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<law><site_title>Virginia Decoded</site_title><site_url>https://vacode.org</site_url><law_id>74768</law_id><section_number>45.2-1606</section_number><catch_line> Confidentiality</catch_line><edition url="https://vacode.org/2025/" slug="2025" current="TRUE" last_updated="">2025</edition><structure><unit label="title" level="1" order_by="1" identifier="45.2">Mines, Minerals, and Energy</unit><unit label="subtitle" level="2" order_by="1" identifier="IV">Gas and Oil</unit><unit label="chapter" level="3" order_by="1" identifier="16">Virginia Gas and Oil Act</unit><unit label="article" level="4" order_by="1" identifier="1">General Provisions</unit></structure><text>
						<section><p>The <span class="dictionary">Director</span> shall hold confidential all <span class="dictionary">logs</span>, surveys, and reports relating to the drilling, completion, and testing of a well that are filed by a <span class="dictionary">gas or oil operator</span> under this chapter for a period of 90 days after the completion of the well or 18 months after the total depth of the well has been reached, whichever occurs first. Upon receipt of a gas, oil, or <span class="dictionary">geophysical operator</span>&#x2019;s written request, the <span class="dictionary">Director</span> shall hold confidential such information concerning an <span class="dictionary">exploratory well</span> or corehole for a period of two years after completion of the well or four years from the date such well or hole reaches total depth, whichever occurs first. The <span class="dictionary">Director</span>, for good cause shown by the gas, oil, or <span class="dictionary">geophysical operator</span>, may annually extend the period of time for which information regarding exploratory drilling is held confidential. However, the <span class="dictionary">Director</span> shall upon request provide a copy of any survey or <span class="dictionary">log</span> for strata through the lowest <span class="dictionary">coal seam</span> to the <span class="dictionary">coal owner</span>.</p></section></text><history>1990, c. 92, &#xA7; 45.1-361.6; 2021, Sp. Sess. I, c. 387.</history><metadata></metadata></law>
