No pipeline for the transportation of oil and/or gas shall be constructed, laid, repaired or replaced within the right-of-way of the city streets without approval of the city council. All oil and gas pipelines laid upon or across a public street or highway must be buried to a reasonably safe depth.
(1988 Code, ch. 4, sec. 2.22; Ordinance adopted 6/14/76, secs. 26, 27; 2010 Code, sec. 16-187)
It shall be unlawful for any person to use or operate, in connection with the drilling or reworking of any oil or gas well within the city limits, any wooden derrick or steam-powered rig, or to permit any drilling rig or derrick to remain on the premises or drilling site for a period longer than 60 days after completion or abandonment of the well. All engines shall be equipped with effective mufflers to minimize noise.
(1988 Code, ch. 4, sec. 2.23; Ordinance adopted 6/14/76, sec. 21; 2010 Code, sec. 16-188)
Drill stem tests may be conducted only if the combustible liquids and gases shall be disposed of or properly burned and the effluent remaining in the drill pipe at the time the tool is closed is flushed to the surface by circulating drilling fluid down the annulus and up the drill pipe.
(1988 Code, ch. 4, sec. 2.24; Ordinance adopted 6/14/76, sec. 25; 2010 Code, sec. 16-189)
Whenever available and practicable, electric light and power shall be installed in congested drilling areas. All well pump jacks shall be powered with electricity.
(1988 Code, ch. 4, sec. 2.25; Ordinance adopted 6/14/76, sec. 28; 2010 Code, sec. 16-190)
(a) 
The operator of any well in any field or area within the city shall be required to set and cement surface casing to a depth of 50 feet below the freshwater sands. The surface casing shall be of new or reconditioned casing and shall be set and cemented in accordance with the rules, regulations and orders of the state railroad commission for the field or area in which the well is to be drilled. Cementing shall be by the pump and plug method and sufficient cement shall be used to fill the annular space back of the casing to the surface of the ground with full returns or corrective measures must be taken. The cement shall be allowed to set for a period of 12 hours before drilling the plug.
(b) 
In any well drilled in any field or area within the city, the producing string casing shall be of new or reconditioned pipe which has been tested and withstood the maximum anticipated pressures to be encountered. Cementing shall be by the pump and plug method and sufficient cement shall be used to fill the calculated annular space back of the casing to a point at least 600 feet above the shoe or the highest production zone, whichever is applicable, and the cement shall be allowed to stand for a period of 12 hours before drilling the plug. After cementing, the casing shall be tested at a pressure in pounds per square inch calculated by multiplying the length of the producing string by two-tenths, being the maximum test pressure required. If at the end of 30 minutes the pressure shows a drop of ten percent or more of the test pressure required in this subsection, the casing shall be condemned. After corrective operations, the casing shall again be tested in the same manner.
(1988 Code, ch. 4, sec. 2.26; Ordinance adopted 6/14/76, sec. 29; 2010 Code, sec. 16-191)
A blowout preventer, control head and other connections for keeping the well under control at all times shall be installed as soon as the surface casing is set. Blowout preventers shall be of dual control, or of such type of construction and operation as to satisfy the requirements of the state railroad commission. All blowout preventer equipment shall have been tested under hydraulic test pressure at not less than the test pressure of the string of pipe on which it is installed. Blowout preventers and all control equipment shall be in good working condition and order at all times. Upon installation of the Christmas tree and wellhead connections, pursuant to section 4.08.077, the blowout preventer and control head and other control equipment may be removed from the well.
(1988 Code, ch. 4, sec. 2.27; Ordinance adopted 6/14/76, sec. 30; 2010 Code, sec. 16-192)
All completed wells within the city shall be equipped with Christmas tree fittings and wellhead connections with a rated working pressure equal to or greater than the surface shut-in pressure of the well. All wellhead connections shall be assembled and tested prior to installation by a fluid pressure which shall be equal to the test pressure of the fitting employed.
(1988 Code, ch. 4, sec. 2.28; Ordinance adopted 6/14/76, sec. 31; 2010 Code, sec. 16-193)
(a) 
It shall be unlawful for any person to use, construct or operate, in connection with any producing well within the city limits, any crude oil storage tanks exceeding 1,500 barrels capacity each, and each such tank will be constructed and maintained so as to be vapor-tight and equipped with gas vents. Each tank shall be surrounded with a firewall at such distance from the tank as will, under any circumstances, hold and retain at least two times the maximum capacity of such tanks. A permittee may use, construct and operate a steel conventional separator and such other steel tanks and appurtenances as are necessary for treating oil, with each of such facilities to be so constructed and maintained as to be vapor-tight. Each oil and/or gas separator and any other pressure vessel containing oil or gas under pressure shall be equipped with both a pressure relief safety valve and a bursting head.
(b) 
All battery and storage tanks, fired vessels and separators erected or installed shall be at least 100 feet from any residence or other private building and 150 feet from any public or parochial school, church, theater or public building, and 300 feet from any hospital building.
(1988 Code, ch. 4, sec. 2.29; Ordinance adopted 6/14/76, sec. 19; 2010 Code, sec. 16-194)
It shall be unlawful for any person to excavate or dig open pits for mud or other fluids in connection with the drilling operations hereunder. Above-ground storage tanks shall be installed on the premises for the purpose of storing drilling mud or other fluids necessary in the drilling operations on said premises. Such mud or other fluids shall be pumped out of such tanks and hauled off said premises by vacuum trucks, and any person operating hereunder shall be specifically prohibited from spreading any drilling mud or fluids on the leased premises or drilling site.
(1988 Code, ch. 4, sec. 2.30; Ordinance 1986-06, sec. 3, adopted 3/11/86; 2010 Code, sec. 16-195)
It shall be unlawful for any person within the corporate limits of the city to install any fired vessel or to operate any equipment with an open flame nearer than 100 feet to any well or storage tank, unless equipped with approved spark arresters.
(1988 Code, ch. 4, sec. 2.31; Ordinance adopted 6/14/76, sec. 20; 2010 Code, sec. 16-196)
Printed signs reading “Dangerous, No Smoking Allowed,” or containing similar words, shall be posted in conspicuous places on each producing well and tank battery.
(1988 Code, ch. 4, sec. 2.32; Ordinance adopted 6/14/76, sec. 22; 2010 Code, sec. 16-197)
Proper sanitation facilities must be provided for the use of workmen at a well site, in accordance with the directions of the building official.
(1988 Code, ch. 4, sec. 2.33; Ordinance adopted 6/14/76, sec. 23; 2010 Code, sec. 16-198)
(a) 
The premises of any oil or gas well shall be kept clear of high grass, weeds and combustible trash within a radius of 100 feet around oil tanks or Christmas trees around producing wells.
(b) 
Any rubbish or debris that might constitute a fire hazard shall be removed to a distance of at least 100 feet from the vicinity of wells, tanks and pump stations. All waste shall be burned or disposed of in such a manner as to avoid creating a fire hazard or polluting streams and freshwater strata.
(1988 Code, ch. 4, sec. 2.34; Ordinance adopted 6/14/76, sec. 23; 2010 Code, sec. 16-199)
Any person who completes any well as a producer shall have the obligation to fence the well, together with its surface facilities and storage tanks. In addition to fencing such facilities, the permittee shall screen all completions in a residential or retail business area. The screening may, among other means, be accomplished with the fence or a vegetation screen.
(1988 Code, ch. 4, sec. 2.35; Ordinance adopted 6/14/76, sec. 33; 2010 Code, sec. 16-200)
(a) 
Whenever any well is abandoned within the city limits, it shall be the obligation of the permittee to plug such well in accordance with the requirements set out in section 4.08.075(a), and to take any and all additional provisions or precautionary measures prescribed by the state or the state railroad commission in connection with abandonment and plugging of the well.
(b) 
In case of the abandonment of a well, it shall be the further obligation of the permittee or the operator of the well to cut the surface casing off at least three feet below the surface of the ground and to place at least a 25-foot cement plug in the top of the casing and to weld the top of the casing completely shut. The resulting hole in the ground must be completely filled to the surface of the ground and duly tamped.
(1988 Code, ch. 4, sec. 2.36; Ordinance adopted 6/14/76, sec. 32; 2010 Code, sec. 16-201)