Glossary
Browse the IADC Lexicon alphabetically or by category. Get comprehensive definitions of drilling industry terms.
Indian Lands
Definition(s)
Indian Lands
INDIAN LANDS shall mean those lands located within the exterior boundaries of a defined Indian reservation, including allotted Indian lands, in which the legal, beneficial, or restricted ownership of the underlying oil, gas, or coal bed methane or of the right to explore for and develop the oil, gas, or coal bed methane belongs to or is leased from an Indian tribe. Source: Oil and Gas Conservation Commission, Practice and Procedure, Code of Colorado Regulations, 2 CCR 404-1, February 2013. RegulationsHydraulic Fracturing Treatment
Definition(s)
Hydraulic Fracturing Treatment
HYDRAULIC FRACTURING TREATMENT shall mean all stages of the treatment of a well by the application of hydraulic fracturing fluid under pressure that is expressly designed to initiate or propagate fractures in a target geologic formation to enhance production of oil and natural gas. Source: Oil and Gas Conservation Commission, Practice and Procedure, Code of Colorado Regulations, 2 CCR 404-1, February 2013. RegulationsHydraulic Fracturing Treatment
The treatment of a well by the application of hydraulic fracturing fluid under pressure for the express purpose of initiating or propagating fractures in a target geologic formation to enhance production of oil and/or natural gas. Source: Oil and Gas Division, Texas Administrative Code, Title 16, Chapter 3, February 2013. RegulationsHydraulic Fracturing Fluid
Definition(s)
Hydraulic Fracturing Fluid
HYDRAULIC FRACTURING FLUID shall mean the fluid, including the applicable base fluid and all hydraulic fracturing additives, used to perform a hydraulic fracturing treatment. Source: Oil and Gas Conservation Commission, Practice and Procedure, Code of Colorado Regulations, 2 CCR 404-1, February 2013. RegulationsHydraulic Fracturing Fluid
The fluid, including the applicable base fluid and all additives, used to perform a particular hydraulic fracturing treatment. Source: Oil and Gas Division, Texas Administrative Code, Title 16, Chapter 3, February 2013. RegulationsHydraulic Fracturing Additive
Definition(s)
Hydraulic Fracturing Additive
HYDRAULIC FRACTURING ADDITIVE shall mean any chemical substance or combination of substances, including any chemicals and proppants, that is intentionally added to a base fluid for purposes of preparing a hydraulic fracturing fluid for treatment of a well. Source: Oil and Gas Conservation Commission, Practice and Procedure, Code of Colorado Regulations, 2 CCR 404-1, February 2013. RegulationsHospital, Nursing Home, Board and Care Facilities
Definition(s)
Hospital, Nursing Home, Board and Care Facilities
HOSPITAL, NURSING HOME, BOARD AND CARE FACILITIES shall mean buildings used for the licensed care of more than five (5) in-patients or residents. Source: Oil and Gas Conservation Commission, Practice and Procedure, Code of Colorado Regulations, 2 CCR 404-1, February 2013. RegulationsHorizontal Well
Definition(s)
Horizontal Well
HORIZONTAL WELL shall mean a well which is drilled in such a way that the wellbore deviates laterally to an approximate horizontal orientation within the target formation with the length of the horizontal component of the wellbore extending at least one hundred feet (100’) in the target formation, measured from the initial point of penetration into the target formation through the terminus of the horizontal component of the wellbore in the same common source of hydrocarbon supply. Source: Oil and Gas Conservation Commission, Practice and Procedure, Code of Colorado Regulations, 2 CCR 404-1, February 2013. RegulationsHorizontal Well
Horizontal Well―well with the wellbore drilled laterally at an angle of at least 80 degrees to the vertical and with a horizontal displacement of at least 50 feet in the pool in which the well is completed for production, measured from the initial point of penetration into such pool. Source: Natural Resources, Office of Conservation – General Operations, Louisiana Administrative Code, Title 43, Part XIX, March 2013. RegulationsHorizontal Well
“Horizontal well” means a directional well bore with one or more laterals that extend a minimum of 100 feet horizontally in the target zone. A well with multiple laterals from a common well bore in the same or different target zones or formations shall be considered one well. Source: Oil and Gas, New Mexico Administrative Code Title 19, Chapter 15, January 2013. RegulationsHigh Density Area
Definition(s)
High Density Area
HIGH DENSITY AREA shall mean any tract of land determined to be a high density area in accordance with Rule 603.b. Source: Oil and Gas Conservation Commission, Practice and Procedure, Code of Colorado Regulations, 2 CCR 404-1, February 2013. RegulationsHealth Professional
Definition(s)
Health Professional
HEALTH PROFESSIONAL shall mean a physician, physician assistant, nurse practitioner, registered nurse, or emergency medical technician licensed by the State of Colorado. Source: Oil and Gas Conservation Commission, Practice and Procedure, Code of Colorado Regulations, 2 CCR 404-1, February 2013. RegulationsGroundwater
Definition(s)
Groundwater
GROUNDWATER means subsurface waters in a zone of saturation. Source: Oil and Gas Conservation Commission, Practice and Procedure, Code of Colorado Regulations, 2 CCR 404-1, February 2013. RegulationsGroundwater
Subsurface water occupying the saturated zone. (GEMI, 2012). Source: Identifying and assessing water sources: Guidance document for the onshore oil and gas industry, International Petroleum Industry Environmental Conservation Association (IPIECA), 2014. Global StandardsGreen Completion Practices
Definition(s)
Green Completion Practices
GREEN COMPLETION PRACTICES shall mean those practices intended to reduce emissions of salable gas and condensate vapors during cleanout and flowback operations prior to the well being placed on production. Source: Oil and Gas Conservation Commission, Practice and Procedure, Code of Colorado Regulations, 2 CCR 404-1, February 2013. RegulationsGathering Line
Definition(s)
Gathering Line
GATHERING LINE shall mean a pipeline and equipment described below that transports gas from a production facility (ordinarily commencing downstream of the final production separator at the inlet flange of the custody transfer meter) to a natural gas processing plant or transmission line or main. The term “gathering line” includes valves, metering equipment, communication equipment, cathodic protection facilities, and pig launchers and receivers, but does not include dehydrators, treaters, tanks, separators, or compressors located downstream of the final production facilities and upstream of the natural gas processing plants, transmission lines, or main lines. Source: Oil and Gas Conservation Commission, Practice and Procedure, Code of Colorado Regulations, 2 CCR 404-1, February 2013. RegulationsGas Facility
Definition(s)
Gas Facility
GAS FACILITY shall mean those facilities that process or compress natural gas after production-related activities which are conducted at or near the wellhead and prior to a point where the gas is transferred to a carrier for transport. Source: Oil and Gas Conservation Commission, Practice and Procedure, Code of Colorado Regulations, 2 CCR 404-1, February 2013. RegulationsFlowlines
Definition(s)
Flowlines
FLOWLINES shall mean those segments of pipe from the wellhead downstream through the production facilities ending at: in the case of gas lines, the gas metering equipment; or in the case of oil lines the oil loading point or LACT unit; or in the case of water lines, the water loading point, the point of discharge to a pit, the injection wellhead, or the permitted surface water discharge point. Source: Oil and Gas Conservation Commission, Practice and Procedure, Code of Colorado Regulations, 2 CCR 404-1, February 2013. RegulationsFinancial Assurance
Definition(s)
Financial Assurance
FINANCIAL ASSURANCE shall mean a surety bond, cash collateral, certificate of deposit, letter of credit, sinking fund, escrow account, lien on property, security interest, guarantee, or other instrument or method in favor of and acceptable to the Commission. With regard to third party liability concerns related to public health, safety and welfare, the term encompasses general liability insurance. Source: Oil and Gas Conservation Commission, Practice and Procedure, Code of Colorado Regulations, 2 CCR 404-1, February 2013. RegulationsExploration and Production Waste (E&P Waste)
Definition(s)
Exploration and Production Waste (E&P Waste)
Exploration and Production Waste (E and P Waste)―drilling wastes, salt water, and other wastes associated with the exploration, development, or production of crude oil or natural gas wells and which is not regulated by the provisions of, and, therefore, exempt from the Louisiana Hazardous Waste Regulations and the Federal Resource Conservation and Recovery Act, as amended. E and P Wastes include, but are not limited to the following. Waste Type / E and P Waste Description Waste Type 01 Salt water (produced brine or produced water), except for salt water whose intended and actual use is in drilling, workover or completion fluids or in enhanced mineral recovery operations, process fluids generated by approved salvage oil operators who only receive oil (BS&W) from oil and gas leases, and nonhazardous natural gas plant processing waste fluid which is or may be commingled with produced formation water. Waste Type 02 Oil-base drilling wastes (mud, fluids and cuttings). Waste Type 03 Water-base drilling wastes (mud, fluids and cuttings). Waste Type 04 Completion workover and stimulation fluids. Waste Type 05 Production pit sludges. Waste Type 06 Storage tank sludge from production operations, onsite and commercial saltwater disposal facilities, DNR permitted salvage oil facilities (that only receive waste oil [B, S, & W] from oil and gas leases), and sludges generated by service company and commercial facility or transfer station wash water systems. Waste Type 07 Produced oily sands and solids. Waste Type 08 Produced formation fresh water. Waste Type 09 Rainwater from firewalls, ring levees and pits at drilling and production facilities. Waste Type 10 Washout water and residual solids generated from the cleaning of containers that transport E and P Waste and are not contaminated by hazardous waste or material; washout water and solids (E and P Waste Type 10) is or may be generated at a commercial facility or transfer station by the cleaning of a container holding a residual amount of E and P Waste. Waste Type 11 Washout pit water and residual solids from oilfield related carriers and service companies that are not permitted to haul hazardous waste or material. Waste Type 12 Nonhazardous Natural gas plant processing waste solids. Waste Type 13 Reserved. Waste Type 14 Pipeline test water which does not meet discharge limitations established by the appropriate state agency, or pipeline pigging waste, i.e. waste fluids/solids generated from the cleaning of a pipeline. Waste Type 15 E and P Wastes that are transported from permitted commercial facilities and transfer stations to permitted commercial treatment and disposal facilities, except those E and P Wastes defined as Waste Types 01 and 06. Waste Type 16 Crude oil spill clean-up waste. Waste Type 50 Salvageable hydrocarbons bound for permitted salvage oil operators. Waste Type 99 Other E and P Waste not described above (shipment to a commercial facility or transfer station must be pre-approved prior to transport). Source: Natural Resources, Office of Conservation – General Operations, Louisiana Administrative Code, Title 43, Part XIX, March 2013. RegulationsExploration and Production Waste (E&P Waste)
EXPLORATION AND PRODUCTION WASTE (E&P WASTE) shall mean those wastes associated with operations to locate or remove oil or gas from the ground or to remove impurities from such substances and which are uniquely associated with and intrinsic to oil and gas exploration, development, or production operations that are exempt from regulation under Subtitle C of the Resource Conservation and Recovery Act (RCRA), 42 USC Sections 6921, et seq. For natural gas, primary field operations include those production-related activities at or near the wellhead and at the gas plant (regardless of whether or not the gas plant is at or near the wellhead), but prior to transport of the natural gas from the gas plant to market. In addition, uniquely associated wastes derived from the production stream along the gas plant feeder pipelines are considered E&P wastes, even if a change of custody in the natural gas has occurred between the wellhead and the gas plant. In addition, wastes uniquely associated with the operations to recover natural gas from underground storage fields are considered to be E&P waste. Source: Oil and Gas Conservation Commission, Practice and Procedure, Code of Colorado Regulations, 2 CCR 404-1, February 2013. RegulationsEmergency Situation
Definition(s)
Emergency Situation
EMERGENCY SITUATION for purposes of C.R.S. §34-60-121(5) and the rules promulgated thereunder shall mean a fact situation which presents an immediate danger to public health, safety or welfare. Source: Oil and Gas Conservation Commission, Practice and Procedure, Code of Colorado Regulations, 2 CCR 404-1, February 2013. RegulationsEmergency Order
Definition(s)
Emergency Order
EMERGENCY ORDER shall mean an order issued by the Commission pursuant to C.R.S. §34-60-108(3). Source: Oil and Gas Conservation Commission, Practice and Procedure, Code of Colorado Regulations, 2 CCR 404-1, February 2013. RegulationsEducational Facility
Definition(s)
Educational Facility
EDUCATIONAL FACILITY shall mean any building used for legally allowed educational purposes for more than twelve (12) hours per week for more than six (6) persons. This includes any building or portion of building used for licensed day-care purposes for more than six (6) persons. Source: Oil and Gas Conservation Commission, Practice and Procedure, Code of Colorado Regulations, 2 CCR 404-1, February 2013. RegulationsDrilling Pits
Definition(s)
Drilling Pits
DRILLING PITS shall mean those pits used during drilling operations and initial completion of a well, and include: ancillary pits used to contain fluids during drilling operations and initial completion procedures, such as circulation pits and water storage pits; completion pits used to contain fluids and solids produced during initial completion procedures, and not originally constructed for use in drilling operations; flowback pits used to contain fluids and solids produced during initial completion procedures; reserve pits used to store drilling fluids for use in drilling operations or to contain E&P waste generated during drilling operations and initial completion procedures. Source: Oil and Gas Conservation Commission, Practice and Procedure, Code of Colorado Regulations, 2 CCR 404-1, February 2013. RegulationsDomestic Gas Well
Definition(s)
Domestic Gas Well
DOMESTIC GAS WELL shall mean a gas well that produces solely for the use of the surface owner. The gas produced cannot be sold, traded or bartered. Source: Oil and Gas Conservation Commission, Practice and Procedure, Code of Colorado Regulations, 2 CCR 404-1, February 2013. RegulationsDesignated Outside Activity
Definition(s)
Designated Outside Activity
DESIGNATED OUTSIDE ACTIVITY AREAS shall mean a well-defined outside area (such as a playground, recreation area, outdoor theater, or other place of public assembly) that is occupied by twenty (20) or more persons on at least forty (40) days in any twelve (12) month period or by at least five hundred (500) or more people on at least three (3) days in any twelve (12) month period. Source: Oil and Gas Conservation Commission, Practice and Procedure, Code of Colorado Regulations, 2 CCR 404-1, February 2013. RegulationsDesignated Agent
Definition(s)
Designated Agent
DESIGNATED AGENT, when used herein shall mean the designated representative of any producer, operator, transporter, refiner, gasoline or other extraction plant operator, or initial purchaser. Source: Oil and Gas Conservation Commission, Practice and Procedure, Code of Colorado Regulations, 2 CCR 404-1, February 2013. RegulationsDedicated Injection Well
Definition(s)
Dedicated Injection Well
DEDICATED INJECTION WELL shall mean any well as defined under 40 C.F.R. §144.5 B, 1992 Edition, (adopted by the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency) used for the exclusive purpose of injecting fluids or gas from the surface. The definition of a dedicated injection well does not include gas storage wells. Source: Oil and Gas Conservation Commission, Practice and Procedure, Code of Colorado Regulations, 2 CCR 404-1, February 2013. RegulationsD-J Basin Fox Hills Protection Area
Definition(s)
D-J Basin Fox Hills Protection Area
D–J BASIN FOX HILLS PROTECTION AREA shall mean that area of the State consisting of Townships 5 South through Townships 5 North, Ranges 58 West through 70 West, and Township 6 South, Ranges 65 West through 70 West. Source: Oil and Gas Conservation Commission, Practice and Procedure, Code of Colorado Regulations, 2 CCR 404-1, February 2013. RegulationsCubic Foot
Definition(s)
Cubic Foot
CUBIC FOOT of gas shall mean the volume of gas contained in one cubic foot of space at a standard pressure base and a standard temperature base. The standard pressure base shall be 14.73 psia, and the standard temperature base shall be 60° Fahrenheit. Source: Oil and Gas Conservation Commission, Practice and Procedure, Code of Colorado Regulations, 2 CCR 404-1, February 2013. RegulationsCrop Land
Definition(s)
Crop Land
CROP LAND shall mean lands which are cultivated, mechanically or manually harvested, or irrigated for vegetative agricultural production. Source: Oil and Gas Conservation Commission, Practice and Procedure, Code of Colorado Regulations, 2 CCR 404-1, February 2013. RegulationsCornering and Contiguous Units
Definition(s)
Cornering and Contiguous Units
CORNERING AND CONTIGUOUS UNITS when used in reference to an exception location shall mean those lands which make up the unit(s) immediately adjacent to and toward which a well is encroaching upon established setbacks. Source: Oil and Gas Conservation Commission, Practice and Procedure, Code of Colorado Regulations, 2 CCR 404-1, February 2013. RegulationsContainer
Definition(s)
Container
Container―a sump, storage tank, process vessel, truck, barge, or other receptacle used to store or transport E and P Waste. Source: Natural Resources, Office of Conservation – General Operations, Louisiana Administrative Code, Title 43, Part XIX, March 2013. RegulationsContainer
CONTAINER shall mean any portable device in which a hazardous material is stored, transported, treated, disposed of, or otherwise handled. Source: Oil and Gas Conservation Commission, Practice and Procedure, Code of Colorado Regulations, 2 CCR 404-1, February 2013. RegulationsContainer
Any portable device in which material is stored, transported, treated, disposed of, or otherwise handled. Source: Oil and Gas Division, Texas Administrative Code, Title 16, Chapter 3, February 2013. RegulationsContainer
“Container” means a receptacle for petroleum not exceeding 1,000 litres in capacity. Source: The Petroleum Rules, 1976, India, 1976. Regulations Source: The Petroleum Rules, 2002, India, 13th March 2002. RegulationsComprehensive Drilling Plan
Definition(s)
Comprehensive Drilling Plan
COMPREHENSIVE DRILLING PLAN shall mean a plan created by one or more operator(s) covering future oil and gas operations in a defined geographic area within a geologic basin. The Plan may- identify natural features of the geographic area, including vegetation, wildlife resources, and other attributes of the physical environment;
- describe the operator’s future oil and gas operations in the area;
- identify potential impacts from such operations;
- develop agreed-upon measures to avoid, minimize, and mitigate the identified potential impacts; and
- include other relevant information.