{"data":{"id":"us-ky/krs-353.160","jurisdiction":"us-ky","citation":"KRS 353.160","heading":"Gas waste to be prevented -- Presumption of negligence.","body":"(1) Except as otherwise provided in this section, natural gas shall not be permitted to\nwaste or escape from any well or pipeline, when it is reasonably possible to prevent\nsuch waste, after the owner or operator of the gas, or of the well or pipeline, has had\na reasonable time to shut the gas in the well, or to make the necessary repairs to the\nwell or pipeline to prevent such waste.\n(2) If, in the process of drilling a well for oil or gas, or both, gas is found in the well,\nand the owner or operator desires to continue to search for oil or gas, or both, by\ndrilling deeper in search of lower oil or gas -bearing strata, or if it becomes\nnecessary to make repairs to any well producing gas, commonly known as \"cleaning\nout,\" and if in either event it is necessary for the gas in the well to escape during the\nprocess of drilling or making repairs, the owner or operator of the well shall\nprosecute the drilling or repairs with reasonable diligence so that the waste of gas\nfrom the well shall not continue longer than rea sonably necessary and if, during the\nprogress of such drilling or repairs, any temporary suspension becomes necessary,\nthe owner or operator shall use all reasonable means to shut in the gas and prevent\nits waste.\n(3) Where both oil and gas are found and produced from the same stratum and it is\nnecessary for the gas therefrom to waste in the process of producing the oil, the\nowner or operator shall use all reasonable diligence to conserve and save from\nwaste so much of the gas as it is reasonably possible to save.\n(4) In all cases of waste under this section it may be presumed that the waste was due to\nthe negligence of the operator.","path":["KRS Chapter 353"],"source_url":"https://apps.legislature.ky.gov/law/statutes/statute.aspx?id=33065","current_through":"Includes enactments through the 2026 Regular Session","vintage":"09/05/2026","retrieved_at":"2026-09-05T20:58:39Z","sha256":"7c6248216b90f0a57e0a4608ef8dd2412a9376de3d5ff2d597871be890c00b86","source_id":"us-ky","stale":false,"prev":"us-ky/krs-353.150","next":"us-ky/krs-353.170"},"notice":"GroundRules: Original legal text. Not legal advice."}