{"data":{"id":"us-ok/okla.-stat.-tit.-17-17-53.2","jurisdiction":"us-ok","citation":"Okla. Stat. tit. 17, § 17-53.2","heading":"Removal of operating equipment, production and storage","body":"structures, supplies and equipment, surface debris, abutment or\n\nobstacle - Filling of certain pits - Grading or terracing certain\n\ndisturbed land - Release - Extension of time.\n\nA. The Corporation Commission shall prescribe and promulgate\n\nrules and regulations which require the lease operator to remove all\n\nunnecessary operating equipment, structures, surface debris,\n\nabutment or obstacles used in the operation of the well from the\n\nland upon which the well is located, and shall grade or terrace the\n\nsurface of the soil as required in this section unless the owner of\n\nthe land and the lease operator have entered into a contract\n\nproviding otherwise. Provided, however, the provisions of this\n\nsection shall not apply to Osage County.\n\nB. Within twelve (12) months after the completion of a\n\nproducing well, the operator shall fill all the pits for containing\n\nmuds, cuttings, salt water or oil that are not needed for production\n\npurposes or are not required by state or federal law or regulation\n\nand shall remove all concrete bases, drilling supplies and drilling\n\nequipment and all other equipment not necessary for producing said\n\nwell, excluding guy line anchors. Within such period, the operator\n\nshall grade or terrace the land surface within the area disturbed in\n\nsiting, drilling, completing and producing the well which land is\n\nnot required in production of the well.\n\nC. Within twelve (12) months after a well that has produced oil\n\nor gas is plugged or after the plugging of a dry hole, the operator\n\nshall remove all production and storage structures, supplies and\n\nequipment and any oil, salt water and debris and fill any remaining\n\nexcavations. Within such period, the operator shall grade or\n\nterrace the area disturbed.\n\nD. The operator shall be released from responsibility to\n\nperform any or all requirements of this section on any part or all\n\nof the area disturbed upon the filing of a request for a waiver with\n\nand obtaining the written approval of the Commission, which request\n\nshall be signed by the surface owner to certify the approval of the\n\nsurface owner of the release sought. The Commission shall approve\n\nsuch requests unless it finds upon inspection that the waiver would\n\nbe likely to result in substantial damage to adjoining property,\n\nsubstantial contamination of surface or underground water or\n\nsubstantial erosion or sedimentation. If the Commission refuses to\n\napprove a request for waiver, it shall do so by order.\n\nE. This act shall also apply to the operators of a secondary or\n\nenhanced oil recovery unit that is or has been operated under a plan\n\nof unitization approved by order of the Oklahoma Corporation\n\nCommission and established by a proper certificate of effectiveness.\n\nNothing herein contained shall be construed to repeal the statutes\n\ngoverning the establishment and operation of such secondary or\n\nenhanced recovery unit.\n\nF. The Commission may, upon written application by an operator\n\nshowing reasonable cause, extend the period within which restoration\n\nshall be completed, but not to exceed a further six-month period,\n\nexcept under extraordinarily adverse weather conditions or when\n\nessential equipment, fuel or labor is unavailable to the operator.\n\nIf the Commission refuses to approve a request for waiver or\n\nextension, it shall do so by order.\n\nG. The provisions of this section shall also apply to the\n\ndrilling of or conversion to a saltwater disposal or injection well\n\nand to any operation in connection with reentering or reworking any\n\noil and gas well or saltwater injection or disposal well.","path":["OK Code","Title 17"],"source_url":"https://www.oklegislature.gov/OK_Statutes/CompleteTitles/os17.pdf","current_through":"2026-08-14","vintage":"open-us-law v2026.08, retrieved 2026-09-14","retrieved_at":"2026-09-14T18:32:36Z","sha256":"468c3a316d594eb98319b529bfa1b53cda50c1bbceccbcfb313ce7fbda9c342d","source_id":"us-ok","stale":false,"prev":"us-ok/okla.-stat.-tit.-17-17-53.1","next":"us-ok/okla.-stat.-tit.-17-17-53.3"},"notice":"GroundRules: Original legal text. Not legal advice."}