(a) When drilling a well, you must:

(1) Keep the well under control at all times by:

(i) Conducting training during your operation to maintain the capability of your personnel to perform emergency procedures quickly and effectively;

(ii) Using properly maintained equipment; and

(iii) Using operational practices that allow for quick and effective emergency response.

(b) You must use sound engineering principles and take into account all pertinent data when:

(1) Selecting and using drilling fluid types and weights;

(2) Designing and implementing a system to control fluid temperatures;

(3) Designing and using blowout prevention equipment; and

(4) Designing and implementing a casing and cementing program.

(c) Your operation must always comply with the requirements of § 3200.4.

(a) You must conduct your operations in a manner that:

(1) Protects the quality of surface and subsurface water, air, natural resources, wildlife, soil, vegetation, and natural history;

(2) Protects the quality of cultural, scenic, and recreational resources;

(3) Accommodates, as necessary, other land uses;

(4) Minimizes noise; and

(5) Prevents property damage and unnecessary or undue degradation of the lands.

(b) You must remove or, with BLM's approval, properly store all equipment and materials that are not in use.

(c) You must retain all fluids from drilling and testing the well in properly designed pits, sumps, or tanks.

(d) When you no longer need a pit or sump, you must abandon it and restore the site as we direct.

(e) BLM may require you to give us a contingency plan showing how you will protect public health and safety, property, and the environment.

Yes. Before you begin drilling a well, you must post a sign in a conspicuous place and keep it there throughout operations until the well site is reclaimed. Put the following information on the sign:

(a) The lessee or operator's name;

(b) Lease serial number;

(c) Well number; and

(d) Well location described by township, range, section, quarter-quarter section or lot.

BLM may require you to follow a well spacing program if we determine that it is necessary for proper development. If we require well spacing, we will consider the following factors when we set well spacing:

(a) Hydrologic, geologic, and reservoir characteristics of the field, minimizing well interference;

(b) Topography;

(c) Interference with multiple use of the land; and

(d) Environmental protection, including ground water.

(a) BLM may require you to take samples or to test or survey the well to determine:

(1) The well's mechanical integrity;

(2) The identity and characteristics of formations, fluids, or gases;

(3) Presence of geothermal resources, water, or reservoir energy;

(4) Quality and quantity of geothermal resources;

(5) Well bore angle and direction of deviation;

(6) Formation, casing, or tubing pressures;

(7) Temperatures;

(8) Rate of heat or fluid flow; and

(9) Any other necessary well information.

(b) See § 3264.11 for information on reporting requirements.