What are the mineral owner rights when there is an orphaned well that a company is coming to plug? It is not a state funded plugging. It is a privately funded operation I assume for carbon credits. My question is do they need a lease from the mineral owner since they are only plugging? This seems to be a bit of a grey area in Oklahoma right now.
I cannot speak to OK law. However, state regulatory agencies require companies to plug wells and pay all related costs. State and taxpayers do not want to absorb this cost. Once the well is plugged, then it cannot be used. No mineral lease is required. If the well is not being plugged, but converted to some other use such as saltwater disposal, then the company would need a lease from either surface or mineral owner depending on state law.
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