HB 3336 — Well Plugging methods

WEST VIRGINIA LEGISLATURE REGULAR SESSION ENGROSSEDENROLLED Committee Substitute for House Bill 3336 ByBYD DelegatesELEGATESZATEZALO, Zatezalo,NDERSON Anderson,, Fehrenbacher,EHRENBACHER, Street,STREET,ANDELDRIDGE and[Passed EldridgeApril [Originating11, in2025; the Committee on Energy and Public Works, March 18, 2025] Eng CS HB 3336 A BILL to amend and reenact §22-6-24 of the Code of West Virginia, 1931, as amended, relating to methods of plugging a wells;

in effect 90 days from passage (July 10, 2025)] Enr CS HB 3336 AN ACT to amend and reenact §22-6-24 of the Code of West Virginia, 1931, as amended, relating to methods of plugging a wells;

In like manner the holeEnr shall 1 Eng CS HB 3336 hole shall be filled and plugged, with reference to each of its oil, gas or water-bearing strata.

(b) Where the well penetrates one or more workable coal beds and a coal protection string of casing has been circulated and cemented into the surface, the well shall be filled and securely plugged in the manner provided in subdivision (a) of this section, except that expanding cement 2Enr Eng CS HB 3336 shall be used instead of regular hydraulic cement, to a point approximately 100 feet below the bottom of the coal protection string of casing.

(1) A two hundred 200 foot plug of expanding cement shall be placed in the well.

From this point the well shall be filled with mud, clay or other nonporous material to a point 40 feet beneath the next overlying workable coal bed, if such there be, and the well shall thenEnr 3 Eng CS HB 3336 then be filled with cement from this point to a point 20 feet above such workable coal bed, and similarly, in case there are more overlying workable coal beds.

If the secretary determines that the cost of plugging the well in the manner provided in subsection (c) of this section is less than the costEnr of 4 Eng CS HB 3336 cost of plugging the well in the manner provided in subdivision (3) of this subsection, the secretary shall request payment into escrow of the difference between the determined costs by the coal operator or coal seam owner making the request.

(3) Where a request of a coal operator or coal seam owner filed pursuant to subdivision (1) of this subsection has been granted by the secretary, the well shall be plugged in the manner 5Enr Eng CS HB 3336 provided in subsection (a) of this section, except that expanding cement shall be used instead of regular hydraulic cement, to a point approximately 200 feet below the lowest workable coal bed.

(e) Notwithstanding anything in this section to the contrary, where the well to be plugged is an abandoned well that has no known responsible party and the well operator is also a coal 6Enr Eng CS HB 3336 operator that intends to mine through the well, the well shall, at a minimum, be plugged as provided in subdivisions (1) and (2) of this subsection.

In addition, the owner shall maintain a journal that describes the depth of eacheachmaterial material encountered;

If it is not possible to remove all the casing, then the operator shall take appropriate steps to ensure that the annulus between the casing and between the casings and the well walls are filled with expanding cement, with a minimum five tenths of one percent expansion upon setting, and 7Enr Eng CS HB 3336 contain no voids.

and Enr CS HB 3336 (E) If the upper-most hydrocarbon-producing stratum is within 300 feet of the base of the lowest workable coal bed, the operator shall properly place mechanical bridge plugs as described 8 Eng CS HB 3336 in paragraph (D) of this subdivision to isolate the hydrocarbon-producing stratum from the expanding cement plug.

Such application shall be filed with the secretary and shall contain the well number, a general description of the well location, the name and address of the owner of the surface land upon which the well is located, a copy of or record reference to a deed, lease or other document which entitles the Enr CS HB 3336 applicant to enter upon the surface land, a description of the methods by which the well was previously plugged, and a description of the method by which such applicant proposes to clean out and replug the well.

At 9 Eng CS HB 3336 the time an application is filed with the secretary, a copy shall be mailed by registered or certified mail to the owner or owners of the land, and the oil and gas lessee of record, if any, of the site upon which the well is located.

(1) Where intermediate and freshwater casing strings are not cemented to the surface, any uncemented production casing strings must be removed, but the remaining uncemented Enr CS HB 3336 casing strings may remain in place and be perforated at depths where cement plugs are set according to existing requirements and standards, to allow for cement to enter the casing annulus as plugs are 10 Eng CS HB 3336 set.

(g)(h)(h) All persons adversely affected, by a determination or order of the secretary issued pursuant to the provisions of this section shall be entitled to judicial review in accordance with the provisions of §29A-5-1 et seq.

Any well that is not defined as a "modern well" shall be defined as a "non-modern well." 11Enr CS HB 3336 The Clerk of the House of Delegates and the Clerk of the Senate hereby certify that the foregoing bill is correctly enrolled.

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Clerk of the House of Delegates ...............................................................

Clerk of the Senate Originated in the House of Delegates.

In effect 90 days from passage.

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Speaker of the House of Delegates ...............................................................

President of the Senate __________ The within is ................................................

this the...........................................

Day of ..........................................................................................................., 2025.

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Governor 13