Oklahoma Administrative Code
Title 800 - Department of Wildlife Conservation
Chapter 30 - Department of Wildlife Lands Management
Subchapter 3 - Mineral Exploration and Production
Section 800:30-3-2 - General provisions

(1) Deposit with the Department, a performance surety bond of Fifty Thousand Dollars ($50,000) from a surety company licensed to do business in this state. Only one bond will be required from each operator if the operator has ten or fewer wells on Department property. If the operator has more than ten wells on Department property, an additional Five Thousand Dollars ($5,000) bonding per well will be required. This bond will be conditioned on the observances and compliance with the terms of the surface agreement. This bond will be maintained at Fifty Thousand Dollars ($50,000) and it shall remain in effect as long as the operator is drilling or operating a well on Department lands, or until released by the Department in writing.

(2) Provide the Department a copy of the approved notice of intent to drill (Corporation Commission Form 1000), an estimate of drilling time and an area plat map generally showing the proposed locations and dimension of the:

(3) Obtain approval from the Oklahoma Archeological Survey Office (OASO) and State Historic Preservation Office (SHPO). Written approval from the OASO and SHPO must be provided to the Department before any type of soil disturbance is allowed.

(4) Enter into a written surface contract agreement on forms as provided by the Department, [52 O.S., Section 318.2 - 318.9], sign a letter of stipulation and remit payment for damage and usage. Predetermined surface damages shall be paid to the Department under the surface contract agreement prior to beginning of any work activity. If additional damage and usage is determined by the Department after completion of proposed project, additional charges will be imposed. Activity that impacts merchantable timber will be considered as part of damages.

(5) Provide the Department a list of the names, addresses and telephone numbers of responsible personnel involved with the drilling, subsequent operation and restoration.

(6) At no time will personnel involved in oil and gas activities (except authorized security personnel) be permitted to carry firearms or other hunting, trapping, or fishing tackle or equipment onto an area unless the equipment is appropriate to a season open on the area at the time and the individual(s) would otherwise be authorized to hunt /fish and in possession of the appropriate license(s) or proof(s) of exemption appropriate for the season as stated in the Oklahoma Hunting/Fishing Regulation Guide booklet, published by ODWC. Well sites and/or lease roads may not be used as access points for recreational activity(ies) on wildlife management areas unless they are open to the public.

(7) Oil and gas activities will be avoided in or near any previously identified fragile or unique areas. However, fragile or unique areas will not preclude utilization if damage to said fragile or unique areas can be prevented. Examples of fragile and unique areas include but are not limited to:

(8) Exploration may proceed if directional drilling from adjacent areas is feasible. On Department owned leases, such areas shall be identified prior to leasing and any area with substantial quantities of such habitats will not be leased for drilling.

(9) All oil and gas construction, development and/or well reworking and servicing is extremely undesirable during high public access periods, unless otherwise approved by the Department. Routine checking or trucking will be strongly discouraged during the time from two hours before sunset to two hours after sunrise.

(10) Oil and gas exploration and development activities will not prevent hunters and anglers from using wildlife resources or from freely pursuing their activities in the Wildlife Management Area.

(11) Flaring requirement - Flaring devices shall have a shielding device attached in such manner that the light created by the burning gases produced from a well on Oklahoma Department of Wildlife Conservation lands is not visible at a distance greater than 200 feet at night to reduce potential negative impacts on nocturnal insects and any avian and mammalian nocturnal flying animals that may forage upon insects drawn to light.

(12) Operators working in lesser prairie chicken range will mitigate and follow conservation measures accordingly through the lesser Prairie-Chicken Range-wide Conservation Plan through the Western Association of Fish and Wildlife Agencies and the Foundation for Western Association of Fish and Wildlife Agencies.

(13) Locations that are within 1,000 feet of any residence, campground, or Department facility will take noise reducing measures so noise level does not exceed 42 dBA.

(14) Special Provisions for oil or gas exploration or production on Department lands having commercial or municipal fresh water production including the Garber-Wellington Aquifer drainage basin/recharge area particularly T7N, R1E, Secs. 15-22, 25-35, Cleveland County, Oklahoma.

(15) If at any time the operator of a well or a pipeline changes the Department will be notified immediately and the new operator shall sign a new agreement and shall observe and fulfill all requirements and stipulations of this agreement, and shall furnish a copy of new bonds to replace the existing bonds.