The production and operation phase is by far the longest in a well’s life cycle, lasting 30 to 40 years or more. During this phase the well produces oil and/or gas. The intense daily activity surrounding the drilling and well-completion phases subsides during the production and operation phase, but there are still ongoing activities at the well site. This map captures continuing inspection requirements and the authority and rights given to the state’s governing agency to inspect sites, enter a site, and access well records. Reporting requirements for spills and accidents are also crucial regulations in effect during this phase. The type of notification, the timeframe for reporting a spill, and whether the state requires that notification be given to the surface owner after a spill are crucial oversight regulations. Regulations on the collection, storage, transportation, treatment and disposal of non-oil and gas products produced during this phase, such as exploration and production waste as well as produced water, are also compared across jurisdictions.
This dataset includes laws for 17 states and federal rules for lands and minerals managed by the Bureau of Land Management, Bureau of Indian Affairs, and the U.S. Forest Service, current as of November 25, 2015.
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