CHAPTER 107
HOUSE BILL No. 3031
(Amended by Chapter 206)
An Act concerning natural gas; amending K.S.A. 55-102
and repealing the existing section.
Be it enacted by the Legislature of the State of Kansas:
Section 1. K.S.A. 55-102 is hereby
amended to read as follows: 55-
102. (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 or 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 pro-
visions 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
impris-
onment 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 sep-
arate offense.
(b) Natural gas produced in connection
with the production of oil, or
coalbed natural gas produced from natural gas wells or from coal
seams
or associated shale, may be flared, vented or used in
any manner if such
use or, flaring or venting is
authorized by an order, rule or regulation of
the state corporation commission.
Sec. 2. K.S.A. 55-102 is hereby repealed.
Sec. 3. This act shall take effect and be in force
from and after its
publication in the Kansas register.
Approved May 13, 2002.
Published in the Kansas Register May 23, 2002.
__________