(A)

(1) The owner of a well that has not been completed, a well that has not produced within one year after completion, an existing well that is not a horizontal well and that has no reported production for two consecutive reporting periods as reported in accordance with section 1509.11 of the Revised Code, or an existing horizontal well that has no reported production for eight consecutive reporting periods as reported in accordance with section 1509.11 of the Revised Code shall plug the well in accordance with section 1509.12 of the Revised Code, obtain temporary inactive well status for the well in accordance with this section, or perform another activity regarding the well that is approved by the chief of the division of oil and gas resources management.

(2) If a well has a reported annual production that is less than one hundred thousand cubic feet of natural gas or fifteen barrels of crude oil, or a combination thereof, the chief may require the owner of the well to submit an application for temporary inactive well status under this section for the well.

(B) In order for the owner of a well to submit an application for temporary inactive well status for the well under this division, the owner and the well shall be in compliance with this chapter and rules adopted under it, any terms and conditions of the permit for the well, and applicable orders issued by the chief. An application for temporary inactive status for a well shall be submitted to the chief on a form prescribed and provided by the chief and shall contain all of the following:

(1) The owner's name and address and, if the owner is a corporation, the name and address of the corporation's statutory agent;

(2) The signature of the owner or of the owner's authorized agent. When an authorized agent signs an application, the application shall be accompanied by a certified copy of the appointment as such agent.

(3) The permit number assigned to the well. If the well has not been assigned a permit number, the chief shall assign a permit number to the well.

(4) A map, on a scale not smaller than four hundred feet to the inch, that shows the location of the well and the tank battery, that includes the latitude and longitude of the well, and that contains all other data that are required by the chief;

(5) A demonstration that the well is of future utility and that the applicant has a viable plan to utilize the well within a reasonable period of time;

(6) A demonstration that the well poses no threat to the health or safety of persons, property, or the environment;

(7) Any other relevant information that the chief prescribes by rule.

The chief may waive any of the requirements established in divisions (B)(1) to (6) of this section if the division of oil and gas resources management possesses a current copy of the information or document that is required in the applicable division.

(C) Upon receipt of an application for temporary inactive well status, the chief shall review the application and shall either deny the application by issuing an order or approve the application. The chief shall approve the application only if the chief determines that the well that is the subject of the application poses no threat to the health or safety of persons, property, or the environment. If the chief approves the application, the chief shall notify the applicant of the chief's approval. Upon receipt of the chief's approval, the owner shall shut in the well and empty all liquids and gases from all storage tanks, pipelines, and other equipment associated with the well. In addition, the owner shall maintain the well, other equipment associated with the well, and the surface location of the well in a manner that prevents hazards to the health and safety of people and the environment. The owner shall inspect the well at least every six months and submit to the chief within fourteen days after the inspection a record of inspection on a form prescribed and provided by the chief.

(D) Not later than thirty days prior to the expiration of temporary inactive well status or a renewal of temporary inactive well status approved by the chief for a well, the owner of the well may submit to the chief an application for renewal of the temporary inactive well status on a form prescribed and provided by the chief. The application shall include a detailed plan that describes the ultimate disposition of the well, the time frames for that disposition, and any other information that the chief determines is necessary. The chief shall either deny an application by order or approve the application. If the chief approves the application, the chief shall notify the owner of the well of the chief's approval.

(E) An application for temporary inactive well status shall be accompanied by a nonrefundable fee of one hundred dollars. An application for a renewal of temporary inactive well status shall be accompanied by a nonrefundable fee of two hundred fifty dollars for the first renewal and five hundred dollars for each subsequent renewal.

(F) After a third renewal, the chief may require an owner to provide a surety bond in an amount not to exceed ten thousand dollars for each of the owner's wells that has been approved by the chief for temporary inactive well status.

(G) Temporary inactive well status approved by the chief expires one year after the date of approval of the application for temporary inactive well status or production from the well commences, whichever occurs sooner. In addition, a renewal of a temporary inactive well status expires one year after the expiration date of the initial temporary inactive well status or one year after the expiration date of the previous renewal of the temporary inactive well status, as applicable, or production from the well commences, whichever occurs sooner.

(H) The owner of a well that has been approved by the chief for temporary inactive well status may commence production from the well at any time. Not later than sixty days after the commencement of production from such a well, the owner shall notify the chief of the commencement of production.

(I) This chapter and rules adopted under it, any terms and conditions of the permit for a well, and applicable orders issued by the chief apply to a well that has been approved by the chief for temporary inactive well status or renewal of that status.

Amended by 130th General Assembly File No. 25, HB 59, §101.01, eff. 9/29/2013.

Amended by 129th General AssemblyFile No.28, HB 153, §101.01, eff. 9/29/2011.

Added by 128th General AssemblyFile No.27, SB 165, §1, eff. 6/30/2010.