New Injection Well Rules: Surety Increase Approved, Notification Proposal Nixed

  • Joe Wertz

Oklahoma’s oil and gas regulator on Wednesday approved changes to rules for drilling operations.

Among the changes approved, was the ability for the commission to require higher surety bonds for injection wells, the Journal Record’s Sarah Terry-Cobo reports.

Another injection well rule — which would require operators to notify county commissioners of new injection wells — wasn’t approved, the paper reported:

Commissioner Dana Murphy disagreed. Murphy was the lone commissioner who supported notifying county commissioners. She said she didn’t think sending a notice to a county clerk was onerous. At least four county commissioners have called her recently, concerned about increased truck traffic from disposal wells, Murphy said. In Texas, the Railroad Commission requires operators to notify the city clerk in addition to the county clerk, she said.