55-102. Control and management of oil and gas wells; unlawful acts, penalties; flaring, venting or use of gas permitted, when. (a) Except as provided in subsection (b), it shall be unlawful for any person, firm or corporation having possession or control of any natural gas well, oil well or coalbed natural gas well, whether as a contractor, owner, lessee, agent or manager, to use or permit the use of gas by direct well pressure for pumping of oil or for blowing oil out of wells, or for operating any machinery by direct well pressure of gas, or to allow or permit the flow of gas or oil from any such well to escape into the open air without being confined within such well or proper pipes or other safe receptacle for a longer period than two days after gas or oil shall have been struck in such well, except that a reasonable time, not exceeding five days, shall be allowed such contractor, owner, lessee, agent or manager, in addition to such two days, in which to place in the well the casing, tubing, packers and other appliances necessary to properly operate the same and obtain the products therefrom or, in case such contractor, owner, lessee, agent or manager shall not desire to operate such well, to securely enclose the same, so as to prevent the escape of oil or gas therefrom, and thereafter all such gas or oil shall be safely and securely confined in such well, pipes, or other proper receptacle. The provisions of this section shall not be construed to apply to the escape of gas or oil during continuous drilling. Any person violating any of the provisions of this section shall be deemed guilty of a misdemeanor, and shall be fined in the sum not less than $50 nor more than $200, or by imprisonment in the county jail for not less than 30 days nor more than six months, and each day that the violation continues shall constitute a separate offense.
(b) Natural gas produced from natural gas wells or in connection with the production of oil, or coalbed natural gas produced from coal seams or associated shale, may be flared, vented or used in any manner if such use, flaring or venting is authorized by order or rules and regulations of the state corporation commission.
History: L. 1901, ch. 224, § 1; R.S. 1923, 55-102; L. 1983, ch. 183, § 1; L. 2002, ch. 206, § 1; June 13.
Structure Kansas Statutes
Article 1 - Oil And Gas Wells; Regulatory Provisions
55-101 Natural gas for residents of platted land outside city; laying and maintenance of pipes.
55-112 Transportation of gas; standards for.
55-114 Penalty for violation of 55-112.
55-153 Advisory committee on regulation of oil and gas activities.
55-154 Certification of compliance with statutes and rules and regulations.
55-156 Protection of water prior to abandoning of well; penalty for noncompliance.
55-158 Submission of bond logs and surveys; penalties.
55-159 Notification of commission prior to setting surface casing or plugging; inspections; penalty.
55-160 Notification of commission prior to reentering plugged well; inspections.
55-161 Investigation of abandoned wells; integrity tests; costs.
55-164 Administrative penalties; procedure; costs and attorney fees; disposition of moneys.
55-165 Maintenance of information on wells.
55-169 Kansas surface owner notice act; citation.
55-169b Same; authorization for rules and regulations.
55-171 Permit required for the storage or disposal of salt water, oil or refuse in surface ponds.
55-172 Salt water, oil or refuse from wells; prevention of escape.
55-173 Notice prior to abandonment and plugging of wells; notification of surface owner.
55-174 Penalty for failure to notify of intent to drill.
55-175 Appointment of agents by the commission.
55-176 Commission's costs assessed against operators and agents; disposition of moneys.
55-177 Removal of structures and abutments from lands after abandoning wells; exception.
55-178 Abandoned wells; complaint concerning pollution or water loss; commission investigation.
55-179 Same; responsibility for remedial actions; hearings; orders; plugging.
55-181 Administration and enforcement of rules, regulations and orders.
55-182 Agents of commission; right of ingress and egress; restoration of premises.
55-186 Spill notification requirements.
55-192 Abandoned oil and gas well fund established; well plugging assurance fund abolished.
55-193 Abandoned oil and gas well fund; certain transfers thereto.
55-1,102 Filing of rates and other information required; use of information; disclosure.
55-1,103 Limitations on manner of offering services and facilities.
55-1,104 Commission review of fees, terms, practices; complaint; procedure.
55-1,105 Rules and regulations.
55-1,106 Exemptions from rate averaging or pricing systems.
55-1,107 Issuance of more than one certificate of convenience and necessity; exit fees prohibited.
55-1,108 Contractual obligations, when amended.
55-1,109 Notice of lack of capacity to serve required.
55-1,111 Commission review of exit tap on gathering system, access, service, abandonment; procedure.
55-1,117 Same; department of health and environment regulation of other underground storage.
55-1,117a Same; department of health and environment regulation of underground crude oil storage.
55-1,119 Same; penalties for violations of rules and regulations.
55-1,120 Same; salt solution mining wells; abandonment, legal responsibility for.
55-1,122 Same; representatives of secretary; right of ingress and egress.