55-102. Control and management of oil and gas wells; unlawful acts, penalties; flaring, venting or use of gas permitted, when.
55-102
55-102. Control and management of oil and gas wells;unlawful acts,penalties; flaring, venting or use of gas permitted, when.(a) Except as provided in subsection (b), it shall be unlawful forany person, firm or corporation havingpossession or control of any natural gas well, oilwell or coalbed natural gas well, whether as acontractor, owner, lessee, agent or manager, to use or permit the use ofgas by direct well pressure for pumping of oil or for blowing oil out ofwells, or for operating any machinery by direct well pressure of gas, or toallow or permit the flow of gas or oil from any such well to escape intothe open air without being confined within such well or proper pipes orother safe receptacle for a longer period than two days after gas or oilshall have been struck in such well, exceptthat a reasonable time,not exceeding five days, shall be allowed such contractor, owner, lessee,agent or manager, in addition to such two days, in which toplace in the well the casing, tubing, packers and otherappliances necessary to properlyoperate the same and obtain the products therefrom or, in case suchcontractor, owner, lessee, agent or manager shall not desire to operatesuch well, to securely enclose the same, so as to prevent the escape of oilor gas therefrom, and thereafter all such gas or oil shall be safely andsecurely confined in such well, pipes, or other proper receptacle. Theprovisionsof this section shall not beconstrued to apply to the escape of gas or oil during continuous drilling.Any person violating any of the provisions of this section shall be deemedguilty of a misdemeanor, and shall be fined in the sum not less than $50nor more than $200, or byimprisonment in the countyjail for not less than 30 days nor more than six months, and each daythat the violation continues shall constitute a separate offense.
(b) Natural gas produced from natural gas wells or in connection withthe production of oil, or coalbed natural gas produced from coal seams orassociated shale, maybe flared, vented or used in any manner if such use,flaring or venting is authorized byorder or rules and regulations ofthe state corporation commission.
History: L. 1901, ch. 224, § 1; R.S. 1923, 55-102; L. 1983, ch.183, § 1;L. 2002, ch. 206, § 1; June 13.