La. Admin. Code tit. 43 § XIX-115

Current through Register Vol. 50, No. 9, September 20, 2024

Section XIX-115 - Fire Hazards

A.

1. All wells shall be cleaned into a pit, barge, or tank, located at a distance of at least 100 feet from any fire hazard.

2. Before any well shall be perforated, the drilling fluid in the well shall be conditioned and brought to a weight necessary to hold the normal hydrostatic pressure at the point to be perforated with a reasonable margin of safety; provided, however, in cases where the tubing and Christmas tree are set for production, the weight of the drilling fluid may be reduced below that weight necessary to hold the normal hydrostatic pressure at the point to be perforated. Before perforating, proper connections for lubricating the gun in and out of the hole shall be installed.

3.

a. All drill stem tests shall be started and completed during daylight hours, except in fields where from bottom-hole pressures and other information it is known that the pressure does not exceed the pressure of a column of oil from top to hole to the producing horizon. Started and Completed shall mean the opening and the closing of the drill-stem testing tool valve or valves controlling the flow through the choke.

b. In the absence of special prior permission from the department, no drill-stem test shall be conducted with chokes larger than 1/4 inch on both top and bottom.

4. All wells shall be swabbed or bailed during the daylight hours except in cases of low pressure wells as Paragraph 3 above.

B.

1. Each permanent oil, tank or battery of tanks that are located within the corporate limits of any city, town or village, or where such tanks are closer than 500 feet to any highway or inhabited dwelling or closer than 1000 feet to any school or church, must:

a. be surrounded by a dike (or firewall) or retaining wall of at least the capacity of such tank or battery of tanks, with the exception of such areas where such dikes (or firewalls) or retaining walls would be impossible such as in water areas. At the discretion of the Commissioner of Conservation, firewalls of 100 percent capacity can be required where other conditions or circumstances warrant their construction;

b. be enclosed by a fence no less than four feet high and at a minimum, composed of four strands of wire and a lockable gate which shall be locked when the site is unmanned and the fence and gate shall be properly maintained at all times. Conservation shall be provided a means to unlock the gate;

c. all hatches to the tank, which do not serve as a pressure relief device, must be sealed when the site is unmanned;

d. a warning sign must be prominently displayed on or immediately adjacent to the tank or ladder providing access to the tank and the gate providing entry to the site, denoting danger, flammable contents;

e. the above safety regulations must be implemented within three months of their promulgation.

C.

1. Each permanent oil tank or battery of tanks that are located within the corporate limits of any city, town or village, or where such tanks are closer than 500 feet to any highway or inhabited dwelling or closer than 1000 feet to any school or church, or where such tanks are so located as to be deemed a hazard by the Commissioner of Conservation, must be surrounded by a dike (or firewall) or retaining wall of at least the capacity of such tank or battery of tanks, with the exception of such areas where such dikes (or firewalls) or retaining walls would be impossible such as in water areas. At the discretion of the Commissioner of Conservation, firewalls of 100 percent capacity can be required where other conditions or circumstances warrant their construction.

2. In water, swamp or marsh areas, where the building of firewalls is impossible or impracticable, in the future, permanent tanks shall be placed on an impervious platform surrounded by a metal gutter to catch all the oil and other wastes which may cause either a fire-hazard or pollution. A sump shall be provided to catch the run-off from the gutters; however, if the operator or company has devised a plan which serves the same purpose, the district manager may after being presented with the plan, waive the above requirements.

3. Tanks not falling in the above categories (Paragraphs 1 and 2) must be surrounded by a retaining wall, or must be suitably ditched to a collecting sump, each of sufficient capacity to contain the spillage and prevent pollution of the surrounding areas.

D. All gas vents from oil tanks shall terminate outside of the firewall.

E. Any rubbish or debris that might constitute a fire hazard shall be removed to a distance of at least 100 feet from the vicinity of wells, tanks, and pump stations. All waste shall be burned or disposed of in such a manner as to avoid creating a fire hazard or polluting streams and fresh water strata.

F. Each operator shall so conduct his operations and maintain his equipment as to reduce to a minimum the danger of explosion or fire, and consequent waste.

La. Admin. Code tit. 43, § XIX-115

Adopted by the Department of Conservation (August 1943), amended (March 1955), (December 1963), Amended by the Department of Natural Resources, Office of Conservation, LR 471647 (11/1/2021).

AUTHORITY NOTE: Promulgated in accordance with R.S. 30:80 et seq.