SB 712 — An Act amending Title 58 (Oil and Gas) of the Pennsylvania Consolidated Statutes, in development, further providing for definitions and for plugging requirements.

PRINTER'S NO.   726

                     THE GENERAL ASSEMBLY OF PENNSYLVANIA



                        SENATE BILL
                        No. 712
                                                Session of
                                                  2025

     INTRODUCED BY YAW, BARTOLOTTA, LAUGHLIN, STEFANO, HUTCHINSON AND
        MASTRIANO, MAY 2, 2025

     REFERRED TO ENVIRONMENTAL RESOURCES AND ENERGY, MAY 2, 2025


                                     AN ACT
 1   Amending Title 58 (Oil and Gas) of the Pennsylvania Consolidated
 2      Statutes, in development, further providing for definitions
 3      and for plugging requirements.
 4      The General Assembly of the Commonwealth of Pennsylvania
 5   hereby enacts as follows:
 6      Section 1.    Section 3203 of Title 58 of the Pennsylvania
 7   Consolidated Statutes is amended by adding definitions to read:
 8   § 3203.    Definitions.
 9      The following words and phrases when used in this chapter
10   shall have the meanings given to them in this section unless the
11   context clearly indicates otherwise:
12      * * *
13      "Attainable bottom."     The depth, approved by the department,
14   that can be achieved after a reasonable effort made in good
15   faith is expended to clean out to the total depth.
16      * * *
17      "Reasonable effort."     In relation to an operator's action to
18   achieve an attainable bottom, action that cleans out a well to
 1   at least 200 feet below the coal protective casing or, if no
 2   coal protective casing is present, the coal seam or surface
 3   casing, whichever is deeper, and continues to clean out the well
 4   until an additional 100 feet of well bore cannot be cleaned out
 5   within one eight-hour work shift or the total depth of the well
 6   is reached.
 7      * * *
 8      "Total depth."     The depth to which a well was originally
 9   drilled, subsequently drilled or the depth to which it was
10   plugged back in a manner approved by the department.
11      * * *
12      Section 2.    Section 3220 of Title 58 is amended by adding a
13   subsection to read:
14   § 3220.    Plugging requirements.
15      * * *
16      (a.1)    Cement plug at attainable bottom.--In order to comply
17   with subsection (a), the department shall require, at a minimum,
18   that a cement plug of at least 50 feet be set at the attainable
19   bottom of the well bore, the depth and efficacy of the plug be
20   confirmed and the remaining well bore be plugged to the surface
21   with a solid column of cement.
22      * * *
23      Section 3.    This act shall take effect in 60 days.




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