55-151. Application of intent to drill wells, required information; notification of surface owner; fee and contents; information to department of health and environment and county clerk; approval of a

55-151

Chapter 55.--OIL AND GAS
Article 1.--OIL AND GAS WELLS; REGULATORY PROVISIONS

      55-151.   Application of intent to drill wells,required information; notification of surface owner; fee and contents;information to department of health and environment and countyclerk; approval of application, when; conditions; compliance with rules andregulations.(a) Prior to the drilling of any well, every operator shall file an applicationof intent to drill with the commission. Such applicationshall include such information asrequired by the commission, including the name and address of thesurface owner, and shall be on a formprescribed by the commission. Such application shall also includenon-binding preliminary estimates of the location of roads of ingress oregress, any tank battery and any pipeline or electrical line. The commissionshall, upon receipt of suchapplication, send a copy ofsuch application to the named surface owner, as well as the contactinformation, including name, address, phone number, fax or email address, for adesignated representative of the applicant. The commission need not send suchinformation if the operator verifies that the application filed with thecommissionhas been delivered to the surface owner.

      (b)   No change in the use of a well shall be made without express approvalofthe commission. The state corporation commission shall have theauthorityto adopt rules and regulations to fix, charge and collect a fee for anapplication of intent to drill a well, except that such fee for an applicationofintent to drill a well shall not exceed $300.No drilling shall be commenceduntil the authorized agents of the commission haveapproved the application. The agent, in giving approval,shall determine that the proposed construction of the well will protect allusable waters. Such approval shall include the amount ofpipe necessary to protect all usable water, plugging requirements uponabandonment and such other requirements deemed appropriate by thecommission.The commissionmay refuse to process any application submitted pursuant to this sectionunless the applicant has been in compliance with all rules and regulationsadopted pursuant to this act.

      (c)   The commission shall make available to the secretaryof the department ofhealth and environment information related to allnotifications of intents to drill.The commission shall make available to the clerk of anycounty in which a well will bedrilled information related to the intent to drillfor such well.

      History:   L. 1982, ch. 228, § 2;L. 1986, ch. 201, § 8;L. 1986, ch. 203, § 2;L. 2007, ch. 119, § 1;L. 2009, ch. 127, § 4; July 1.