Bill Text: CA AB3182 | 2017-2018 | Regular Session | Introduced

California Assembly Bill 3182 (Prior Session Legislation)

Introduced

Bill Title: Oil and gas: well abandonment.

Spectrum: Partisan Bill (Democrat 1-0)

Status: (Introduced - Dead) 2018-03-12 - Referred to Com. on NAT. RES. [AB3182 Detail]

Download: California-2017-AB3182-Introduced.html

CALIFORNIA LEGISLATURE— 2017–2018 REGULAR SESSION

Assembly Bill

No. 3182

Introduced by Assembly Member Cooley

February 16, 2018

An act to to amend Section 3229 of the Public Resources Code, relating to oil and gas.

LEGISLATIVE COUNSEL'S DIGEST

AB 3182, as introduced, Cooley. Oil and gas: well abandonment.

Under existing law, the Division of Oil, Gas, and Geothermal Resources in the Department of Conservation regulates the drilling, operation, maintenance, and abandonment of oil and gas wells in the state. Existing law requires the operator of a well to file a written notice of intention to commence well abandonment with, and prohibits any abandonment until approval is given by, the State Oil and Gas Supervisor or district deputy. Under existing law, the notice is deemed approved if the supervisor or district deputy fails to respond to the notice in writing within 10 working days from receipt and is deemed canceled if operations have not commenced within one year of receipt.

This bill would extend the time period to commence abandonment operations from one year to 24 months before the notice is deemed canceled.

Vote: MAJORITY Appropriation: NO Fiscal Committee: YES Local Program: NO

The people of the State of California do enact as follows:

SECTION 1.

Section 3229 of the Public Resources Code is amended to read:

3229.

Before commencing any work to abandon any well, the owner or operator shall file with the supervisor or the district deputy a written notice of intention to abandon the well. Abandonment shall not proceed until approval is given by the supervisor or the district deputy. If the supervisor or the district deputy does not give the owner or operator a written response to the notice of intention within 10 working days, the proposed abandonment shall be deemed to have been approved and the notice of intention shall for the purposes of this chapter be deemed a written report of the supervisor. If abandonment operations have not commenced within ~~one year~~ 24 months of receipt of the notice of intention, the notice of intention shall be deemed canceled.