increasing the depth of a well;

     (b) Testing of water shut-off;

     (c) Entering or opening a plugged well;

     (d) Shooting, acidizing or fracture treating;

     (e) Abandoning and plugging a well;

     (f) Drilling in a direction which is not intended to be vertical, including directional drilling;

     (g) Changing the construction of a hole or well, including:

          (1) Placing a plug in the hole or well; and

          (2) Recovering or altering the casing;

     (h) Conducting a major work over or cleaning of a well; and

     (i) Any other proposed activity for which the Division:

          (1) Conducts a field inspection; or

          (2) Evaluates information or documentation regarding the construction of a hole or well.

     4. The fee is $100 to file an application for permission to engage in any one of the following activities:

     (a) Extending a permit;

     (b) Changing the ownership of a well;

     (c) Changing the status of a well;

     (d) Changing the name of a well;

     (e) Changing the location of a proposed well; and

     (f) Any other proposed activity for which the Division conducts an extensive review.

     5. The owner of the geothermal resource or operator shall report to the Division any progress regarding or the completion of an activity for which permission was required pursuant to this section and any supplemental history of the well.

     6. In the case of a domestic well, the owner of the geothermal resource or the operator shall:

     (a) Not engage in an activity listed in paragraph (a), (c) or (e) or subparagraph (1) of paragraph (g) of subsection 3 without the permission of the Division; and

     (b) Submit to the Division an application for permission to engage in an activity listed in paragraph (a), (c) or (e) or subparagraph (1) of paragraph (g) of subsection 3. The owner or operator shall file the application on Form 4 (Sundry Notices and Reports on Wells) and is not required to pay a fee to file.

     7. The Division may, as it deems appropriate, observe and release information which is not confidential regarding activities for which permission was required pursuant to this section.

     (Added to NAC by Comm’n on Mineral Resources, eff. 11-12-85; A 12-16-92)