Gas wells aren't going to be used forever and when they reach a point of abandonment, important protocols have to be taken so that this well doesn't cause accidents and environmental damage. If you're currently going through the process of gas well abandonment, these insights can save you stress and costs.
Make Sure Well is Safe to Work Around
Before you start digging into the ground and treating the gas well that's now abandoned, you have to verify safety first. That's going to keep you and any other contractors around this well stay completely safe throughout the duration of this abandonment process.
First you need to locate the gas well and make sure it's not structurally compromised. If it was and there was a possibility of a gas leak, you would need to hire the appropriate well team to come out and address these safety hazards before proceeding to subsequent abandonment steps. After the necessary safety precautions are taken, you can begin working.
Identify All Relevant Hazards
Even if you've made sure the environment around the gas well is completely safe for abandonment procedures to continue, you still need to keep in mind that there might be hazards. Identifying them is the best way to keep them from creating a stressful or costly incident moving forward.
Some of these hazards might include removing the tubulars, placing cement plugs, and reworking ground conditions after the abandoned well has been plugged. Go through every potential hazard that relates to these operations so that you can work smart throughout each stage of abandonment.
Review Protocols for Proper Documentation
You'll need to provide documentation on any abandonment process that happens to gas wells. It helps verify the right safety measures were taken and also gives insights to other parties that might be involved in land development around the area at a later date. Make sure you review protocols for proper documentation.
That's going to help you complete this step a whole lot faster, as well as avoid regulatory issues. You'll document every stage of this process, making a note of materials and resources you used. If you need further assistance, consultants can help ensure your documentation has the right formant and information.
If you plan on dealing with an abandoned gas well, it's always a good idea to review the various stages as carefully as you can. Then you can make sure your plans are able to limit things like hazards and additional costs.
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