Okla. Stat. tit. 17, § 17-53.3
This is the official text of Okla. Stat. tit. 17, § 17-53.3, part of Oklahoma’s Stat. tit. 17, — part of the compiled statutory law of Oklahoma, published by the state as "Stat. tit. 17,." Browse the sections below, each linked to its official government source.
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Abandoned oil and gas well-site equipment - State lien
Official statutory text
A. The State of Oklahoma shall have a lien upon any abandoned
oil and gas well-site equipment situated upon a lease site,
including but not limited to production and storage structures,
along with their contents, in an amount equal to the cost of
plugging all wells associated with said lease and restoring the
site. The lien created by this act shall attach only to abandoned
oil and gas well-site equipment located on or affixed to an oil or
gas well which has been or is required to be plugged, replugged or
repaired by rules of the Commission.
B. Well-site equipment is presumed abandoned if:
1. For longer than one (1) year, the well has shown no activity
in terms of production, injection, disposal or testing, and has not
otherwise been maintained in compliance with plugging rules; and
2. a. the last operator of record is without valid surety as
required by Section 318.1 of Title 52 of the Oklahoma
Oklahoma Statutes - Title 17. Corporation Commission Page 34
Statutes and cannot be located by the Corporation
Commission after diligent search, or
b. the last operator of record has plugging liability in
excess of the amount of such operator's surety as
filed with the Corporation Commission.
The presumption of abandonment shall apply only for purposes of the
lien created herein and shall have no effect upon the term,
duration, or continued existence of any property or contract right
in the premises.
C. The lien created by this section shall be perfected against
the equipment when notice of the lien is filed in the office of the
county clerk of the county or counties where the equipment is
situated. Upon receipt, the county clerk shall record the notice in
the tract index and in the mechanic's lien journal. The notice
shall contain a description of each item upon which a lien is
claimed, and a legal description of the site upon which the
equipment is situated.
D. The lien provided for in this section shall be subject to
all prior perfected liens.
E. The lien created by this section shall be assignable by the
Corporation Commission.
For purposes of this act the term "abandoned well" shall mean
those wells that are described and listed in a report published by
the Corporation Commission identifying oil or gas wells which have
been determined to be abandoned or orphaned by the Corporation
Commission as a result of bankruptcy, inability to find the owner,
or for other reasons.
oil and gas well-site equipment situated upon a lease site,
including but not limited to production and storage structures,
along with their contents, in an amount equal to the cost of
plugging all wells associated with said lease and restoring the
site. The lien created by this act shall attach only to abandoned
oil and gas well-site equipment located on or affixed to an oil or
gas well which has been or is required to be plugged, replugged or
repaired by rules of the Commission.
B. Well-site equipment is presumed abandoned if:
1. For longer than one (1) year, the well has shown no activity
in terms of production, injection, disposal or testing, and has not
otherwise been maintained in compliance with plugging rules; and
2. a. the last operator of record is without valid surety as
required by Section 318.1 of Title 52 of the Oklahoma
Oklahoma Statutes - Title 17. Corporation Commission Page 34
Statutes and cannot be located by the Corporation
Commission after diligent search, or
b. the last operator of record has plugging liability in
excess of the amount of such operator's surety as
filed with the Corporation Commission.
The presumption of abandonment shall apply only for purposes of the
lien created herein and shall have no effect upon the term,
duration, or continued existence of any property or contract right
in the premises.
C. The lien created by this section shall be perfected against
the equipment when notice of the lien is filed in the office of the
county clerk of the county or counties where the equipment is
situated. Upon receipt, the county clerk shall record the notice in
the tract index and in the mechanic's lien journal. The notice
shall contain a description of each item upon which a lien is
claimed, and a legal description of the site upon which the
equipment is situated.
D. The lien provided for in this section shall be subject to
all prior perfected liens.
E. The lien created by this section shall be assignable by the
Corporation Commission.
For purposes of this act the term "abandoned well" shall mean
those wells that are described and listed in a report published by
the Corporation Commission identifying oil or gas wells which have
been determined to be abandoned or orphaned by the Corporation
Commission as a result of bankruptcy, inability to find the owner,
or for other reasons.
Status: in_force · Read it on the official government site
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