What is the legal definition of an abandonment of an oil and gas well?

In South Carolina, the legal definition of an abandonment of an oil and gas well is when the owner of a well has permanently retired the well from production and service, and has returned the site to its predrilling condition. An abandonment must comply with the requirements of South Carolina’s Oil and Gas Conservation Law. This includes plugging all the wells, and restoring the surface of the lands affected by the operations of the well to a safe and non-polluting condition. In addition, the owner of the well must provide notice of the abandonment to the appropriate regulatory agency in South Carolina. The notice must include certain information, such as the name of the well, the location of the well, and a description of the operations that occurred before abandonment. Finally, operable wells must be sealed with material approved by the South Carolina Oil and Gas Board before the abandonment can be considered complete.

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What is the legal definition of an abandonment of an oil and gas well?

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