Sec. 61601.

As used in this part:

(a) “Abandoned oil or gas well” means an oil or gas well that has not been plugged promptly after having been drilled as a dry hole or has not been used for its intended purpose during 12 consecutive months, unless the supervisor has authorized it to remain idle.

(b) “Fund” means the orphan well fund created in section 61602.

(c) “Oil or gas well” means a well drilled pursuant to part 615, or its predecessor acts, or a well drilled prior to the effective dates of part 615 or its predecessor acts as determined by the supervisor, for oil or gas exploration or development or storage, or associated production or disposal activities.

(d) “Operator” means the person authorized by contract or agreement by the owner to drill, operate, maintain, or plug a well. Operator does not include the operator of a natural gas storage field within the boundary of the natural gas storage field unless the natural gas storage field operator has either drilled, plugged, or replugged the well in question or has utilized the well for the injection or withdrawal of natural gas into or from the natural gas storage field.

(e) “Owner” means the person who has the right to drill a well into a pool, to produce from a pool, and to receive and distribute the value of the production from the pool for himself or herself either individually or in combination with others.

(f) “Response activity” has the same meaning as in part 201.

(g) “Site restoration” means the filling and leveling of all cellars, pits, and excavations; the removal or elimination of all debris; the elimination of conditions that may create a fire or pollution hazard; the minimization of erosion; and the restoration of the well site as nearly as practicable to the original land contour or to a condition approved by the supervisor after consulting with the surface owner of the land and with the operator of a natural gas storage field if the well site is within the boundary of a natural gas storage field.

(h) “Supervisor” means the supervisor of wells as provided by part 615 or his or her designee.

History: Add. 1995, Act 57, Imd. Eff. May 24, 1995 Popular Name: Act 451Popular Name: NREPA