“Abandonment” means the permanent plugging of a well in accordance with the requirements of the Department of Conservation, Geologic Energy Management Division of the state of California, and the removal of all equipment related to the well, including restoration of the drill site as required by these regulations.

“A.N.S.I.” means the American National Standards Institute.

“A.P.I.” means the American Petroleum Institute.

“A.S.T.M.” means the American Society for Testing Materials.

“Blowout” means the uncontrolled flow of gas, liquids or solids (or a mixture thereof) from a well onto the surface.

“Blowout preventor” means a mechanical, hydraulic, pneumatic, or other device or combination of such devices secured to the top of a well casing including valves, fittings, and control mechanisms connected therewith designed and capable of preventing a blowout.

“Building code” means the most recent edition of the building code as adopted by the city of Bakersfield.

“Cellar” means an excavation in which the wellhead is located.

“Completion of drilling” on a well site is deemed to occur for the purpose of this code upon: (1) initiation of disassembly or removal of the drilling rig from any one well on the drill site; (2) thirty days after setting of a well head on any one well on the drill site; or (3) thirty days after the drilling equipment has been removed from the site. Completion has not occurred if drilling, testing, or remedial operations are resumed on that one well before the end of any thirty-day period.

“Derrick” means any framework, tower or mast together with all the appurtenances to such structure placed over a well for the purpose of drilling, raising or lowering pipe, casing, tubing or other drilling, completion production or injection tools or equipment out of or into the well bore.

“Desertion” means the cessation of operations at a well site where suspension of drilling operations and removal of drilling machinery has occurred where the operator cannot be located or contacted, and no activity has taken place for at least six consecutive months, or production equipment or facilities have been removed and no activity has taken place for at least two consecutive years, unless the CalGEM has granted an extension of time pursuant to their regulations. This definition does not apply to observation wells.

“Geologic Energy Management Division” or “CalGEM” means that division of the Department of Conservation of the state of California.

“Drill” or “drilling” means to bore a hole in the earth for the purpose of completing a well, exploration or testing. Drilling includes all operations through the removal of the drilling equipment from the drill site.

“Drill island” means the discrete area zoned drilling island (DI) district in accordance with Chapter 17.64 of this code.

“Drill site” means the land required to be reserved in accordance with Section 15.66.080(C) as part of a rezoning, subdivision or other development for future drilling and/or production operations.

“Dwelling” means any building or portion thereof providing living facilities for one or more persons, including permanent provisions for sleeping, eating, cooking and sanitation, and includes both single-family and multiple-family residential facilities.

“Gas” means the gaseous components or vapors contained in or derived from petroleum or natural gas.

“Grade” (adjacent ground elevation) means the lowest point of elevation of the finished surface of the ground, paving or sidewalk within the area between the structure and the property line or, when the property line is more than five feet from the structure, between the structure and a line five feet from the structure.

“Hazardous well” means an oil or gas well that presently poses a danger to life, health, or natural resources as determined by the CalGEM under the provisions of the Public Resources Code.

“Idle well” means a well for which production has been suspended for a minimum of five consecutive years, except any well being held for future programs, including those being retained for use under a secondary or tertiary recovery plan or for disposal, which has been approved by the CalGEM but has not been abandoned or deserted as defined in this code and by the CalGEM. This definition does not apply to observation wells.

“Lessee” means the party possessing the right(s) to drill, develop and produce oil, gas or other hydrocarbons from the subsurface of land with said right(s) being specifically conveyed by a written oil, gas, mineral or surface lease.

“Lessor” means the party owning an interest in and to any oil, gas or other hydrocarbons as may be produced from a tract of land who has conveyed the right(s) to drill, develop and produce said substances to another party (lessee) by a written oil, gas, mineral or surface drilling rights lease. This party may or may not be the surface owner.

“Maintenance” or “maintain” means the upgrading, repair, cleaning, upkeep and replacement of parts of a structure and equipment. Maintenance of a structure does not alter or lessen the character, strength, or stability of the structure.

“N.F.P.A.” means the National Fire Protection Association.

“Noise sensitive receptor” means and includes a land use associated with human activities which is particularly sensitive to noise. Examples of noise sensitive receptors include hospitals, libraries, schools, residential uses, and those uses deemed noise sensitive by the city council or planning commission.

“Observation well” means a well bore for the purpose of observing petroleum reservoir characteristics, including, but not limited to, temperature, saturation, pressure, and fluid movement, as recognized by the CalGEM.

“Operator” means a person, including corporations, partnerships and associations, whether proprietor, lessee, contractor, or agent or officer of the same, in charge of or in control of the drilling, maintenance, and operation of a well or wells as shown on the permit application.

“Petroleum” means and includes any and all hydrocarbon substances found in a natural state, including, but not limited to, crude oil, natural gas, natural gasoline, and other related substances.

“Petroleum lease” means a property right with respect to which a lessee enjoys the right to drill, develop, produce and possess petroleum resources for a determinable period. May also be referenced as a subsurface lease or mineral rights lease.

“Production operation” means and includes all oil or gas recovery activities following completion of drilling, redrilling or testing of a well.

“Public assembly” refers to a building, structure or site, or portion thereof, for the gathering together or accommodation of fifty or more persons for such purposes as deliberation, education, worship, entertainment, lodging, medical care, amusement, drinking and dining, or awaiting transportation.

“Redrilling” means any drilling operation, including deviation from original well bore, to recomplete the well in the same or different geologic zone, excluding sidetracking.

“Remedial” means any work on a well, other than drilling or redrilling.

“Sidetracking” means drilling, excluding substantial deviation from the original well bore to recomplete a well in the same or different geologic zone.

“Sump” means a lined or unlined, covered or uncovered excavation pit which holds petroleum or other liquids incidental thereto, or solids associated with drilling or production operations.

“Tank” means a structure or container, with a minimum volume of sixty gallons, used in conjunction with either the drilling or production of a well used for holding, storing, or treating liquids or solids, or otherwise associated with drilling or producing operations.

“Uniform Fire Code” or “U.F.C.” means the most recent edition of the Uniform Fire Code as adopted by the city of Bakersfield.

“Well” means any hole drilled into the earth for the purpose of exploring for or producing oil or gas; injecting fluids or gas for stimulating oil or gas recovery; repressuring or pressure maintenance of oil or gas reservoirs; disposing of oil field waste fluids; seismic testing; or any hole drilled into the earth within or adjacent to an oil or gas pool for the purpose of observation of subsurface conditions.

“Well servicing” means and includes remedial or maintenance work or work performed to maintain or improve production from an already producing facility.

“Well site” means that surface area used for oil or gas drilling or extraction operations, for injection purposes in enhanced petroleum recovery operations after drilling is completed and oil and gas recovery activities following completion of drilling or redrilling of a well. A well site may include one or more wells. (Ord. 5086 § 1, 2022; Ord. 5020 § 13, 2020; Ord. 4715 § 1, 2012; Ord. 4058 § 2, 2002; Ord. 3477 § 1, 1992)