Expert: David Traugott - 5/15/2009

Question
If an oil company drills a hole to 4000 ft and for some reason the well won't produce, are they able to put a plug below the water sand and pierce the casing to convert the well into a water well? Is this something I can put into a lease?

Answer
Question #1:
The idea sounds good, but this procedure would have to be included in the well permit, and oil companies are not interested in making water wells, so it is very unlikely that they would include this procedure in their permit application.  In addition, there are many risks involved with perforating the casing (and perforating can get expensive in a hurry); what if the guns get stuck??  what if we pull out of the tools and leave a fish in the hole??

Finally, there are very specific guidelines as to how an oil company must plug and abandon (P&A) a well, and any deviation from these guidelines must receive approval from the regulatory authorities.

Question #2:
No, I do not think that this is something that could be negotiated in a lease, but it never hurts to ask!