Sec. 8. (a) An owner or operator may delay the plugging and abandoning of a well that has been drilled, completed, and cased for production if the owner or operator satisfies the requirements for:

(1) deferring abandonment of the well under subsection (b); or

(2) temporarily abandoning the well under subsection (c).

     (b) An owner or operator of a well may defer abandoning the well for not more than one (1) year, or any lesser period prescribed by the division, if the well conforms to the requirements of this article and rules adopted under this article. To defer abandoning a well under this subsection, the owner or operator of the well must notify the department in writing that the owner or operator intends to defer abandonment of the well. The notice must be given to the department not more than sixty (60) days after the later of the following:

(1) The date of the completion and casing of the well.

(2) The date on which the operation of the well is terminated.

     (c) An owner or operator of a well may temporarily abandon the well if the well conforms to the requirements of this article and rules adopted under this article. To temporarily abandon a well under this subsection, the owner or operator must file with the division, on a form prescribed by the division, an application for temporary abandonment. The application must be filed not more than sixty (60) days after any of the following:

(1) The date on which the drilling of the well is completed.

(2) The date on which the operation of the well is terminated.

(3) The expiration of the period during which the owner or operator defers abandoning the well under subsection (b).

[Pre-1995 Recodification Citation: 13-8-10-8.]

As added by P.L.1-1995, SEC.30.