Aug. 5.] THE NEW ZEALAND GAZETTE. 2731

to decide the amount of water so introduced, and
after water is shut off they shall have power to
determine the eventual loss of water by the use of a
water-flush drilling system.

284. If the watering of a borehole is reported to
     the Inspector such Inspector shall as soon as possible
     make an inspection and give the necessary orders for
     dealing with the matter, or, if he deems necessary,
     the abandonment of the well, and the person or
     persons to whom such orders shall have been given
     shall carry the same into effect.

285. At any producing well where water is not
     completely isolated it shall be continuously with-
     drawn in order that the oil-bearing stratum shall not
     be flooded. If this is neglected the Inspector, at
     the request of the operator of the adjoining well,
     may order the withdrawal of the water or of the
     inadequate plugging at the unisolated well; and if
     such order is not carried out during the succeeding
     fortnight the Inspector may have the water or water-
     tight plugging withdrawn at the cost of the operator
     who was ordered to do it.

Abandonment of a Well.

286. (a.) The well-operator, when he purposes to
     abandon any well, shall send a written notice of his
     intention to the Inspector, and the work of plugging
     the hole or pulling the casing shall not proceed until
     the Inspector shall be present to see that the said
     plugging is done as prescribed by these regulations,
     except as hereinafter provided.

(b.) In case the Inspector fails to be present with-
in ten days from receipt of notice, then the work may
proceed, provided that two men who have had at
least three years’ experience in the plugging of wells
are present and make statutory declarations in
duplicate that the work was done in accordance with
the provisions of these regulations. Such statutory
declarations shall be filed with the Inspector, and put
on record in his office.

(c.) If the well was drilled prior to these regulations
coming into operation, the well-operator shall send
to the Inspector with the notice of abandonment a
description, together with a plan and section, show-
ing the position of the well.

(d.) Every well upon abandonment shall be plugged
and filled solidly and tightly from the bottom to the
top as follows: The hole shall be filled with rock-
sediment, sand, clay, or other suitable material from
the bottom of the well to a hard and firm stratum
below the last string of casing set in above the pro-
ducing oil or gas sands. If an Inspector declares
that it is impracticable to fill the cavity in the lowest
producing sand, then he shall permit the well-operator
to place plugs at the top of the lowest producing sand,
and to fill as hereafter described.

(e.) In the firm, hard stratum three seasoned
wood plugs of a diameter equal to the diameter of
the hole, and each of a length of at least 3 ft.,
shall be driven into place. Above the third plug
10 ft. of clay shall be placed and thoroughly tamped
down so as to prevent the passage of oil, gas, or
water.

(f.) Immediately below the seat of each and every
string of casing, there shall be driven a seasoned
wood plug as described, and all spaces between
wood plugs shall be filled solidly and tightly with
rock-sediment, clay, sand, or other suitable material
as the casing is withdrawn length by length. All
plugs shall be driven in place with proper drilling-
tools.

(g.) The locations of the plugs herein prescribed
are designated with reference to the relative posi-
tions of the gas and oil sands, for the purpose of
preventing the passage of water into the oil and gas
sands; and if any well presents a variation in such
relative positions of the said strata such additional
wood plugs as the Inspector may deem necessary
shall be driven into place by the well-operator.

(h.) When the work of plugging and filling from
bottom to top shall have been completed the well-
manager shall make a report in duplicate to the
Inspector, on forms to be furnished by the Inspector,
showing the date of completion of the well, the names
of and the depths to all productive oil or gas measures,
the total depth of the well, and the location and
kind of all plugs and filling used, and the method
followed in placing the same.

(i.) If the Inspector was not present at the afore-
said plugging and filling operations, the report thereon
shall also be certified to by two men who have had
at least three years’ experience in the plugging of
wells.

Installation and Use of Electricity.

287. The installation and use of electric light or
     power plants in the proclaimed petroleum district
     shall be in conformity with the Regulations for the
     Installation of Electricity under “The Mining
     Act,” applicable to well operations. In addition
     to which the following regulations shall also be ob-
     served, but should the first-named regulations con-
     flict with them the following regulations shall super-
     cede:—

(a.) All apparatus and conductors shall be of
sufficient size and power for the work
for which they may be required, so con-
structed, installed, protected, used, and
maintained as to prevent danger as far
as is reasonably practicable.

(b.) All conductors and contact areas shall be
of ample current-carrying capacity, and
all parts shall be so protected as to pre-
vent open sparking.

(c.) All signalling-wires and signalling-instru-
ments shall be constructed, protected,
and worked so that in the normal use
thereof there shall be no risk of open
sparking.

(d.) Adequate appliances, suitably placed, shall
be provided for cutting off all pressure
from every part of the system, as may
be necessary to prevent danger.

(e.) Adequate provision shall be made for
cutting off all pressure automatically
from the part or parts of the system