36.22.1303    WELL PLUGGING REQUIREMENT

(1) The owner shall not permit any well drilled for oil, gas, saltwater disposal, or any other purpose to remain unplugged after such well is no longer useful for the purpose for which it was drilled or converted. When a well is no longer capable of production because the underlying reservoir or reservoirs are depleted and there is no possible future use for the well in supplemental recovery operations or for disposal facilities, the operator shall within one year plug and abandon the well as set forth in this subchapter, unless otherwise authorized by the petroleum engineer or his authorized agent.

History: 82-11-111, MCA; IMP, 82-11-123, 82-11-124, MCA; Eff. 12/31/72; AMD, 1998 MAR p. 482, Eff. 2/13/98.