N.M. Admin. Code § 19.15.15.8

Current through Register Vol. 35, No. 23, December 10, 2024

Section 19.15.15.8 - CLASSIFICATION OF WELLS: WILDCAT AND DEVELOPMENT WELLS

A. Wildcat well.

(1) In San Juan, Rio Arriba, Sandoval and McKinley counties, a wildcat well is a well to be drilled the spacing unit of which is a distance of two miles or more from:

(a) the outer boundary of a defined pool that has produced oil or gas from the formation to which the well is projected to be drilled; and

(b) a well that has produced oil or gas from the formation to which the proposed well is projected to be drilled.

(2) In all counties except San Juan, Rio Arriba, Sandoval and McKinley, a wildcat well is a well to be drilled the spacing unit of which is a distance of one mile or more from:

(a) the outer boundary of a defined pool that has produced oil or gas from the formation to which the well is projected to be drilled; and

(b) a well that has produced oil or gas from the formation to which the proposed well is projected.

B. Development well.

(1) A well that is not a wildcat well is classified as a development well for the nearest pool that has produced oil or gas from the formation to which the well is projected to be drilled. The operator shall space, drill, operate and produce a development well in accordance with the rule or order in effect for that pool, provided the well is completed in that pool.

(2) An operator shall operate and produce a well classified as a development well for a pool but completed in a producing formation not included in that pool's vertical limits in accordance with the rule in effect for the nearest pool that is producing from that formation within the two miles in San Juan, Rio Arriba, Sandoval and McKinley counties or within one mile everywhere else. If there is no designated pool for that producing formation within the two miles in San Juan, Rio Arriba, Sandoval and McKinley counties or within one mile everywhere else, the well shall be re-classified as a wildcat well.

N.M. Admin. Code § 19.15.15.8

19.15.15.8 NMAC - Rp, 19.15.3.104 NMAC, 12/1/08