ASTM D6285-99

NOTICE: This standard has either been superseded and replaced by a new version or withdrawn.
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Designation:D6285–99
Standard Guide for
Locating Abandoned Wells
This standard is issued under the fixed designation D 6285; the number immediately following the designation indicates the year of
original adoption or, in the case of revision, the year of last revision. A number in parentheses indicates the year of last reapproval. A
superscript epsilon (e) indicates an editorial change since the last revision or reapproval.
INTRODUCTION
This guide for locating abandoned wells, provides general procedures and suggestions for
identifying the locations of wells that are installed for the purposes of oil and gas exploration or
production, or for ground water exploration, supply, monitoring, remediation, or injection, and
subsequently have been abandoned. Not all states require documentation of such abandonment; thus,
this guide has been prepared to provide direction for determining the locations of those abandoned
wells.
1. Scope D 5092 Practice for Design and Installation of Ground
Water Monitoring Wells in Aquifers
1.1 This guide provides an approach to selecting and imple-
D 5299 Guide for Decommissioning of Ground Water
menting a program to identify the locations of abandoned
Wells, Vadose Zone Monitoring Devices, Boreholes, and
wells. This guide provides descriptions of methods to be used
Other Devices for Environmental Activities
as starting points in the search for these locations. It is not
D 5518 Guide for Acquisition of File Aerial Photography
intended to be a step-by-step procedure to conduct the search
and Imagery for Establishing Historic Site-Use and Surfi-
program. This guide also provides listings of government
cial Conditions
agencies that may have well location information. It is under-
PS 78 Provisional Guide for Selecting Surface Geophysical
stood that addresses and phone numbers change and that the
Methods
included information may not be accurate in the future.
1.2 The described methods are approaches that have been
3. Significance and Use
used at many sites across the United States. Other methods
3.1 Millions of oil and gas wells, water supply wells, and
may be appropriate. Typically, several approaches are used to
wells installed for environmental monitoring and remediation
obtain acceptable confirmation of well locations. This guide is
purposes, have been abandoned. The need to determine the
not limited to specific wells. The method chosen should be
locations of these abandoned wells is based on safety and
appropriate for the size of the area being searched and the type
threats to the environment. Improperly constructed or aban-
of well being located. Some well types and construction
doned wells may pose a safety threat to humans and animals,
materials may preclude their detection by any of the methods
may be sources of brines and other undesirable fluids coming
described.
to the surface, may be conduits for transport of contamination
1.3 This guide offers an organized collection of information
from the surface to the substrate, or may cross-contaminate
or series of options and does not recommend a specific course
water-bearing zones in the subsurface.All states do not require
of action. This guide cannot replace education and experience
documentation of the abandonment of wells and may not have
and should be used in conjunction with professional judge-
specific requirements for abandonment procedures.
ment.
4. Methods for Locating Abandoned Wells Whose
2. Referenced Documents
Locations Have Been Recorded, Observed, or Marked
2.1 ASTM Standards:
at the Surface
D 653 Terminology Relating to Soil, Rock, and Contained
2 4.1 Records Search—Information regarding the potential
Fluids
location, type, age, method of abandonment, and other perti-
nent information about wells often can be determined by a
thorough review of local, state, or federal records. Many states
This guide is under the jurisdiction ofASTM Committee D18 on Soil and Rock
and is the direct responsibility of Subcommittee D18.21 on Ground Water and
and other governmental agencies have reporting requirements
Vadose Zone Investigations.
Current edition approved Nov. 10, 1999. Published January 2000. Originally
published as D 6285 – 98. Last previous edition D 6285 – 98.
2 3
Annual Book of ASTM Standards, Vol 04.08. Annual Book of ASTM Standards, Vol 04.09.
Copyright © ASTM International, 100 Barr Harbor Drive, PO Box C700, West Conshohocken, PA 19428-2959, United States.
D6285–99
for both the installation and abandonment of all types of wells. proprietary data. The initial purpose for conducting the inter-
Typically, oil and gas wells are controlled by separate agencies view should dictate the type and format of interview documen-
from water and environmental wells. With the recent prolifera- tation.
tion of environmental studies, the number of agencies that may 4.6 Reconnaissance—Actual site visits may identify the
maintain these records has increased. locations of abandoned wells whose surface locations have
been marked or whose installation or abandonment have left
4.2 Local Agencies—Local (city and county) agencies typi-
soil disturbances that are identifiable as well-related.
cally retain records of oil and gas leasing agreements, tax
records, plat maps, property ownership maps, and other related
5. Airborne and Space-Based Photographic and Other
information. Information on municipal wells often is retained
Methods for Locating Abandoned Wells Whose
in local courthouses.
Locations Are Unknown
4.3 State Agencies—Most states have several agencies that
5.1 Aerial Photographs—Aerial photographs may be used
maintain records of drilled wells. Some states maintain sophis-
to detect the surface disturbance associated with well drilling
ticated computer databases, others maintain paper records.
activities or the actual surface equipment. Historical photo-
Location information also varies by state and can be by
graphs may document the actual drilling of now-abandoned
township, range and section, state plane coordinate system,
wells. Aerial photographs may be available at many different
UTM coordinates, or latitude and longitude. Drilling logs,
scales and from many different sources.
installation diagrams, production records, mechanical integrity
5.1.1 Thelargerthescaleoftheaerialphotograph,theeasier
testing reports, and other information often are available.
it is to identify features. Photographs usually are available at a
Injection wells information typically also is available.
low cost. Photographs, however, may not be available for a
4.3.1 A starting place for well record information is the
given area or may not be at an appropriate scale. Interpretation
State Geological Survey. If they do not maintain well records,
of the photographs should be performed by trained personnel.
they typically can provide direction to the proper agency.Alist
5.1.2 Sources of Aerial and Satellite Photographs—Many
of state geological surveys is provided in Appendix X1.
local and state governmental agencies have archives of aerial
4.3.2 Water well records are required in most states. The
photographs of their area of jurisdiction. In addition, a review
sophistication of record keeping and location detail is variable.
of the local telephone directory listing of companies that
State health agencies often maintain records for public water
provide aerial photographic services may provide sources of
supplywells.Alistofstateagenciesknowntomaintainrecords
aerial and satellite photographs. See Appendix X4 for a list of
of abandoned water wells and resource protection wells, for
agencies to contact.
example, monitoring wells, is provided in Appendix X2.
5.2 Other Remotely Sensed Data—Surface disturbances,
4.3.3 Within the states that produce oil and gas, a specific
associated either with the original well installation or with
agency usually has been given the responsibility for maintain-
leaking fluids from an improperly abandoned well, may be
ing well information. A list of state agencies that maintain oil
detectable using various remotely sensed data. These data
and gas well records is provided in Appendix X3.
include,butarenotlimitedtospectral,radar,andcolorinfrared
4.4 Environmental monitoring wells have become more
data acquired by satellite or aircraft. Spectral imagery may be
prolific within the last decade. Both federal and state agencies
used to detect vegetative stress resulting from either drilling
typically require documentation of the installation of these
activities or from the presence of saline or contaminated water
wells. The administrative records for specific Comprehensive
leaking from an abandoned well. Thermal infrared imagery
Environmental Response, Compensation, and Liability Act of
maybeusedtodetecttemperatureanomaliesresultingfromthe
1980 (CERCLA) as amended in 1986 by the Superfund
presence of metal casing. Spectral, color infrared, and radar
Amendments and Reauthorization Act (SARA) sites and Re-
imageryalsomaybeusedintexturalanalysistodeducesurface
source Conservation and Recovery Act (RCRA) sites are the
disturbances that may have resulted from drilling and well
best sources of monitoring well location information that may
installation activities.
not be available at specific public agencies. Other federal
5.2.1 Most of these data are available only in digital format.
agencies, for example, the Department of Defense (DoD), the
Appropriate computer hardware and software, as well as
Department of Energy (DoE), and the U.S. Geological Survey,
personnel trained inimage processing, may be necessarytouse
may have records of wells that have been installed at specific
these data. Relative costs per unit aerial coverage for data
government sites.
acquisition and processing may be high for small search areas
4.4.1 Refer to Practice D 5092 as it lists the minimum
but low for large search areas. Ground verification of wells is
amount of information required for documentation of each
necessary.
installation. Guide D 5299 lists information required to docu-
5.2.2 Sources of Imagery—See Appendix X5 for a list of
ment the abandonment of wells.
agencies to contact.
4.5 Interviews—Conversations or interviews with local
6. Geophysical Methods for Locating Abandoned Wells
property owners, longtime residents, and drilling contractors
Whose Locations Are Unknown
often provide information about the locations of abandoned
wells. Property owners often can identify specific well loca- 6.1 In general, metal detectors and magnetometers can be
tions. Drilling contractors often maintain internal records of used to detect metallic wells casing at various depths. Electro-
well locations. A careful explanation of the need for locating magnetic and resistivity methods can be used to detect both
certain wells is necessary sometimes to obtain access to these metallic well casings and fluids leaking from abandoned wells.
D6285–99
Ground penetrating radar may be used to locate uncased wells current generates a secondary electromagnetic field that can be
or wells with nonmetallic casings. detected by a receiver coil. The magnitude of the induced
6.2 Metal Detectors—Metallic well casings (ferrous or
current is a function of the composition and porosity of the soil
nonferrous)canbedetectedusingportablemetaldetectors.The
and the conductivity of pore fluids. Since metallic well casing
response of a metal detector us proportional to the area of a
usually is more conductive than the surrounding soil, its
metal target. The larger of diameter of the buried casing, the
presence may be detected by this method. Saline fluids leaking
easier it is to detect. Response also is inversely proportional to
from abandoned wells often are more conductive than sur-
the depth of the target.The coil of the metal detector must pass
rounding materials and may be detectable. Direct contact with
directly over the buried casing in order for the casing to be
the soil is not required for this method, and as a result, survey
detected, therefore, a closely spaced survey grid is necessary.
times may be rapid. Conductivity surveys should be conducted
Depth of detection for these metal detectors is usually 1 to 3 ft.
and interpreted by trained personnel.
Equipment usually is inexpensive and little training is required
6.4.2 Time domain electromagnetic methods are based on
to operate it.
the principle that currents induced in the ground decay rapidly,
6.2.1 Aspecial type of time domain electromagnetic sensor
producing a secondary magnetic field proportional to the
that uses relatively small loop transmitters functions as a metal
conductivity of the subsurface material. By measuring the time
detector with a greater depth of investigation and the ability to
decay of the secondary magnetic field as the induced current
detect larger objects than convectional metal detectors.
diffuses downward, a vertical electrical profile of the subsur-
6.3 Magnetometers—Ferrous metal well casings can be
face can be obtained. Depth of measurement depends on the
detected by a magnetometer survey. The response of a magne-
primary (induced) field strength and range from a few meters
tometerisproportionaltothemassofthetargetandisinversely
to more than a kilometer. This method is useful especially for
proportional to the target’s depth. A magnetometer may detect
detecting conductive fluids, such as saline fluids leaking from
a buried casing that is off the side of a survey line and may
an abandoned wellbore. These surveys must be conducted and
detect a casing that has been cut off below the surface.
interpreted by trained personnel.
NOTE 1—Themagnometerdosenothavetopassdirectlyoverthetarget
6.5 DC Resistivity—This method may be used to detect
as in the case of a metal detector.
saline water associated with a leaking abandoned well. The
Depth of detection using a magnetometer is much greater
resistivity method is used to measure the resistance of subsur-
than for any other method described. Large diameter deep well
face materials to the flow of electricity. Since saline fluids are
casings, such as those used in the oil and gas industry,
less resistance to electrical current flow than the surrounding
commonly are detected by airborne magnetometer surveys.
soil, their presence can be inferred by this method, which
Equipment is easy to use.
requires interpretation by trained personnel.
6.3.1 Surface magnetometer surveys can be used to detect
6.5.1 Resistivity surveys must be correlated with known
wells that contain ferrous metal casing at or near the surface.
subsurfaceinformation.Theindirectdetectionoffluidscoming
6.3.2 A downhole (borehole) magnetometer may be used
from an abandoned wells may be easier than the detection of
when the upper portion of the casing in an abandoned well i
...