250.420—What well casing and cementing requirements must I meet?
You must case and cement all wells. Your casing and cementing programs must meet the requirements of this section and of §§ 250.421 through 250.428.
(2)
Prevent the direct or indirect release of fluids from any stratum through the wellbore into offshore waters;
(6)
Include certification signed by a Registered Professional Engineer that there will be at least two independent tested barriers, including one mechanical barrier, across each flow path during well completion activities and that the casing and cementing design is appropriate for the purpose for which it is intended under expected wellbore conditions. The Registered Professional Engineer must be registered in a State in the United States. Submit this certification with your APD (Form MMS-123).
(b) Casing requirements.
(1)
You must design casing (including liners) to withstand the anticipated stresses imposed by tensile, compressive, and buckling loads; burst and collapse pressures; thermal effects; and combinations thereof.
(2)
The casing design must include safety measures that ensure well control during drilling and safe operations during the life of the well.
(3)
For the final casing string (or liner if it is your final string), you must install dual mechanical barriers in addition to cement, to prevent flow in the event of a failure in the cement. These may include dual float valves, or one float valve and a mechanical barrier. You must submit documentation to BOEMRE 30 days after installation of the dual mechanical barriers.
(c) Cementing requirements.
You must design and conduct your cementing jobs so that cement composition, placement techniques, and waiting times ensure that the cement placed behind the bottom 500 feet of casing attains a minimum compressive strength of 500 psi before drilling out of the casing or before commencing completion operations.