SF0156 • 2023

Oil and gas forced pooling-good faith negotiations.

AN ACT relating to oil and gas; specifying that oil and gas operators must negotiate with mineral owners in good faith; and providing for an effective date.

Energy Land

Inactive

Wyoming marks this bill as inactive, which usually means it is no longer moving in the current session.

Sponsor: Senator Boner
Last action: 2023-02-07
Official status: inactive
Effective date: 3/1/2023

Plain English Breakdown

The bill was marked as inactive by Wyoming, which means it did not become law during the current session.

Oil and Gas Good Faith Negotiations

The bill requires oil and gas companies to negotiate in good faith with mineral owners before applying for a drilling unit.

What This Bill Does

Requires oil and gas operators to negotiate in good faith with mineral owners who are not subject to a lease or other contract before applying for a drilling unit.

Who It Names or Affects

Oil and gas operators who want to apply for a drilling unit.
Mineral owners whose land might be part of a drilling unit but do not have an existing lease or contract for oil and gas development.

Terms To Know

Drilling Unit: A specific area where oil or gas is being drilled for.
Good Faith Negotiations: Talks between two parties that are honest and aimed at reaching an agreement.

Limits and Unknowns

The bill does not specify what happens if the negotiations do not go well.
It is unclear how this law will be enforced or what penalties might apply for non-compliance.
This bill was marked as inactive, so it did not become a law in its current session.

Bill History

2023-02-07 Senate
S:Died in Committee Returned Bill Pursuant to SR 5-4
2023-02-06 Senate
S No report prior to CoW Cutoff
2023-01-24 Senate
S Introduced and Referred to S09 - Minerals
2023-01-24 Senate
S Received for Introduction
2023-01-21 LSO
Bill Number Assigned

Current Bill Text

Read the full stored bill text

23LSO-0307
2023
STATE OF WYOMING
23LSO-0307
Numbered
2.0

SENATE FILE NO. SF0156

Oil and gas forced pooling-good faith negotiations.

Sponsored by: Senator(s) Boner and Barlow and Representative(s) Angelos and Strock

A BILL

for

AN ACT relating to oil and gas; specifying that oil and gas operators must negotiate with mineral owners in good faith; and providing for an effective date.

Be It Enacted by the Legislature of the State of Wyoming:

Section 1
.

W.S. 30
‑
5
‑
109 by creating a new subsection (k) is amended to read:

30
‑
5
‑
109.

Rules and regulations governing drilling units.

(k)

Before applying for a drilling unit under this section, each oil and gas operator shall negotiate in good faith with each owner of a tract or interest in a drilling unit who is not subject to a lease or other contract for oil and gas development.

Section 2
.

This act is effective July 1, 2023
.

(END)

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SF0156