Utah Admin. Code 649-3-26

Current through Bulletin 2024-17, September 1, 2024

Section R649-3-26 - Seismic Exploration

1. Form 1, Application for Permit to Conduct Seismic Exploration shall be submitted to the division by the seismic contractor at least seven days prior to commencing any type of seismic exploration operations. In cases of emergency, approval may be obtained either verbally or by telegraphic communication.

1.1. Changes of plans or line locations may be implemented in an emergency situation without division approval.

1.2. Within five days after the change is performed, the seismic contractor shall submit written notice of the change to the division.

1.3. The permit may be revoked at any time by the division for failure to comply with the rules and orders of the board.

1.4. Any request to deviate from the general plugging and operations procedures of these rules shall be included on the permit application.

1.5. The name, address, and telephone number of the seismic contractor's local contact shall be submitted to the division as soon as determined if not available when the permit application is submitted.

1.6. After review of the application for a seismic permit, the division may require written permission of the owner of the surface of the affected land if it is determined that the seismic operation may significantly impact any building, pipeline, water well, flowing spring, or other cultural or natural feature in the area.

1.7. The permit will be in effect for six months from the date of approval. The permit may be extended upon application to and approval by the division.

2. Bonding shall not be required for seismic exploration requiring the drilling of shot holes.

3. Seismic contractors shall give the division at least 24 hours advance notice of the plugging of seismic holes. The notice shall include the date and time the plugging activities are expected to commence, the name and address of the seismic contractor responsible for the holes, and, if different, the name and address of the hole plugging company.

4. Unless the seismic contractor can prove to the satisfaction of the division that another method will provide adequate protection to ground water resources and other man-made or natural features and will provide long-term land stability, the following procedures shall be required for the conduct of seismic operations and hole plugging:

4.1. Seismic contractors shall take reasonable precautions to avoid conducting shot hole operations closer than 1,320 feet to any building, pipeline, water well, flowing spring, or other cultural/natural feature, e.g., a historical monument, marker, or structure, that may be adversely affected by the seismic operations.

4.2. When nonartesian water is encountered while drilling seismic shot holes, the holes shall be filled from the bottom up with a high grade bentonite/water slurry mixture.

4.3. The slurry shall have a density that is at least four percent greater than the density of fresh water and shall have a marsh funnel viscosity of at least 60 seconds per quart.

4.4. The density and viscosity of the slurry are to be measured prior to adding cuttings. Cuttings not added to the slurry are to be disposed of in accordance with Subsection R649-3-26-4.6.

4.5. Upon approval by the division, any other suitable plugging material commonly used in the industry may be substituted for the bentonite/water slurry as long as the physical characteristics of the substitute plugging material are at least comparable to those of the bentonite/water slurry.

4.6. The hole shall be filled with the substitute plugging material from the bottom up to a depth of three feet below ground level.

4.7. A nonmetallic permaplug shall be set at a depth of three feet. The remaining hole shall be filled and tamped to the surface with cuttings and native soil.

4.8. The permaplug shall be imprinted with an approved identification number or mark.

4.9. When drilling with air only, and in completely dry holes, plugging may be accomplished by returning the cuttings to the holes, tamping the returned cuttings to the depth of three feet below ground level, and setting the permaplug topped with more cuttings and soil. A small mound shall be left over the hole for settling allowance.

4.10. If artesian flow, water flowing at the surface, is encountered in the drilling of any seismic hole, cement shall be used to seal off the water flow to prevent cross-flow, erosion, or contamination of fresh water supplies.

4.11. Unless severe weather conditions prevent access, the holes shall be cemented immediately.

4.12. Approval may be granted to seismic operator to plug a flowing hole in another manner, if it is proved to this division that the alternate method will provide adequate protection to ground water resources and provide long term land stability.

4.13. The owner of the surface of the land affected may assume liability for a seismic hole capable of conversion to a water well by sending a letter assuming such liability to the division and by filing an application with and obtaining approval for appropriation of underground water from the Division of Water Rights.

4.14. Shotholes shall be properly plugged and abandoned as soon as practical after the shot has been fired.

4.15. No shothole shall be left unplugged for more than 30 days without approval of the division.

4.16. Until properly plugged, shotholes shall be covered with a tin hat or other similar cover.

4.17. The hats shall be imprinted with the seismic contractor's name or initials.

4.18. Any slurry, drilling fluids, or cuttings that are deposited on the surface around the seismic hole shall be raked or otherwise spread out to a height of not more than one inch above the surface, so that the growth of the natural grasses or foliage will not be impaired.

4.19. Restoration plans required by the Mined Land Reclamation Act, Section 40-8, or by any other surface management agency will be accepted by the division.

4.20. The surface area around each seismic shothole shall be reclaimed and reseeded to its original condition insofar as such restoration is practical and is required by the surface management agency.

4.21. Any flagging, stakes, cables, cement, or mud sacks shall be removed from the drill site and disposed of in an acceptable manner.

5. Upon application to the division, approval may be obtained for preplugging of shotholes using coarse bentonite material or a suitable alternative used in the industry. Preplugging of holes in this manner shall be performed according to the following procedures:

5.1. A sales receipt indicating proof of purchase of an adequate amount of coarse bentonite to properly plug any shotholes shall be submitted to the division upon request.

5.2. For shotholes drilled with air that are completely dry, the seismic contractor shall have the option of preplugging with the coarse bentonite material or of using an alternate plugging material under Subsection R649-3-26-4.3.

5.3. For conventionally drilled, wet holes, enough approved material shall be used to cover the initial water level, i.e., the depth of the initial water level in the hole prior to adding coarse bentonite material shall be equal to the final plug depth.

5.4. An additional ten feet of approved material shall be placed above this depth and hole cuttings shall be used to fill the remainder of the hole to a depth of three feet below ground level.

5.5. A nonmetallic plug imprinted with an approved identification number or mark shall be installed at this depth.

5.6. The remaining three feet of hole shall be filled and tamped to the surface with cuttings and native soil.

5.7. The remaining cuttings shall be raked or spread to a height not to exceed one inch above ground level.

5.8. When using heliportable drills and insufficient cuttings are available, the hole shall be preplugged with bentonite plugging material or an approved alternate material to a depth of three feet below ground level.

5.9. Installation of a nonmetallic plug and filling the remainder of the hole shall be performed as required by Subsection R649-3-26-5.3.

5.10. The coarse bentonite plugging material shall have the following specifications - chemically unaltered sodium bentonite, coarse ground, three quarter inch maximum size, not more than 19% moisture content and not more than 15% inert solids by volume.

6. Form 2, Seismic Exploration Completion Report shall be submitted to the Division within 60 days after completion of each seismic exploration project. The report shall include: Certification by the seismic contractor that any shot holes have been plugged as prescribed by the division.

Utah Admin. Code R649-3-26

Amended by Utah State Bulletin Number 2020-15, effective 7/27/2020