Regulations governing filing requirements for well drilling and groundwater surveys (Reg. No. 1066 of 1996)

NOTE: Unofficial translation - for information only REG. no. 1066 of 19 November 1996: Regulations governing filing requirements for well drilling and ground water surveys DATE: Reg. no. 1066 of 19 November 1996 MINISTRY: Ministry of Petroleum and Energy DEP./DIR.: Energy and water resources department PUBLISHED: Avd I 1996 1612 ENTRY INTO FORCE: 1 January 1997 MOST RECENTLY AMENDED: AMENDS: APPLIES FOR: Norway STATUTORY AUTHORITY: ACT NO. 3 OF 15 MARCH 1940, section 11a Regulations governing filing requirements for well drilling and ground water surveys Section 1. Purpose These regulations shall help to provide public information about ground water resources. Section 2. Scope These regulations apply to drilling that is conducted for the purpose of the utilisation and/or survey of ground water for inter alia drinking water and industrial purposes, agricultural irrigation, all types of energy drilling, pollution studies and research and educational purposes. It also applies to all other ground water surveys for which a report is prepared. Section 3. Definitions In these regulations we use the following definitions: a) Ground water: water that through natural or artificial infiltration in the ground, beneath a certain level (the ground water table), completely fills up cavities, pores and open cracks in unconsolidated sediments and bedrock. b) Drilling: drilling in bedrock and the establishment of all types of wells in unconsolidated sediments. c) Report: a written comparison of one or more ground water surveys and/or an evaluation of ground water conditions. Section 4. To whom the filing requirements pertain The filing requirements pertain to anyone who performs or implements drilling and anyone who conducts some other survey of ground water and prepares a report on that survey. It is the person who performs the drilling who shall notify the Geological Survey of Norway (NGU). The disclosure requirement to NGU shall always be mentioned to the principal before drilling. Section 5. What the filing requirements entail After drilling has been completed, the person who has performed the drilling shall send notification to NGU as soon as possible and no later than three months after the completion of the drilling. Anyone who has performed some other survey of ground water and prepared a report about that survey shall send notification to NGU as soon as possible and within three months at the latest. All information that is submitted to NGU in connection with the filing requirements will be available to the public. In some cases, NGU can decide that information shall be treated confidentially for a period of time. Any confidential information will not be available to the public. The scope of the duty to report on executed ground water drilling or other ground water surveys for which a report has been prepared depends on the drilling and/or survey that have been performed: a) Drilling for water in bedrock The form, “Wells in bedrock and/or unconsolidated sediments” shall be filled out in accordance with the accompanying instructions and submitted to NGU. Correct localisation is of crucial importance. In the cases where water analyses have been made, the results of these analyses shall also be sent to NGU. The same applies to any test pumping that has been carried out. At the very least, all administrative information shall be filled out on the form. As an alternative to filling out the rest of the form, NGU may approve the attachment of supplementary boring logs, etc. In that case, all administrative information on the form, “Wells in bedrock and/or unconsolidated sediments”, shall be filled out at the very least. NGU must have given its authorisation before an alternative form may be used. b) Drilling for water in unconsolidated sediments 1. Tube wells. Cf. litra a. 2. Exploratory drilling, observation and monitoring wells. Cf. litra a. In this case, however, the form “Exploratory drilling, observation and monitoring wells in unconsolidated sediments” with accompanying instructions shall be used instead of the form “Wells in bedrock and/or unconsolidated sediments”. c) Other ground water surveys where a report has been prepared Notification (e.g. the cover of a report) shall be submitted to NGU, including information about: the party conducting the survey. purpose of the survey. where the survey was conducted (coordinates of municipality/municipalities, if known, etc.). complete bibliographic references with information about where the report can be ordered. NGU is granted authority to make minor changes in the content of the disclosure requirements with regard to the information that shall be provided in the forms. At any given time, NGU may also adapt the terminology in the forms to the terminology that applies in the field. Section 6. Date of entry into force These regulations enter into force starting on 1 January 1997.