An Act amending the act of July 25, 1961 (P.L.825, No.359), known as the Oil and Gas Conservation Law, further providing for drilling permits.

PRINTER'S NO. 1769
THE GENERAL ASSEMBLY OF PENNSYLVANIA
SENATE BILL
No. 1358
Session of
2026
INTRODUCED BY YAW, VOGEL, STEFANO, HUTCHINSON, PHILLIPS-HILL,
ROTHMAN, PISCIOTTANO, FLYNN, BOSCOLA, J. WARD, ARGALL,
LAUGHLIN, BARTOLOTTA AND DUSH, JUNE 4, 2026
REFERRED TO ENVIRONMENTAL RESOURCES AND ENERGY, JUNE 4, 2026
AN ACT
Amending the act of July 25, 1961 (P.L.825, No.359), entitled
"An act defining and prohibiting waste in the production of
oil and gas; defining the powers and duties of the Oil and
Gas Conservation Commission and the Oil and Gas Division of
the Department of Mines and Mineral Industries with respect
to the prevention of waste in the production of oil and gas
from certain geological horizons; the protection of
correlative rights; the spacing of well drilling operations;
the unitization of lands and horizons for the purpose of
regulating well spacing; providing for the enforcement of
this act; and the issuance of rules, regulations and orders
prescribing the rights, obligations and duties of owners and
operators of interests in lands and leasehold interests
therein with respect to the drilling of oil and gas wells
thereon; providing for hearings and the procedures to be
followed therein; imposing duties upon the courts; providing
methods for the enforcement of the provisions of this act,
limiting all the provisions hereof to certain geological
horizons; imposing penalties and making an appropriation,"
further providing for drilling permits.
The General Assembly of the Commonwealth of Pennsylvania
hereby enacts as follows:
Section 1. Section 6 of the act of July 25, 1961 (P.L.825,
No.359), known as the Oil and Gas Conservation Law, is amended
by adding a subsection to read:
Section 6. Drilling Permits.--* * *
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(c) Notwithstanding subsections (a) and (b) of this section:
(1) Before drilling a well which is to penetrate the
Onondaga or deeper horizons or a depth of three thousand eight
hundred feet, whichever is deeper, and which is intended to
produce primarily from the Utica shale formation, the well
operator shall obtain a permit.
(2) The application for a permit under this subsection shall
be processed in accordance with the regulations promulgated
under 58 Pa.C.S. Ch. 32 (relating to development).
Section 2. This act shall take effect in 60 days.
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