Regulations to govern oil and gas operation on restricted Indian lands.

  • United States. Office of Indian Affairs.
Date:
[1925]
Catalogue details

Licence: Public Domain Mark

Credit: Regulations to govern oil and gas operation on restricted Indian lands. Source: Wellcome Collection.

    4/8 (page 4)
    + 21. Lessee shall not drill within 200 feet of the boundary line of leased land or locate any well or tank within 200 feet of any public highway or any building used as a dwelling, granary, barn, or estab- lished watering place, except with the written permission of the superintendent. 22. Lessee shall provide two properly prepared slush pits, into one of which he must deposit sand pumpings and other materials ex- tracted from the well during the process of drilling, but such ma- terial as is suitable for the mudding of a well shall be run into the other pit. The construction of such pits shall be subject to the approval of the inspector. Sand pumpings and such materials shall not be allowed to run over the surface of the land. 23. Lessee shall effectually shut out and exclude all water from any oil or gas bearing stratum and use all precaution and measures necessary to prevent the contamination or pollution of any fresh- water supply encountered in any well drilled for oil or gas. 24. Lessee shall protect to the satisfaction of the inspector each productive oil or gas bearing formation drilled through for the purpose of producing oil or gas from a lower formation. 25. In drilling operations the lessee shall place on the innermost string of casing a suitable gate valve or other controlling device securely anchored and keep it in place and in proper condition for use until the well is completed, except when drilling to formations where it is known that high pressures do not exist. 26. When natural gas is encountered in commercial quantities in any well lessee shall confine such gas to its natural stratum until such time as it can be produced and utilized without waste, it being understood that a commercial quantity of gas produced by a well is any unrestricted flow of natural gas in excess of 2,000,000 cubic feet per 24 hours: Provided, That if, in the opinion of the superintend- ent, gas of a lesser quantity is of commercial value, the superintend- ent shall have authority to require the conservation of said gas. Water shall not be introduced into any well where such introduction will operate to kill or restrict the open flow of gas therein, except to bring a well under control when mud fluid is not available. 27. An oil and gas separator shall be installed at the surface when both oil and gas are produced together in commercial quantities from the same well. The separator shall be of a type and capacity such that it will properly separate the oil and gas. 28. Lessee shall not use natural gas from a distinct or separate stratum for the purpose of flowing or lifting the oil without written approval of the superintendent. . 29. 'The lessee shall prevent any oil or gas well from blowing open and shall take immediate steps and exercise due diligence to bring under control any “wild” or burning oil or gas well. 30. The lessee shall prevent the waste of natural gas or its waste- ful utilization. The use of gas in its natural state in engines, pumps, or similar equipment where its pressure is the direct operating force is prohibited unless the exhaust gas is conserved for use as fuel or unless special permission is obtained from the superintendent. Other conditions or methods which, in the opinion of the superintendent, are wasteful of natural gas but are not specifically mentioned will not be permitted.