Kansas oil and gas laws can be found in Chapter 55 of Kansas Statutes. Pursuant to K.S.A. § 55-701, the production of natural gas in the state of Kansas in such manner and under such conditions and for such purposes as to constitute waste is prohibited.
Regulation of Production
Whenever the available production of natural gas from any common source of supply is in excess of the market demands for natural gas from the common source of supply, or whenever the market demands for natural gas from any common source of supply can be fulfilled only by the production of natural gas from the common source of supply under conditions constituting waste, or whenever the commission finds and determines that the orderly development of and production of natural gas from any common source of supply requires the exercise of its jurisdiction, then any person, firm or corporation having the right to produce natural gas from the common source of supply may produce only that portion of all the natural gas that may be currently produced without waste and to satisfy the market demands, as will permit each developed lease to ultimately produce approximately the amount of gas underlying the developed lease and currently produce proportionately with other developed leases in the common source of supply without uncompensated cognizable drainage between separately owned, developed leases or parts thereof[i].
Civil Actions
Pursuant to K.S.A. § 55-706, proceedings may be instituted before the commission upon petition of any interested party, or by the attorney general on behalf of the state, or on the motion of the commission, upon any question relating to the enforcement of this act or the promulgation, revocation, amendment, renewal, interpretation, extension, or the enforcement of any rule, regulation or order, or the determination of any right thereunder.
The state corporation commission has the right to maintain an action in any court of competent jurisdiction in this state to enforce by injunction, mandatory injunction and any other appropriate or legal or equitable remedy any valid rule, order, or regulation made by the state corporation commission or promulgated under the provisions of this act, and said court has the authority to make and render such judgments, orders and decrees as may be proper to enforce any such rules, orders, and regulations made and promulgated by the state corporation commission[ii].
Judicial Review
Pursuant to K.S.A. § 55-707, actions for judicial review of any action of the commission under the provisions of this act may be brought and proceedings respecting them shall be governed by and appeals may be taken as provided in K.S.A. 55-606 and amendments thereto.
Penalties
K.S.A. § 55-708 provides that in addition to any penalty that may be imposed by the state corporation commission, any person, firm or corporation, or any officer, agent or employee thereof, violating the provisions of this act, or any valid order or rules and regulations of the commission, shall be guilty of a misdemeanor and, upon conviction thereof, will be punished by a fine in any sum not exceeding $ 5,000, or by imprisonment in the county jail not exceeding thirty days, or by both fine and imprisonment.
Leases
Pursuant to K.S.A. § 55-205, when an oil, gas or mineral lease is given on land situated within the state of Kansas, the recording thereof in the office of the register of deeds of the county in which the land is located imparts notice to the public of the validity and continuance of said lease for the definite term therein expressed.
When any oil, gas or other mineral lease given on land situated in any county of Kansas and recorded therein become forfeited it is the duty of the lessee, his/her successors or assigns, within sixty days from the date of the taking effect of this act, if the forfeiture occurred prior thereto, and within sixty days after the date of the forfeiture of any other lease, to have such lease surrendered in writing, such surrender to be signed by the party making the same, acknowledged and placed on record in the county where the leased land is situated without cost to the owner thereof[iii].
[i] K.S.A. § 55-703.
[ii] K.S.A. § 55-709.
[iii] K.S.A. § 55-201.
