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Oklahoma Oil and Gas Laws

Oklahoma oil and gas laws can be found in Chapter 3, Title 52 of Oklahoma Statutes.  The production of oil and gas in such a manner and under such conditions as to constitute waste is prohibited[i].

Powers and Jurisdiction of the Commission

Pursuant to 52 Okl. St. § 97, the Commission upon its own motion, or upon the petition of the Attorney General, or of the Conservation Attorney, or of the Director of Conservation, on behalf of the state, or of any operator, producer, or taker of oil from any common source of supply, to be affected by any such order, rule or regulation, filed with the Commission will have jurisdiction to make any and all orders, rules, and regulations.

Pursuant to 52 Okl. St. § 98, in all matters pertaining to the making, issuing, and enforcement of its orders, rules and regulations, the Commission shall have and exercise all of the following powers and authority:

  • Of visitation and of a court of record;
  • To administer oaths;
  • To compel attendance of witnesses;
  • To compel the production of books and records;
  • To punish for contempt any person guilty of any disrespectful or disorderly conduct in the presence of the Commission while in session;
  • To punish for contempt any disobedience or violation of the provisions of this act and of any of its orders, rules, regulations, and judgments made or rendered by it under and in pursuance of the provisions of this act;
  • To appoint or designate one of its agents or employees or one of the deputies to the Proration Umpire to act as Marshal of the Commission, who serves as such Marshal during its pleasure without additional compensation for such services, and who shall attend the sessions of the Commission, and when directed by it serves and executes orders, subpoenas, commitments and other process issuing from it.

Pursuant to 52 Okl. St. § 101, the Commission will have power with or without any notice of hearing to make and promulgate rules of procedure not inconsistent with the provisions of the statute to govern the filing, prosecution, hearing, and determination of proceedings authorized to be brought before the Commission and for the enforcement of its orders, rules, and regulations.  However, no order, rule, or regulation of the Commission and no order made in the enforcement will be held void or be reversed merely because the Commission may not have promulgated procedural rules.

Civil Actions

Pursuant to 52 Okl. St. § 116, if the Commission makes and issues any order, rule, or regulation for the prevention or prohibition of any waste prohibited by the statute, or by any order, rule, or regulation of the Commission and if the same is violated by any person, firm, trust, association or corporation, the Attorney General of the state, or the Proration Attorney may in the name of the state bring an action in the district court of the county.

If the oil or gas properties are operated in violation of such order, rule, or regulation of the Commission or wherein any such violation of any order, rule, or regulation of the Commission is committed for a prohibitory and/or a mandatory injunction, enjoining and prohibiting the offender from further violating the provisions of the statute and/or commanding and compelling such offender to obey such order, rule, or regulation; and such court is given jurisdiction to grant such injunction or such other relief as may be proper in the premises, and shall have power to grant in any such proceedings temporary restraining orders and/or injunctions[ii].

Appeals

Pursuant to 52 Okl. St. § 116, a temporary or permanent injunction granted under the statute can be stayed or superseded on appeal except upon order of the Supreme Court.  All suits brought under the provisions of the statute must be given, in the hearing and trial , by all courts in which the same are brought and prosecuted, precedence over other actions pending in said courts.

Penalties

Pursuant to 52 Okl. St. § 143, any person, firm or corporation violating any rule, regulation, or order of the Commission will be deemed guilty of a misdemeanor and upon conviction may be punished by a fine not less than One Hundred Dollars or exceeding Two Hundred Fifty Dollars.  Each day such a violation continues will constitute a separate offense.

Leases

Pursuant to 52 Okl. St. § 524, the use of natural gas, on the premises in which it is produced or in gathering pipelines located on lands in a proven gas field, to pump water to the surface for irrigation on such premises, is a preferred use, prior in order to all other uses to which such gas may be devoted.

Oklahoma Oil and Gas Laws

[i] 52 Okl. St. § 86.2, 52 Okl. St. § 86.3.

[ii] 52 Okl. St. § 116.


Inside Oklahoma Oil and Gas Laws