The original instrument and the following digest, which constitutes no part of the
legislative instrument, were prepared by Alan Miller.
DIGEST
SB 377 Original 2018 Regular Session Allain
Proposed law provides definitions.
Proposed law provides that if an inactive well has been designated as being inactive with future
utility by the operator for a period of 10 years or more and that well is neither scheduled to be
plugged and abandoned on a plan approved by the commissioner nor covered under a site specific
trust account in accordance with present law, then the owner may request in writing that the office
of conservation determine whether the inactive well has future utility.
Proposed law provides the following procedure to determine whether the inactive well should be
plugged:
(1)Within 30 days of receipt of such a request, the commissioner notifies the operator of the
request.
(2)The operator submits to the office a written justification including any evidence he deems
necessary to prove that the well has future utility within 90 days of receipt of the notice from
the office.
(3)The office reviews the operator's written justification and determines whether the inactive
well in question has future utility.
(4)The operator submits a plan to the office to plug the well within 90 days after a final
determination by the office that the well has no future utility has been made.
(5)The commissioner may approve the plan of plugging and abandonment submitted by the
operator that shall include any revisions the commissioner deems necessary.
(6)The operator plugs the well in accordance with and within the time frame set forth in the plan
of plugging and abandonment approved by the commissioner.
(7)The operator or the owner may appeal the office's determination in accordance with present
law.
Proposed law provides that if the office is unable to carry out any of the responsibilities set proposed
law within 90 days of a request or submission due to lack of sufficient personnel or funding, then
the commissioner may delay such responsibilities and notify the operator and owner of such a delay
and provide an estimate of when the office plans to carry out its responsibility. Effective August 1, 2018.
(Adds R.S. 30:9.3)