Well Design And Construction
On This Page
It is DEC's duty to assure adequate protection of the environment and public safety during drilling, production, plugging and reclamation of all Article 23 regulated wells. BEFORE submitting an Application for a Permit to Drill, Deepen, Plug Back or Convert a Well (APD), please consider the site-specific aspects of your proposed activity. DEC staff conduct environmental assessments to evaluate such aspects based on the contents of your application package and other available informaiton sources.
Permit Conditions
Permit conditions are attached to each well permit to mitigate potential environmental impacts from the permitted activity. These permit conditions are enforceable requirements that operators and their contractors must adhere to. Any deviation from conditions documented in an individual permit must be approved in writing by DEC. Some of these permit conditions relate directly to the design and construction of the well. Categories of permit conditions include:
Casing and Cementing Conditions
The most important aspect of well design and construction to consider is DEC's Casing and Cementing Conditions. Nearly all approved drilling plans will conform to these conditions. For most wells, these conditions are sufficient to protect ground water and to adequately prevent migration of fluids from one formation to another. Deviations from these conditions must be approved in writing by DEC.
Site-Specific Permit Conditions
DEC also applies site-specific permit conditions to each permit, as applicable, to mitigate potential impacts related to the natural features present at the site, the type of activity, and the approved operations. These conditions are generally more restrictive than standard permit conditions, and apply to wells located in environmentally sensitive areas or sites with specific subsurface circumstances.
Examples of site-specific permit conditions include:
- Agricultural District Permit Conditions;
- Freshwater Aquifer Supplementary Permit Conditions; and
- Wildcat Supplementary Permit Conditions
Additional permit conditions may also include erosion and sedimentation control measures, noise mitigation, or mandated use of a tank for waste fluids. Note the sample permit conditions are an example of what may apply to a permit and are subject to change based on site-specific needs.
Well Spacing and Integration Conditions
Oil and gas wells subject to ECL Article 23, Title 5 well spacing requirements will include Well Spacing and Integration Conditions. Operators must review these conditions before commencing work as they govern operations which may be conducted as a result of establishment of the spacing unit for the well.
Construction Stormwater General Permit
If an Article 23 regulated well activity is proposed to disturb one or more acres of land, the operator is also required to obtain coverage under DEC's General Permit for Stormwater Discharges associated with Construction Activity. Details about the importance of controlling stormwater runoff and the State Pollutant Discharge Elimination System (SPDES) General Permit and how it relates to Article 23 regulated activities can be found on the Division of Water's web pages.
Receiving a Permit to Drill
Once a permit has been issued, certain notifications and reports are required. Upon receiving a Permit to Drill, review the attached Notification & Signage Conditions so that your staff and contractors are prepared to comply.
DMN, Bureau of Oil and Gas Regulation
625 Broadway
Albany, NY 12233
