Oklahoma § 17-53 - Promulgation of rules - Plugging wells

§ 17-53. Promulgation of rules - Plugging wells

A. The Corporation Commission is hereby authorized to

promulgate rules for the plugging of all wells subject to its

jurisdiction. All wells shall be plugged under the direction and

supervision of Commission employees as may be prescribed by the

Commission. Provided, however, the Commission shall not order any

oil well to be plugged or closed if the well is located on an

otherwise producing oil lease as defined by the Commission, unless

such well poses an imminent threat to the public health and safety

which shall be determined by the Commission after conducting a

public hearing on the matter.

B. 1. Any operator responsible for idle gas wells shall plug

or produce from such wells that have not produced gas for a

consecutive time period of twenty (20) years or more prior to the

effective date of this act pursuant to the following schedule:

Oklahoma Statutes - Title 17. Corporation Commission

a.

not later than July 1, 2028, the operator shall reduce

its number of idle gas wells by at least twenty-five

percent (25%),

b.

not later than July 1, 2031, the operator shall reduce

its number of idle gas wells by at least fifty percent

(50%), and

c.

not later than July 1, 2035, the operator shall plug

or produce from all remaining idle gas wells.

2. Any operator with an idle gas well that has not produced gas

for a consecutive time period of less than twenty (20) years prior

to the effective date of this act or with a gas well that is deemed

an idle gas well on and after the effective date of this act shall

have ten (10) years from the effective date of this act to either

plug or produce from the well.

C. Nothing in this section shall be construed to allow an

alteration or modification of the time frames prescribed in

subsection B of this section following the sale, lease, or transfer

of an idle gas well. The time frame commencing under subsection B

of this section shall be continual in nature.

D. The operator, owner, or other responsible parties may be

granted an exception to the provisions of subsection B of this

section for an idle gas well by demonstrating good cause to the

Commission. Good cause may include, but is not limited to, evidence

regarding the gas well’s future use for production, injection,

carbon storage, and geothermal energy generation, pursuant to

Commission rules.

E. As used in this section:

1. “Idle gas well” means a nonproducing gas well with respect

to which there has been no commercial production (i.e., from which

there has been no sale of natural gas) for the preceding ten (10)

years; and no reasonable case of good cause is made by the named

operator for its future use, including, without limitation, for

production, injection, carbon storage, and geothermal energy

generation;

2. “Nonproducing well” means a well that was drilled for the

purpose of producing hydrocarbons and that is currently shut-in or

temporarily abandoned;

3. “Shut-in” means a well that is completed, not producing, but

is mechanically capable of production and has requisite surface

facilities; and

4. “Temporarily abandoned” means a well that is completed, not

producing, and is not shut-in.

F. The Commission shall promulgate rules to effectuate the

provisions of this section and establish any necessary enforcement

measures.

Oklahoma Statutes - Title 17. Corporation Commission

Added by Laws 1917, c. 207, p. 385, § 3. Amended by Laws 1998, c.

340, § 1, emerg. eff. June 3, 1998; Laws 2000, c. 315, § 1, eff.

July 1, 2000; Laws 2025, c. 396, § 1, emerg. eff. May 29, 2025.