Guidance

Decommissioning onshore oil and gas wells drilled before 1 October 2013

Updated 19 September 2018

This guidance was withdrawn on

Following a review by the Environment Agency, cement waste arising from the decommissioning of oil and gas wells is no longer regarded as mining waste and as a result this regulatory position statement has been withdrawn.

Since 1 October 2013 you have needed a mining waste permit to manage the extractive waste from drilling and stimulating onshore oil and gas wells.

If you’re decommissioning a well drilled before 1 October 2013, and you comply with the conditions in this regulatory position statement (RPS), you do not need a mining waste permit to manage the extractive waste generated.

You do not currently need a permit under these specific circumstances because the Environment Agency has issued this temporary RPS.

Monitoring

You do not need to carry out groundwater monitoring following decommissioning if you comply with the conditions in this RPS.

Conditions you must comply with

You must:

  • have drilled the well before 1 October 2013
  • make sure there’s no evidence of pollution
  • make sure there is not a waste facility for managing extractive waste at the well site
  • make sure the well is a standalone site and is not part of a larger regulated facility, installation or mining waste operation
  • make sure that the only extractive waste you’ll manage is directly associated with the well decommissioning operation (such as material extracted from the well bore before sealing and waste cement from the sealing process)
  • notify the Environment Agency in advance, providing details on the location and depth of all wells you’ll decommission

You must not:

You must also comply with all other applicable legislation.

You must make sure your management of extractive waste does not endanger human health or the environment. You must not:

  • cause a risk to water, air, soil, plants or animals
  • cause a nuisance through noise or odours
  • adversely affect the countryside or places of special interest

Enforcement

An RPS means that the Environment Agency will not normally take enforcement action against you if you have not applied for a permit, provided:

  • your activity meets the description set out in this RPS
  • you comply with the conditions set out in this RPS
  • your activity does not, and is not likely to, cause environmental pollution or harm human health

When to check back

This RPS will be reviewed by 31 December 2019.

However, the Environment Agency may review this RPS before that date. Reasons for an early review include, but are not limited to, a misuse of this RPS or a pollution incident.

You’ll need to check back before using the RPS to see if it still applies.

Contact the Environment Agency

Contact the Environment Agency if you need help.

General enquiries

National Customer Contact Centre
PO Box 544
Rotherham
S60 1BY

Email enquiries@environment-agency.gov.uk

Telephone 03708 506 506

Telephone from outside the UK (Monday to Friday, 8am to 6pm GMT) +44 (0) 114 282 5312

Monday to Friday, 8am to 6pm.