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California Law (Last Updated: March 4, 2014) |
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Public Resources Code - PRC |
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Division 3. OIL AND GAS |
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Chapter 1. Oil and Gas Conservation |
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ARTICLE 4.2. Hazardous Wells |
Section 3255.
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(a) Notwithstanding any other provision of this division, the supervisor may order that any of the following operations be carried out on any property in the vicinity of which, or on which, is located any well that the supervisor determines to be either a hazardous or an idle-deserted well:
(1) Any inspection or tests necessary to determine what action, if any, would be appropriate to effectuate the purpose of this article.
(2) The abandonment of such a well.
(3) The reabandonment of such a well.
(4) The redrilling and production of an existing well for purposes of remedying, mitigating, minimizing, or eliminating danger to life, health, and natural resources.
(5) The drilling and production of a well for purposes of remedying, mitigating, minimizing, or eliminating danger to life, health, and natural resources.
(6) Any other remedy or oilfield operation calculated to effectuate the purpose of this article.
(b) If, pursuant to this article, the supervisor orders that any operation be carried out with respect to a hazardous or idle-deserted well and such operation will, by virtue of the physical occupation or destruction of all or any part of the property or the extraction of oil or gas from such property, substantially interfere with the enjoyment of the property, the supervisor shall acquire, as provided in Section 3256, such minimal interest in the property as is necessary to carry out such operation. No such acquisition may be made pursuant to this subdivision unless the supervisor finds and determines that the public benefits to be derived therefrom in remedying, mitigating, minimizing, or eliminating danger to life, health, and natural resources will exceed the cost of such acquisition, irrespective of the manner in which such acquisition is to be funded.
(c) An order of the supervisor to carry out any of the operations listed in subdivision (a) may be appealed by the owner of the property pursuant to Article 6 (commencing with Section 3350), except that in the case of an emergency no stay of the supervisor's order shall accompany the appeal.