Florida Regulations 62C-26.004: Well Spacing and Drilling Units
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(1) Field Wells. Wells drilled in existing fields shall be spaced in accordance with the special field rules adopted as orders by the Department. Where no such orders exist, general spacing subsections 62C-26.004(2) through (5), F.A.C., shall apply.
(2) Exploratory Wells. Exploratory oil wells drilled to a depth of less than 7,000 feet shall be located on 40 acre units; exploratory oil wells drilled to a depth greater than 7,000 feet shall be located on 160 acre units. All gas test wells, regardless of depth, shall be located on 640 acre units.
(3) Drilling Units. Routine drilling units shall be based on the U.S. Government Surveyed Township and Range system. This system will be utilized to space wells as specified in subsection 62C-26.004(4), F.A.C.
(a) No drilling unit shall contain more than one currently producing well in the same pool or be attributed in whole or in part to any other producing well in the same reservoir except where provided for by special field Rules or by subsection 62C-26.004(5), F.A.C.
(b) All routine drilling units shall be shaped so that all diagonals lie wholly within the unit with the length of the longest diagonal not exceeding 125% of the length of a diagonal of a square containing the same number of acres as the unit. All other drilling units shall be created in accordance with subsection 62C-26.004(5), F.A.C.
(4) Well Locations within Drilling Units: Surface locations shall be determined by surface conditions and shall be located where they cause the least surface disturbance and do not result in drainage or other environmental problems.
(a) Routine oil test wells drilled to a depth of less than 7,000 feet shall have a bottom hole location no closer than 460 feet to the nearest drilling unit boundary; oil test wells drilled to more than 7,000 feet shall have a bottom hole location no closer than 920 feet to the nearest drilling unit boundary.
(b) Routine gas test wells or gas condensate wells shall have a bottom hole location no closer than 1,320 feet to the nearest drilling unit boundary.
(c) Should the bottom hole location of any producing well not meet the spacing requirements in Fl. Admin. Code R. 62C-26.004 and where such location was not approved as a condition of the drilling permit, the well shall be considered a nonroutine location as defined in subsection 62C-26.004(5), F.A.C., and the operator shall apply for a nonroutine location as outlined therein. No such well shall be produced, except for testing, prior to meeting the criteria defined in subsection 62C-26.004(5), F.A.C.
(5) Horizontal Wells and Associated Drilling Units (Wells Deeper Than 7,000 Feet).
(a) No producing section of any well may be closer than 1,840 feet to another productive well.
(b) All ten acre blocks, each being one-sixteenth of a routine 160 acre drilling unit, whose nearest boundary is within 920 feet of the productive section of a horizontal well shall be included in the unit. Horizontal wells with productive sections penetrating the 400 foot square in the center of a routine drilling unit shall include the entire 160 acre unit.
(c) Productive horizontal wells shall be unitized as soon as possible after testing is completed.
(d) Horizontal wells shall be numbered according to the quarter section of the entrance to the producing formation.
(e) A Directional Survey shall be run from the surface casing shoe to total depth and shall be filed with the Administrator within 30 days after logging.
(f) The special requirements for non-routine drilling units and wells shall apply to horizontal wells.
(6) Nonroutine Drilling Units and Wells. The Department may grant drilling permits within shorter distances to adjacent drilling unit boundaries or on different drilling units than those prescribed in this rule whenever the Department determines that such steps are necessary to protect correlative rights or to prevent waste.
(a) Applicants seeking permits for nonroutine wells or drilling units must include in the application the names and addresses of all substantially affected parties (offsetting mineral-interest owners, operators, and lessees).
(b) The Department shall determine whether the nonroutine well or unit is necessary to prevent waste as defined in Florida Statutes § 377.19(10), or to protect correlative rights, and shall grant, deny or condition the permit on that basis.
(c) The Department shall advise all substantially affected parties, whose names and addresses appear on the application or who have so requested in writing to the Department, of its proposed final agency action. Such notice shall be given to the affected parties no later than 28 days prior to final agency action by the Department.
(d) In addition to the documents required for a routine application, the applicant shall submit a letter explicitly stating what action the applicant wishes the Department to take and why. Supporting material shall include any studies, data, cross sections, maps, plats, or other available documents which support or explain the request. All interpreted geologic data shall be signed by a geologist licensed under Florida Statutes Chapter 492
Rulemaking Authority 377.20, 377.22 FS. Law Implemented 377.25, 377.26, 377.27 FS. History-New 11-26-81, Formerly 16C-26.04, Amended 6-4-89, 5-12-93, Formerly 16C-26.004, Amended 3-24-96.
(3) Drilling Units. Routine drilling units shall be based on the U.S. Government Surveyed Township and Range system. This system will be utilized to space wells as specified in subsection 62C-26.004(4), F.A.C.
(a) No drilling unit shall contain more than one currently producing well in the same pool or be attributed in whole or in part to any other producing well in the same reservoir except where provided for by special field Rules or by subsection 62C-26.004(5), F.A.C.
(b) All routine drilling units shall be shaped so that all diagonals lie wholly within the unit with the length of the longest diagonal not exceeding 125% of the length of a diagonal of a square containing the same number of acres as the unit. All other drilling units shall be created in accordance with subsection 62C-26.004(5), F.A.C.
(4) Well Locations within Drilling Units: Surface locations shall be determined by surface conditions and shall be located where they cause the least surface disturbance and do not result in drainage or other environmental problems.
(a) Routine oil test wells drilled to a depth of less than 7,000 feet shall have a bottom hole location no closer than 460 feet to the nearest drilling unit boundary; oil test wells drilled to more than 7,000 feet shall have a bottom hole location no closer than 920 feet to the nearest drilling unit boundary.
(b) Routine gas test wells or gas condensate wells shall have a bottom hole location no closer than 1,320 feet to the nearest drilling unit boundary.
(c) Should the bottom hole location of any producing well not meet the spacing requirements in Fl. Admin. Code R. 62C-26.004 and where such location was not approved as a condition of the drilling permit, the well shall be considered a nonroutine location as defined in subsection 62C-26.004(5), F.A.C., and the operator shall apply for a nonroutine location as outlined therein. No such well shall be produced, except for testing, prior to meeting the criteria defined in subsection 62C-26.004(5), F.A.C.
(5) Horizontal Wells and Associated Drilling Units (Wells Deeper Than 7,000 Feet).
(a) No producing section of any well may be closer than 1,840 feet to another productive well.
(b) All ten acre blocks, each being one-sixteenth of a routine 160 acre drilling unit, whose nearest boundary is within 920 feet of the productive section of a horizontal well shall be included in the unit. Horizontal wells with productive sections penetrating the 400 foot square in the center of a routine drilling unit shall include the entire 160 acre unit.
(c) Productive horizontal wells shall be unitized as soon as possible after testing is completed.
(d) Horizontal wells shall be numbered according to the quarter section of the entrance to the producing formation.
(e) A Directional Survey shall be run from the surface casing shoe to total depth and shall be filed with the Administrator within 30 days after logging.
(f) The special requirements for non-routine drilling units and wells shall apply to horizontal wells.
(6) Nonroutine Drilling Units and Wells. The Department may grant drilling permits within shorter distances to adjacent drilling unit boundaries or on different drilling units than those prescribed in this rule whenever the Department determines that such steps are necessary to protect correlative rights or to prevent waste.
(a) Applicants seeking permits for nonroutine wells or drilling units must include in the application the names and addresses of all substantially affected parties (offsetting mineral-interest owners, operators, and lessees).
(b) The Department shall determine whether the nonroutine well or unit is necessary to prevent waste as defined in Florida Statutes § 377.19(10), or to protect correlative rights, and shall grant, deny or condition the permit on that basis.
(c) The Department shall advise all substantially affected parties, whose names and addresses appear on the application or who have so requested in writing to the Department, of its proposed final agency action. Such notice shall be given to the affected parties no later than 28 days prior to final agency action by the Department.
(d) In addition to the documents required for a routine application, the applicant shall submit a letter explicitly stating what action the applicant wishes the Department to take and why. Supporting material shall include any studies, data, cross sections, maps, plats, or other available documents which support or explain the request. All interpreted geologic data shall be signed by a geologist licensed under Florida Statutes Chapter 492
Rulemaking Authority 377.20, 377.22 FS. Law Implemented 377.25, 377.26, 377.27 FS. History-New 11-26-81, Formerly 16C-26.04, Amended 6-4-89, 5-12-93, Formerly 16C-26.004, Amended 3-24-96.