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Slide 20

The result is a bad cement job with all of the possible pollution problems mentioned above. 

The driller is supposed to call the state inspector and let them know when the cementing will take place.  This is so the inspector can be there to make sure the cement returns to the surface and that the driller waits 8 hours. 

But there are 16 inspectors and 45,000 active wells, and in recent years 3000 well work permits a year (though not all permits become drilled wells).

This is one stage in the down hole drilling process where the surface owner can watch out for his or her own interest.  The company that does the cementing job keeps a record of the work called a “ticket”.  The ticket should tell when the job was completed.  The cementing company is required by state rule to post or at least leave that ticket at the job site.  (35 C.S.R. 4-12.1)