(1) A person desiring to drill, redrill, or deepen a well in search of oil or gas shall for each such well:
(a) Apply to the supervisor of such intent on Form-1;
(b) Submit a completed environmental checklist;
(c) Provide information on drill site layout, blowout prevention equipment details, mud program, casing and cementing program, and mud pit details;
(d) Designate location and source of water supply;
(e) Indicate topographic features of well site including drainage patterns, and any associated surface waters and wetlands;
(f) Provide a narrative statement describing the proposed measures to be taken for protection of the environment, including, but not limited to, the prevention or control of:
(i) Fires;
(ii) Soil erosion;
(iii) Pollution of surface and groundwaters;
(iv) Damage to fish and wildlife or other natural resources;
(v) Air and noise pollution; and
(vi) Hazards to public health and safety;
(g) Provide such other pertinent information or data which the supervisor may require to support the application for the development of oil and gas resources and the protection of the environment including site reclamation procedures;
(h) Designate methods and site for disposal of waste materials and drilling muds that contain heavy metals or are considered hazardous waste;
(i) Notify the surface landowner, the landowners tenant, or other surface users in writing with a copy to the supervisor;
(j) Shall pay a fee, which is not refundable, in the following amounts for each application:
(i) For each well the estimated depth of which is three thousand five hundred feet or less, two hundred fifty dollars;
(ii) From three thousand five hundred one feet to seven thousand feet, five hundred dollars;
(iii) From seven thousand one feet to twelve thousand feet, seven hundred fifty dollars; and
(iv) From twelve thousand one feet and deeper, one thousand dollars.
The fee shall accompany the application and be in cash or check, drawn upon or issued by a Washington state qualified public depository payable to state treasurer, state of Washington. Upon receipt of the application, the fee, and other specified information, the supervisor may issue to such person a permit to drill, after completion of an inspection of the proposed drill site, unless the drilling of the well is contrary to law, or to a rule, regulation, or order of the committee. The drilling of the well is prohibited until a permit to drill is obtained in accordance with the provisions of this section. If the permit is disallowed, the supervisor will immediately notify the person in writing the reasons therefor. The permit will be on such form containing such conditions as the committee may prescribe.
(2) An operator shall be required to obtain a permit to deepen a well. The fee, which is based on the estimated depth of the well as per subsection (1)(j) of this section, is required for the permit to deepen a well previously drilled under permit. No permit is required for workover so long as the well remains completed in the same pool, provided the casing above the fresh-water shut-off depth is not to be disturbed or altered by the redrilling, conditioning, or testing to be performed.
(3) A permit, for which a fee of one hundred dollars is required, shall be obtained for a relatively shallow well or wells (less than 2,000 feet) (610 meters) not drilled in search of oil and gas but solely to obtain subsurface geological data: Provided, That holes drilled for the purpose of obtaining information about or sampling of the offshore beds of ocean waters shall be governed by chapters
344-16 and
173-15 WAC. Applications for a permit for a shallow well or wells shall comply with the provisions of subsection (1) of this section.
(4) Prior to the initiation of any seismic geophysical survey, the supervisor shall be given written notification on Form-1. Notification shall consist of:
(a) Name of the operator;
(b) Name of the geophysical contractor;
(c) Approximate locations including counties in which the survey is to be conducted;
(d) Type of seismic survey;
(e) Number of line miles to be surveyed;
(f) Evidence that a shoreline permit (RCW
90.58.140) has been obtained for proposals within two hundred feet of surface waters; and
(g) A notification fee of one hundred dollars per survey.
(5) A copy of each application received shall be transmitted by the supervisor within ten days to the department of ecology, department of social and health services, and general purpose local governments of the jurisdiction in which the proposed activity would occur or in the case of a city or a town a well proposed within a three mile radius of its municipal boundaries and other affected agencies as deemed necessary by the supervisor.
(6) A person shall not be issued a permit unless that person holds an ownership or contractual right to locate and operate a drilling operation upon the proposed drilling site.
(7) Designated representatives of general purpose local governments are requested to inform the supervisor in writing within ten working days of those local government zoning ordinances, permit requirements, or other factors, if any, which may apply to a well proposed to be drilled, redrilled, or deepened.