30 CFR 250.1716 : Mineral Resources (§ 1.1 To Parts 1291-1299) — (Parts 200-202 To Parts 591-599) — Bureau Of Safety And Environmental Enforcement, Department Of The Interior (Parts 200-202 To Parts 292-299) — Offshore (§ 250.101 To Part 285) — Oil And Gas And Sulphur Operations In The Outer Continental Shelf (§ 250.101 To § 250.1933) — Decommissioning Activities (§ 250.1700 To § 250.1754) — Permanently Plugging Wells (§ 250.1710 To § 250.1717) — To what depth must I remove wellheads and casings?

(a) Unless the District Manager approves an alternate depth under paragraph (b) of this section, you must remove all wellheads and casings to at least 15 feet below the mud line.

(b) The District Manager may approve an alternate removal depth if:

(1) The wellhead or casing would not become an obstruction to other users of the seafloor or area, and geotechnical and other information you provide demonstrate that erosional processes capable of exposing the obstructions are not expected; or

(2) You determine, and BSEE concurs, that you must use divers, and the seafloor sediment stability poses safety concerns; or

(3) The water depth is greater than 800 meters (2,624 feet).