Huntington Beach Municipal Code Ch. 15.08 Definitions

The terms used in this title shall, unless the context indicates otherwise, have the respective meanings herein set forth.

"Abandonment"

shall mean operations on any well which will bring the well to the level of compliance defined below under "properly abandoned well," and the cleaning and restoration of the well site as required by the Huntington Beach Oil Code.

"Approved type" and "approved design"

shall mean and include improvements, equipment or facilities of a type or design approved by the Community Development Department, Fire Department, or Public Works Department.

"Blowout preventer"

shall mean a mechanical, hydraulic, pneumatic or other device or combination of such devices, secured to the top of a well casing, including valves, fittings, and control mechanism connected therewith which can be closed around the drill pipe or other tubular goods which completely closes the top of the casing and is designed for preventing blowout.

"Cellar"

shall mean an excavation around and above the top joint of the casing of a well.

Completion of Drilling, Redrilling and Reworking.

Drilling, redrilling and reworking is completed for the purpose of these regulations 30 days after the drilling, redrilling or reworking crew has been released through completion of its work or released by those so employing said crew.

"Department,"

unless specified otherwise in this title, shall mean the Fire Department.

"Derrick"

shall mean any portable framework, tower, mast, or structure which is required or used in connection with drilling, reworking, operating, or maintaining a well for the production of oil, gas, or other hydrocarbons from the earth.

"Desertion"

shall mean the cessation of operation at a drill site without compliance with the provisions of this title relating to suspended operations, idle wells, or abandonment.

"Developed area"

shall mean:

Any area within 150 feet of an occupied residential, commercial, or office/professional structure which is itself within 100 feet of another occupied residential, commercial, or office/professional structure; or

Any area within a public park, beach or recreation area which has been developed and opened for public use.

"DOGGR"

shall mean the Division of Oil, Gas and Geothermal Resources of the Department of Conservation of the State of California.

"Drilling"

shall mean digging or boring for the purpose of exploring for, developing, or producing oil, gas, or other hydrocarbons, or for the purpose of injecting water, steam or any other fluid or substance into the earth.

"Drilling equipment"

shall mean the derrick, together with all parts of and appurtenances to such structure, every piece of apparatus, machinery, or equipment used or erected or maintained for use in connection with drilling.

"Drill site"

shall mean the premises used during the drilling or reworking of a well or wells located thereon.

"Enhanced recovery"

shall mean any production method which involves the injection of water, gas, steam, or any other substance into the earth for the purpose of extracting oil or other hydrocarbons.

"Fluids"

shall mean any gas or liquid.

"Gas"

shall mean any fluid, either combustible or noncombustible, which is produced in a natural state from the earth and which maintains a gaseous or rarefied state at standard temperature and pressure conditions. It shall also mean the gaseous components or vapors occurring in or derived from petroleum or natural gas.

"Injection well"

shall mean a well or gas well used for the purpose of injecting water, wastewater, brine, hydrocarbons, steam or any other substance as a means of enhanced recovery, repressurization or disposal whether under pressure, gravity, or vacuum.

"Lessee"

shall mean the person who has executed an oil or gas lease or sublease, or the owner of the land or minerals, or his or her heirs, or who conducts or carries on any oil or gas exploration, development and operation thereof, or any person so operating for him or herself or others.

"Lessor"

shall mean the owner of surface or mineral rights who has executed a lease.

"Maintenance"

shall mean and include the repair or replacement of machinery, equipment, apparatus, structure, facility, and parts thereof, used in connection with an oil operation site or drill site as well as any other work necessary to reduce fire hazards or any hazards to employees, public health, safety and welfare.

"Multiple well site"

shall mean two or more wells within a fenced surface area primarily used for the drilling and production of oil. Where two wells are separated by a developable parcel, they will be considered separate sites unless both are enclosed by the same perimeter fence.

"New well"

shall mean a new well bore or well hole established at the ground surface and shall not include redrilling or reworking of an existing well. An abandoned well shall be considered a new well for purposes of drilling, redrilling, or reworking.

"Oil field recovery heater"

shall mean any steam generator, or air or water heater used in an oil field thermal recovery operation.

"Oil operation"

shall mean the use or maintenance of any installation, facility or structure used, either directly or indirectly, to carry out or facilitate one or more of the following functions: drilling, redrilling, reworking and repair, production, processing, extraction, enhanced recovery, stimulation, abandonment, storage or shipping of oil or gas from the subsurface of the earth.

"Oil operation site"

shall mean the physical location where oil operations are conducted except for any portion of the property which the surface owner is actively using for another purpose.

"Operator"

shall mean any person drilling, maintaining, operating, pumping, or in control of any well. However, if the operator, as herein defined, is different from the lessee under an oil or gas lease of any premises affected by the provisions of this title, then such lessee shall also be deemed to be an operator. In the event that there is no oil or gas lease relating to any premises affected by this title, the owner of the fee estate in the premises shall also be deemed an operator.

Outer Boundary Line.

Where several contiguous parcels of land in one or different ownerships are operated as a single oil or gas lease or operating unit, the term "outer boundary line" shall mean the exterior limits of the land included in the lease or unit. In determining the contiguity of any such parcel of land, no street, road or alley lying within the lease or unit shall be deemed to interrupt such contiguity.

"Owner"

shall mean a person who owns a legal or equitable title in and to the surfaces of the drill site or oil operation site.

"Processing"

shall mean the use of oil operations for gauging, recycling, compressor repressuring, injection, reinjection, dehydration, stimulation, separation (including but not limited to, separation of liquids from gas), shipping and transportation, and the gathering of oil, gas, other hydrocarbon substances, water or any combination thereof.

"Redrill"

shall mean recompletion of an existing well by deepening or sidetrack operations extending more than 150 feet from the existing well bore.

"Reworking"

shall mean recompletion of an existing well within the existing bore hole or by deepening or sidetrack operations which do not extend more than 150 feet from the existing well bore, or replacement of well liners or casings.

"Source of ignition"

shall mean any flame, arc, spark or heated object or surface capable of igniting liquids, gases or vapors.

"Subsidence"

shall mean the settling or sinking of the ground surface.

"Sump"

shall mean any surface impoundment or excavated depression in the ground, lined or unlined, that is used for separating crude oil or other organic liquids, water, or solids. Sumps shall be classified as follows:

Primary or first stage production sump is any sump which receives a stream of crude oil and produced water directly from oil production wells, field gathering systems, or tank systems.

Secondary or second stage sump is any sump which receives a wastewater stream from one or more primary sumps, a free water knockout device, a wash tank, or from intermittent or emergency streams.

Tertiary or third stage sump is any sump which receives a wastewater stream from the secondary sump or other separation process upstream of the tertiary sump.

"Tank"

shall mean a container, covered or uncovered, used in conjunction with the drilling or production of oil, gas, or other hydrocarbons for holding or storing fluids.

"Well"

shall mean any oil or gas well or well drilled for the production of oil or gas, or any well reasonably presumed to contain oil or gas. "Well" shall include injection wells used for the purpose of enhanced recovery, repressurization of the field, and disposal wells for the purpose of disposing of wastewater.

"Well servicing"

shall mean the maintenance work performed within any existing well bore which does not involve drilling, redrilling or reworking.

(3037-5/90, 4138-10/17)