§ 32-124. Cleanup and maintenance.

(a)

Cleanup after well servicing. After the well has been completed or plugged and abandoned, the operator shall clean the drill site or operation site, complete restoration activities and repair all damage to public property caused by such operations within 60 days.

(b)

Clean-up after spills, leaks and malfunctions. After any spill, leak or malfunction, the operator shall remove or cause to be removed to the satisfaction of the fire marshal and the inspection services provider all waste materials from any public or private property affected by such spill, leak or malfunction. Clean-up operations must begin immediately. If the owner fails to begin site clean-up within 24 hours, the city shall have the right to contact the railroad commission in order to facilitate the removal of all waste materials from the property affected by such spill, leak or malfunction.

(c)

Free from debris. The property on which a well site is located shall at all times be kept free of debris, pools of water or other liquids, contaminated soil, weeds, brush, trash or other waste material within a radius of 100 feet around any separators, tanks and producing wells.

(d)

Painting. All production equipment shall be painted and maintained at all times, including wellheads, pumping units, tanks, and buildings or structures. When requiring painting of such facilities, the inspection services provider shall consider the deterioration of the quality of the material of which such facility or structure is constructed, the degree of rust, and its appearance. Paint shall be of a neutral color, compatible with surrounding uses. Neutral colors shall include sand, gray and unobtrusive shades of brown, or other neutral colors approved by the inspector.

(e)

Blowouts. In the event of the loss of control of any well, the operator shall immediately take all reasonable steps to regain control regardless of any other provision of this article and shall notify the inspection services provider as soon as practicable. The inspection services provider shall certify in writing, briefly describing the same, to the official designated by the city administrator. If the inspection services provider, in his opinion, believes that danger to persons and property exists because of such loss of well control and that the operator is not taking or is unable to take all reasonable and necessary steps to regain control of such well, the inspection services provider may then employ any well control expert or experts or other contractors or suppliers of special services, or may incur any other expenses for labor and material which the inspection services provider deems necessary to regain control of such well. The city shall then have a valid lien against the interest in the well of all working interest owners to secure payment of any expenditure made by the city pursuant to such action of the inspection services provider in gaining control of the well.

(Code 1994, § 4.722; Ord. No. 496, § 1, 8-18-2010)