News from the Oklahoma Corporation Commission

Jim Palmer, Director of Information

Phone: (405) 522-2100, FAX: (405) 522-1623,  www.occ.state.ok.us

February 27, 2001

 

COMMISSION SCHEDULES OIL AND GAS RULEMAKING AND TECHNICAL CONFERENCE

 

(OKLAHOMA CITY) – The Oklahoma Corporation Commission will conduct both a technical conference and a public hearing during March on two areas of proposed change to oil and gas rules.

 

The changes involve amendments to bring the oil and gas rules into conformity with Senate Bill 549 passed in 1999 and to exempt certain pools in Latimer and LeFlore counties in eastern Oklahoma from the minimum unit allowable of 150 mcf/d.

 

Conformity with Senate Bill 549 involves new language to reference implementation requirements for Oklahoma Water Quality Standards as they apply to the Oil and Gas Conservation Division of the Corporation Commission. The changes are mandated by Senate Bill 549, which requires the Commission, along with several other environmental regulatory agencies in the state, to adopt an Oklahoma Water Quality Standard Implementation Plan for each agency’s particular area of jurisdiction. Other issues include minimum requirements for the monitoring of sites where implementation of the water quality standards is involved and provisions for public participation in implementation of those standards or other pollution related matters.

 

The Commission proposes exempting the Red Oak Fanshawe, Red Oak Red Oak and Red Oak Spiro Pools from the 150 mcf/d minimum unit allowable and instead proposes a 2,000 mcf/d minimum allowable for each spacing unit in the three special allocated gas pools.

 

Adoption of these rules will be considered by the full Commission in a public hearing scheduled for 9:30 a.m., Monday, March 26 in courtroom 301 on the third floor of the Jim Thorpe Building at 2101 N. Lincoln Boulevard, Oklahoma City, OK 73105.

 

Since the rulemaking proposes permanent adoption, a technical conference is set for 10 a.m., Monday, March 19, 2001 in the Commission’s conference room 105 on the first floor of the Jim Thorpe Building in Oklahoma City.

 

Public comment is open until the March 26 hearing. Further information is available from Michael Decker, Deputy General Counsel, Oil and Gas Conservation, 400 Jim Thorpe Building, Oklahoma City, Oklahoma, 73152-2000 or by telephone at (405) 521-2255.

 

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All news advisories and releases are available for review and downloading at www.occ.state.ok.us