Section 3204.

Any operator who, on or after January 1, 1999, engages in the drilling, redrilling, deepening, or in any operation permanently altering the casing, of any well shall file with the supervisor an individual indemnity bond in the specified sum for each well so drilled, redrilled, deepened, or permanently altered. This sum shall be fifteen thousand dollars ($15,000) for each well less than 5,000 feet deep, twenty thousand dollars ($20,000) for each well at least 5,000 feet but less than 10,000 feet deep, and thirty thousand dollars ($30,000) for each well 10,000 or more feet deep. The bond shall be filed with the supervisor at the time of the filing of the notice of intention to perform work on the well, as provided in Section 3203. The bond shall be executed by the operator, as principal, and by an authorized surety company, as surety, conditioned that the principal named in the bond shall faithfully comply with all the provisions of this chapter, in drilling, redrilling, deepening, or permanently altering the casing in any well or wells covered by the bond, and shall secure the state against all losses, charges, and expenses incurred by it to obtain such compliance by the principal named in the bond.

The conditions of the bond shall be stated in substantially the following language: "If the ____, the above bounden principal, shall well and truly comply with all the provisions of Division 3 (commencing with Section 3000) of the Public Resources Code and shall obey all lawful orders of the State Oil and Gas Supervisor or the district deputy or deputies, subject to subsequent appeal as provided in that division, and shall pay all charges, costs, and expenses incurred by the supervisor or the district deputy or deputies in respect of the well or wells or the property or properties of the principal, or assessed against the well or wells or the property or properties of the principal, in pursuance of the provisions of that division, then this obligation shall be void; otherwise, it shall remain in full force and effect."

(Amended by Stats. 1998, Ch. 1068, Sec. 3. Effective January 1, 1999.)