PART IVWELLS

General duty13

1

The well-operator shall ensure that a well is so designed, modified, commissioned, constructed, equipped, operated, maintained, suspended and abandoned that—

a

so far as is reasonably practicable, there can be no unplanned escape of fluids from the well; and

b

risks to the health and safety of persons from it or anything in it, or in strata to which it is connected, are as low as is reasonably practicable.

2

The provisions of regulations 14 to 19 and 21 are without prejudice to the generality of the requirements of paragraph (1) save that, where regulation 17(2) places a duty on the duty holder for an installation, the well-operator is not under the same duty.