Nevada oil and gas laws can be found in Chapter 522, Title 46 of Nevada Revised Statutes. Pursuant to Nev. Rev. Stat. Ann. § 522.140, the statute applies to all lands in the State of Nevada lawfully subject to its police powers, as the State of Nevada is a sovereign state and not disposed to jeopardize or surrender any of its sovereign rights.
Powers and Duties of the Division
The division of minerals of the commission on mineral resources has jurisdiction and authority over all persons and property, public and private, necessary to effectuate the purposes and intent of this statute[i]. The division makes investigation to determine whether waste exists or is imminent, or whether other facts exist which justify or require action by it. The division also adopts regulations, enters orders, and takes other appropriate action to effectuate the purposes of this statute.
Regulation of Operation
A person desiring to drill a well in search of oil or gas should notify the division of that intent on a form prescribed by the division and should pay a fee for a permit for each well[ii].
Civil Actions
Whenever it appears that any person is violating or threatening to violate any provision of this statute, or any regulation or order of the division, the division should bring suit against that person in the district court of any county where the violation occurs or is threatened to restrain the person from continuing the violation or from carrying out the threat of violation[iii].
Penalties
Any person who willfully violates any provision of this statute, any regulation, or order of the division is subject to a penalty of not more than $1,000 for each act of violation and for each day that the violation continues[iv].
If any person, for the purpose of evading this statute, or any regulation or order of the division, makes or causes to be made any false entry in any record, account or memorandum required, or by any such regulation or order, or omits or causes to be omitted, from any such record, account or memorandum, full, true and correct entries, or by any such regulation or order, or removes from this state or destroys, mutilates, alters or falsifies any such record, account or memorandum, that person is guilty of a gross misdemeanor[v].
Any person knowingly aiding or abetting any other person in the violation of any provision of this statute, any regulation, or order of the division is subject to the same penalty for the violation by the other person[vi].
Leases
Pursuant to Nev. Rev. Stat. Ann. § 322.010, the administrator of the division of state lands of the state department of conservation and natural resources, as ex officio state land registrar, may lease any land except contract land now or hereafter owned by the State of Nevada, or which may hereafter be granted to it by the U.S.
[i] Nev. Rev. Stat. Ann. § 522.040.
[ii] Nev. Rev. Stat. Ann. § 522.050.
[iii] Nev. Rev. Stat. Ann. § 522.130.
[iv] Nev. Rev. Stat. Ann. § 522.120 (1).
[v] Nev. Rev. Stat. Ann. § 522.120 (2).
[vi] Nev. Rev. Stat. Ann. § 522.120 (3).
