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 Houston
 Code of Ordinances
 Chapter 31. OIL AND GAS WELLS
 Article III. DRILLING AND OPERATING RULES

  § 31-53. Casing.  

Latest version.

  • (a)

    The operator of any well in any field or area within the city, shall be required to set and cement a sufficient amount of surface casing to properly protect all fresh water sands as specified by the state board of water engineers and the Director of Houston Public Works for the particular area or field. The surface casing shall be of new or reconditioned casing and shall be set and cemented in accordance with the rules, regulations and orders of the state railroad commission for the field or area in which the well is to be drilled. Cementing shall be by the pump and plug method and sufficient cement shall be used to fill the calculated annular space back of the casing to the surface of the ground and the cement shall be allowed to stand for a period of 12 hours before drilling plug.

    (b)

    In lieu of setting the full amount of surface casing required to protect fresh water sands, the permittee may use the multi-stage cementing process. In using the multi-stage cementing process, sufficient cement shall be used in the stage cement job that is equivalent to the volume of the annulus from the cementing tool to the surface of the ground. Should the cement not reach the surface of the ground, a temperature survey must be conducted and if the survey shows that the top of the cement is less than one-third of the distance from the shoe of the surface casing to the surface, then corrective measures must be taken. Any permittee using the multi-stage process must file with the utility official a copy of the state railroad commission letter granting such permit and an affidavit from the company performing the cementing. Failure to file either of these shall be unlawful and shall be punishable as such.

    (c)

    In any well drilled in any field or area within the city, the producing string of casing shall be of new or reconditioned pipe which has been tested and withstood the maximum anticipated pressures to be encountered. Cementing shall be by the pump and plug method and sufficient cement shall be used to fill the calculated annular space back of the casing to a point at least 600 feet above the shoe or the highest productive zone, whichever is applicable, and the cement shall be allowed to stand for a period of 12 hours before drilling plug. After cementing, the casing shall be tested at a pressure in pounds per square inch calculated by multiplying the length of the producing string by two-tenths, being the maximum test pressure required. If at the end of 30 minutes the pressure shows a drop of ten percent or more of the above required test pressure, the casing shall be condemned. After corrective operation, the casing shall again be tested in the same manner.

(Code 1968, § 30-53; Ord. No. 90-635, § 72, 5-23-90; Ord. No. 93-514, § 50, 5-5-93; Ord. No. 98-613, § 60, 8-5-98; Ord. No. 04-1015, § 22, 9-27-04; Ord. No. 2018-11 , § 49, 1-10-2018)