26 CA ADC § 2-2141


      26 CCR s 2-2141

      Cal. Admin. Code tit. 26, s 2-2141


      CALIFORNIA CODE OF REGULATIONS
      TITLE 26. TOXICS
      DIVISION 1. STATE LANDS COMMISSION (TITLE 2)
      This database is current through 05/05/06, Register 2006, No. 18.

      s 2-2141. Critical Operations and Curtailment Plans.

      The primary purpose of a Critical Operations and Curtailment Plan is to 
      provide additional precautionary measures to minimize the likelihood of an 
      oil spill incident occurring from offshore drilling and production well 
      work during (1) adverse weather and sea conditions when oil spill 
      containment and recovery equipment, material and techniques are not 
      effective and marine transportation is severely hampered; and (2) the time 
      that oil spill containment and recovery equipment, material, manpower, and 
      transportation thereof are not readily available to the site of operation.

      Certain operations performed in drilling and production well work are more 
      critical than others with respect to well control and accidental discharge 
      of oil and gas. This is particularly so when subsurface forations are 
      exposed in the well that are capable of flowing oil and gas to the surface 
      or when the well has been pressured by outside means. It is these critical 
      operations that should be ceased, limited or not commenced in order to 
      minimize the likelihood of an oil spill occurring during adverse weather 
      and sea conditions which could seriously impede both well control and oil 
      cleanup efforts.

      The lessee shall file with the Staff, for its approval, a Critical 
      Operations and Curtailment Plan to be followed while conducting drilling 
      and/or production well work on the lease. A plan shall be filed for each 
      exploratory well as required in Section 2128(d)(2) in order to accommodate 
      different drilling rigs, circumstances and conditions. A separate plan 
      shall be filed for development drilling and production well work on the 
      lease. These plans shall contain the following:

      (a) A descriptive list of the critical drilling and production well work 
      that is likely to be conducted on the lease, such as:

      (1) Drilling in close proximity to another well.

      (2) Drilling into a known lost circulation zone or into a zone capable of 
      flowing oil and/or gas.

      (3) Continuation of drilling into zones that are suspected to be capable 
      of flowing oil and/or gas or into zones suspected to be abnormally 
      pressured.

      (4) If zones capable of flowing oil and/or gas are exposed or suspected to 
      be exposed in the well then the following are considered to be critical 
      operations:

      (A) Pulling out of the hole.

      (B) Fishing operations.

      (C) Drill-Stem testing.

      (D) Wireline logging in open hole.

      (E) Running casing.

      (F) Cutting and recovering casing.

      (G) Perforating casing.

      (H) Well completion work.

      (I) Remedial well work.

      (J) Well stimulation.

      (b) A descriptive list of circumstances or conditions under which the 
      critical drilling and production well work shall be ceased, limited, or 
      not commenced. This list shall be developed from all the factors and 
      conditions relating to the lease and shall take into account but may not 
      to be limited to the following:

      (1) Whether or not well operations are being conducted from a mobile rig 
      or a fixed structure.

      (2) Adverse meteorological or oceanographical conditions exist or are 
      anticipated soon.

      (3) Limited availability and capability of oil containment and cleanup 
      equipment.

      (4) Significant increase in oil spill control system response time for any 
      reason.

      (5) Personnel or equipment for conducting a particular critical operation 
      are not available.

      (6) Insufficient supply of drilling mud materials on the drill site for 
      emergency well control purposes.

      (7) Transportation equipment for personnel, supplies and oil spill 
      containment and cleanup equipment is not readily available.

      (8) Construction and maintenance work involving welding, moving heavy 
      equipment, etc. is being performed.

      (9) Other factors peculiar to the particular lease under consideration.

      (c) When any circumstance or condition listed or described in the plan 
      occurs or other operational limits are encountered, the lessee shall 
      cease, limit, or not commence the affected critical operation(s) as set 
      forth in Section 2141(a).

      (d) Any deviation from the approved plan shall require prior written 
      approval by the Staff. If emergency action requires deviation from the 
      plan, and there is inadequate time to seek the Staff's approval, the Staff 
      shall be notified immediately after said deviation occurs.

      (e) The plan shall be reviewed at least annually and any changes thereto 
      shall be submitted to the Staff for approval.

      26 CA ADC s 2-2141

      END OF DOCUMENT

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