R 324.102 Definitions; A to M.

Rule 102. As used in these rules: (a) “Act” means the natural resources and environmental protection act, 1994 PA 451, MCL 324.101 to 324.90106. (b) “ANSI” means the American National Standards Institute. (c) “API” means the American Petroleum Institute. (d) Aquifer means a geological formation, group of formations, or part of a formation that is capable of yielding a significant amount of water to a well or spring. (e) “Authorized representative of the supervisor” means a department of environmental quality employee who is charged with the responsibility for implementation of the act or these rules. (f) “Blowout prevention equipment” means a casinghead control device designed to control the flow of fluids from the well bore by closing around the drill pipe or production tubing or completely sealing the hole in the absence of drill pipe or production tubing. (g) “Bottom hole” means the terminus of a wellbore. (h) “Brine” means all nonpotable water resulting, obtained, or produced from the exploration, drilling, or production of oil or gas, or both. (i) “Central production facility” means production equipment that has been consolidated at a central location that provides for the commingling of oil or gas production, or both, from 2 or more wells or production units of diverse ownership or from 2 or more prorated wells or production units. (j) “Conformance bond” means a surety bond that has been executed by a surety company authorized to do business in this state, cash, certificates of deposit, letters of credit, or other securities that are filed by a person and accepted by the supervisor to ensure compliance with the act, these rules, permit conditions, instructions, orders of the supervisor, or an order of the department of environmental quality. (k) “Directionally drilled well,” means a well purposely deviated from the vertical using controlled angles to reach an objective location. (l) “Drilling completion” means the time when a well has reached its permitted depth or the supervisor has determined drilling has ceased. (m) “Drilling operations” means all of the physical and mechanical aspects of constructing a well for the exploration or production of oil or gas, or both, for injection of fluids associated with the production of oil or gas, or both, or the storage of natural hydrocarbons or liquefied petroleum gas derived from oil or gas, and includes all of the following: (i) Moving drilling equipment onto the drill site. (ii) Penetration of the ground by the drill bit and drilling of the well bore. (iii) Casing and sealing of the well bore. (iv) Construction of well sites and access roads. (n) “Drilling unit” means the area prescribed by an applicable well spacing rule or order for the granting of a permit for the drilling and operation of an oil or gas well, or both. (o) “Facility piping” means piping that connects any of the following: (i) Compressors. (ii) Flares. (iii) Loadouts. (iv) Separators. (v) Storage tanks. (vi) Transfer pumps. (vii) Treatment equipment. (viii) Vents. (p) “Fence” means a structure that is designed to deter access and consists of not less than 2 strands of barbed wire, 1 strand being approximately 18 inches above the ground and the other strand being approximately 42 inches above the ground, secured to supporting posts or means an equivalent structure that deters access. (q) “Final completion” means the time when locating, drilling, deepening, converting, operating, producing, reworking, plugging, and proper site restoration have been performed on a well in a manner approved by the supervisor, including the filing of the mandatory records, and when the conformance bond has been released. (r) “Flow line” means piping that connects a well or wells to a surface facility. (s) “Fresh water” means water that contains less than 1000 milligrams per liter of total dissolved solids. (t) “Gas storage” means the use of a depleted oil or gas pool, salt cavern, or other porous strata utilized for the purpose of injecting and withdrawing gas from the depleted oil or gas pool, salt cavern, or other porous strata. (u) “Gathering line” means a pipeline that transports natural gas from a surface facility to a transmission pipeline. (v) “Geologist” means a person who is certified as a geologist by a credible geological professional association or who, by reason of his or her knowledge of the natural sciences, mathematics, and the principles of geology acquired by professional education and practical experience, is qualified to engage in the practice of the science of geology. (w) “Groundwater” means water below the land surface in the zone of saturation. (x) “Injection well” means a well used to dispose of, into underground strata, waste fluids produced incidental to oil and gas operations or a well used to inject water, gas, air, brine, or other fluids for the purpose of increasing the ultimate recovery of hydrocarbons from a reservoir or for the storage of hydrocarbons. (y) “Instruction” means a written statement of general applicability, that is issued by the supervisor, conforms with the act and rules promulgated under the act, and clarifies or explains the applicability of the act or rules to commonly recurring facts or circumstances. (z) “Mineral water” means water that contains 1000 milligrams per liter or more of total dissolved solids. (aa) “Multiple zone completion” means a well constructed and operated to separately produce oil or gas, or both, from more than 1 reservoir through 1 well bore.