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An Act
ENROLLED SENATE
BILL NO. 132 By: Burns and Green of the
Senate
and
Boles and Waldron of the
House
An Act relating to the Corporation Commission;
amending 17 O.S. 2021, Section 53, which relates to
plugging of oil and gas wells; clarifying
jurisdiction of Corporation Commission; directing
operators of idle gas wells to plug or produce from
certain wells by certain date; establishing maximum
time period for plugging certain idle gas wells;
defining terms; directing rule promulgation; and
declaring an emergency.
SUBJECT: Corporation Commission
BE IT ENACTED BY THE PEOPLE OF THE STATE OF OKLAHOMA:
SECTION 1. AMENDATORY 17 O.S. 2021, Section 53, is
amended to read as follows:
Section 53. A. The Corporation Commission is hereby authorized
to promulgate rules for the plugging of all abandoned oil and gas
wells subject to its jurisdiction. Abandoned All wells shall be
plugged under the direction and supervision of Commission employees
as may be prescribed by the Commission. Provided, however, the
Commission shall not order any oil or gas well to be plugged or
closed if the well is located on an otherwise producing oil or gas
lease as defined by the Commission, unless such well poses an
imminent threat to the public health and safety which shall be
determined by the Commission after conducting a public hearing on
the matter.
ENR. S. B. NO. 132 Page 2
B. 1. Any operator responsible for idle gas wells shall plug
or produce from such wells that have not produced gas for a
consecutive time period of twenty (20) years or more prior to the
effective date of this act pursuant to the following schedule:
a. not later than July 1, 2028, the operator shall reduce
its number of idle gas wells by at least twenty-five
percent (25%),
b. not later than July 1, 2031, the operator shall reduce
its number of idle gas wells by at least fifty percent
(50%), and
c. not later than July 1, 2035, the operator shall plug
or produce from all remaining idle gas wells.
2. Any operator with an idle gas well that has not produced gas
for a consecutive time period of less than twenty (20) years prior
to the effective date of this act or with a gas well that is deemed
an idle gas well on and after the effective date of this act shall
have ten (10) years from the effective date of this act to either
plug or produce from the well.
C. Nothing in this section shall be construed to allow an
alteration or modification of the time frames prescribed in
subsection B of this section following the sale, lease, or transfer
of an idle gas well. The time frame commencing under subsection B
of this section shall be continual in nature.
D. The operator, owner, or other responsible parties may be
granted an exception to the provisions of subsection B of this
section for an idle gas well by demonstrating good cause to the
Commission. Good cause may include, but is not limited to, evidence
regarding the gas well’s future use for production, injection,
carbon storage, and geothermal energy generation, pursuant to
Commission rules.
E. As used in this section:
1. “Idle gas well” means a nonproducing gas well with respect
to which there has been no commercial production (i.e., from which
there has been no sale of natural gas) for the preceding ten (10)
ENR. S. B. NO. 132 Page 3
years; and no reasonable case of good cause is made by the named
operator for its future use, including, without limitation, for
production, injection, carbon storage, and geothermal energy
generation;
2. “Nonproducing well” means a well that was drilled for the
purpose of producing hydrocarbons and that is currently shut-in or
temporarily abandoned;
3. “Shut-in” means a well that is completed, not producing, but
is mechanically capable of production and has requisite surface
facilities; and
4. “Temporarily abandoned” means a well that is completed, not
producing, and is not shut-in.
F. The Commission shall promulgate rules to effectuate the
provisions of this section and establish any necessary enforcement
measures.
SECTION 2. It being immediately necessary for the preservation
of the public peace, health or safety, an emergency is hereby
declared to exist, by reason whereof this act shall take effect and
be in full force from and after its passage and approval.
ENR. S. B. NO. 132 Page 4
Passed the Senate the 21st day of May, 2025.
Presiding Officer of the Senate
Passed the House of Representatives the 22nd day of May, 2025.
Presiding Officer of the House
of Representatives
OFFICE OF THE GOVERNOR
Received by the Office of the Governor this ____________________
day of ___________________, 20_______, at _______ o'clock _______ M.
By: _________________________________
Approved by the Governor of the State of Oklahoma this _________
day of ___________________, 20_______, at _______ o'clock _______ M.
_________________________________
Governor of the State of Oklahoma
OFFICE OF THE SECRETARY OF STATE
Received by the Office of the Secretary of State this __________
day of __________________, 20 _______, at _______ o'clock _______ M.
By: _________________________________