Does a well record have to be filed when a well is abandoned?

Yes, a record has to be filed for abandonment (i.e., removal or decomissioning of the well), just as it has to be filed when a well is constructed.  There are three situations in which an exemption from filing is offered:

1) The well is a test hole or dewatering well which is being be abandoned within 30 days of initial completion, or

2) The well is not actually being removed but just altered, and the alteration made to the well is minor or involves nothing more than the installation of a pump, or

c) All four of the following are true:

i) the well is not more than 3.0m deep,
ii) the well is not constructed in a contaminated area,
iii) the well is not likely to become artesian, and
iv) the well does not penetrate a formation which is not an aquifer (such as a confining formation).

Exemptions and Well Construction

1. I just need a temporary hole – shouldn’t I be exempt from the Reg?
2. Are there ever situations when a well is exempt from Regulation 903?
3. I don’t need a well pipe – can you backfill my hole with cuttings?
4. My well is not exempt from the Reg – what are the implications?
5. Can’t your crew backfill above the screened zone with cuttings – like my old driller did?

Tagging and Well Records

1. Do you have to tag my well and file a Ministry Record?
2. Does it cost extra to file the well record?
3. What can I do so that my wells qualify for a single cluster record instead of multiple records?
4. It’s extremely difficult to get the property owner’s signature for a cluster record. Can’t I just sign the form myself, as the owner’s consultant?
5. Can I Remove the Well Tag that Kodiak Has Affixed to the Well?

Well Abandonment

1. We give our clients cost estimates to install wells and do testing – but we never include costs for removal. Do we really have to remove the well when our project is done?
2. I want my well removed and there are no ongoing operations at this property and no chance of contamination.  Why does the Kodiak crew insist on backfilling my abandoned well with sealant?
3. Does a Well Record Have to Be Filed When A Well Is Abandoned?