Chapter 55 — OIL AND GAS

55-178. Abandoned wells; complaint concerning pollution or water loss; commission investigation. (a) Any person who has reason to believe that any abandoned well is causing or is likely to cause the loss of any usable water or pollution of any usable water strata or the imminent …

55-179. Responsibility for remedial actions related to abandoned wells; hearings; orders; plugging. (a) If the commission determines that a well is an abandoned well and has reason to believe that any person is legally responsible for the proper care and control of such well, the…

55-180. Investigation of pollution by the commission; abandoned well plugging; costs; reimbursement authorized. (a) The fact that any person has initiated or supported a proceeding before the commission, or has remedied or attempted to remedy the condition of any well under the a…

55-181. Administration and enforcement of rules, regulations and orders. In the administration and enforcement of the provisions of this act or any rule, regulation or order promulgated pursuant thereto, the corporation commission, attorney general, any county attorney and courts…

55-182. Agents of commission; right of ingress and egress; restoration of premises. (a) Agents of the commission shall have the right of ingress and egress upon any lands where any well or underground porosity storage of natural gas is located and the lands adjacent thereto and t…

55-183. Rules and regulations; publication; fees, taxes and other charges required to be fixed by rules and regulations. (a) Whenever the corporation commission is authorized or directed by this act, or by any of the acts contained in chapter 55 of the Kansas Statutes Annotated, …

55-184. Act supplemental to existing laws. This act shall not be construed as impairing, affecting or repealing any existing law but shall be construed as supplementary to existing laws. History: L. 1986, ch. 201, § 36; July 1. Previous | Next LEGISLATIVE COORDINATING COUNCIL Gen…

55-185. History: L. 1986, ch. 201, § 38; Repealed, L. 1995, ch. 204, § 22; July 1. Previous | Next LEGISLATIVE COORDINATING COUNCIL General Policies 2026 Archived LCC Documents Archived LCC Meetings REVISOR OF STATUTES Archived Session Documents Archived School Finance Documents …

55-186. Spill notification requirements. The state corporation commission shall adopt rules and regulations requiring operators to timely notify landowners or the representatives of such landowners of a spill which is also required to be reported to the commission. History: L. 20…

55-191. Definitions. As used in this act: (a) "Abandoned well" means any well that the commission has authority to plug, replug or repair under K.S.A. 55-179 and amendments thereto. (b) "Commission" means the state corporation commission. (c) "Contamination site" means any of: (1…

55-192. Abandoned oil and gas well fund established; well plugging assurance fund abolished. (a) There is hereby established in the state treasury the abandoned oil and gas well fund. (b) Moneys in the abandoned oil and gas well fund shall be used only for the purpose of paying t…

55-193. History: L. 1996, ch. 263, § 3; L. 2001, ch. 213, § 1; L. 2002, ch. 204, § 159; L. 2003, ch. 138, § 123; L. 2004, ch. 123, § 169; L. 2005, ch. 174, § 178; L. 2006, ch. 142, § 157; L. 2007, ch. 167, § 195; L. 2008, ch. 33, § 1; L. 2008, ch. 150, § 5; L. 2009, ch. 2, § 87; …

55-194. Annual report. (a) The commission shall prepare an annual report containing the following information regarding each contamination site: (1) A description and evaluation of the site, including surface and subsurface contamination; (2) the immediacy of the threat to public…

[Repealed or reserved.]

55-201. Duty of lessee to have forfeited lease released; publication notice; affidavit to be recorded; notice to landowner; remedies. When any oil, gas or other mineral lease heretofore or hereafter given on land situated in any county of Kansas and recorded therein shall become …

55-202. Action to obtain release; damages, costs and attorney's fees; attachment. Should the owner of such lease neglect or refuse to execute a release as provided by this act, then the owner of the leased premises may sue in any court of competent jurisdiction to obtain such rel…

55-205. Record of lease as notice for definite term; extension upon contingency, affidavit. When an oil, gas or mineral lease is hereafter given on land situated within the state of Kansas, the recording thereof in the office of the register of deeds of the county in which the la…

55-206. Demand for release before bringing action; evidence. At least twenty days before bringing the action provided for in this act*, the owner of the leased land, either by himself or herself or by his or her agent or attorney, shall demand of the holder of the lease (if such …

55-207. Lien of contractor on gas and oil leasehold or pipeline for labor and material; filing of statement. Any person, corporation or copartnership who shall under contract, express or implied, with the owner of any leasehold for oil and gas purposes, or the owner of any gas pi…

55-208. Lien of subcontractor or materialman on gas and oil leasehold or pipeline. Any person, copartnership or corporation who shall furnish such machinery or supplies to a subcontractor under a contractor, or any person who shall perform such labor under a subcontract with a co…

55-209. Lien statement for labor or materials; filing and record in district court. (a) Any person claiming a lien, for labor or materials or both, furnished to owners of leaseholds for oil and gas purposes, as may be provided by law, shall file in the office of the clerk of the …

55-210. Enforcement of liens. All liens for labor and materials furnished to owners of leaseholds for oil and gas purposes, as may be provided by law, shall be enforced in the same manner, and notice of the same shall be given in the same manner (whether by the contractor, subcon…

55-211. Lease of school grounds for drilling for oil and gas. The school-district board of any school district in this state is hereby authorized and empowered to lease its grounds, or any part thereof, for drilling for oil and gas, upon such terms as may be agreed upon. Any mone…

55-211a. Lease of lands by municipal corporations, board of park commissioners, improvement districts or other public agency or quasi-municipal corporation; disposition of moneys. The governing body of any municipal corporation, board of park commissioners of any municipal corpor…

55-211b. Validation of prior leases. All oil and gas leases executed and delivered prior to the effective date of this act by any such governing body, trustees, directors, or township board, in substantial conformity with the provisions of section 55-211a of the General Statutes …

55-212. Lien of transporter of oil-field equipment, labor and materials; definitions. As used in this act: (a) The term "person" includes one or more individuals, partnerships, associations, corporations, legal representatives, trustees and receivers in bankruptcy and reorganizat…

55-213. Extent of lien. Any person who transports or hauls oil-field equipment under express contract with the owner or operator of any gas or oil lease-hold interest in real property, or the owner or operator of any gas pipeline or oil pipeline or the owner of any oil-field equi…

55-214. Lien of transporter of oil-field equipment; filing of statement; service of notice; removal of equipment to another county. Any person entitled to file a lien as provided for in this act, shall within one hundred twenty (120) days after the oil-field equipment was transpo…

55-215. Time for actions to foreclose and enforce lien. The holder of such lien shall within six months institute an action to foreclose and enforce the lien in the manner now provided by law, or shall within six months institute an action in attachment or replevin, setting forth…

55-216. Certain leases unrecorded prior to January 1, 1952, void. Any oil and gas lease executed prior to January 1, 1925, and which shall not be recorded prior to January 1, 1952, in the office of the register of deeds in the county where such land so leased is located, shall be…

55-217. Certain assignments executed prior to January 1, 1925, not to be recorded. On and after January 1, 1952, no assignment of an oil and gas lease or of any interest in any oil and gas lease executed prior to January 1, 1925, shall be recorded by any register of deeds unless …

55-218. Expunging certain purported assignments from records. If any court of competent jurisdiction shall adjudge that any oil and gas lease executed prior to January 1, 1925, is void and there are of record in the office of the register of deeds of the county where the land so …

55-219. Receiver for minority mineral interest in action where location of defendant-owner unknown. In an action filed by any person, firm or corporation owning an interest in the minerals in any tract or tracts of land in the state of Kansas or owning an oil and gas lease on suc…

55-220. Contents of petition; hearing; notice; dismissal as to certain defendants; appointment of receiver. (a) The plaintiff shall file a verified petition setting forth the following: (1) The interest of the plaintiff in the tract or tracts of land described in said petition; (…

55-221. Duties of receiver for minority mineral interest; duties of court. Such receiver shall proceed immediately to enter into negotiations with prospective purchasers and shall sell an oil and gas lease on the interest of the defendant or defendants, such lease to be for a pri…

55-222. Severability. The provisions of this act are hereby declared to be severable and if any part or provision hereof shall be held void the decision of the court so holding shall not affect or impair any of the remaining parts or provisions of this act. History: L. 1973, ch. …

55-223. Implied covenant to explore and develop minerals established; burden upon lessee. As a matter of Kansas public policy, all oil and gas leases and subleases for the exploration, development and production of oil, gas or other minerals, or any combination thereof, which are…

55-224. Presumption of breach of covenant, when. In any action in which relief is sought based upon breach or violation by a lessee of an implied or expressed covenant of reasonable exploration or of reasonable development of lands covered by an oil, gas or oil and gas lease held…

55-225. Presumption overcome by proof of compliance. The presumption established by K.S.A. 55-223 may be overcome by the lessee proving by a preponderance of all relevant evidence that the lessee has fully complied with such covenant. History: L. 1983, ch. 181, § 3; April 14. Pre…

55-226. Remedies for breach; authority of court. If the court determines that the lessee has failed to comply with such covenant, the court may grant the lessee a reasonable time in which to comply, or the court may issue an order terminating the lessee's right to such subsurface…

55-227. Action for breach not permissible, when. Nothing in this act shall apply to the depth interval from the surface of the land to the base of the deepest producing formation as of the date of such action. History: L. 1983, ch. 181, § 5; April 14. Law Review and Bar Journal R…

55-228. Waiver of presumption prohibited. As created by this act, it shall be against Kansas public policy to provide for a waiver of the presumption, established by K.S.A. 55-223, in any lease or sublease for the exploration, development or production of oil, gas or other minera…

55-229. Substantive rights and remedies saved; presumption cumulative. This act shall not alter or affect substantive rights or remedies under any such mineral leases under the common law or statutes of the state of Kansas. The evidentiary presumption afforded by this act shall b…

55-301. History: L. 1905, ch. 313, § 1; Repealed, L. 2013, ch. 13, § 1; July 1. Previous | Next LEGISLATIVE COORDINATING COUNCIL General Policies 2026 Archived LCC Documents Archived LCC Meetings REVISOR OF STATUTES Archived Session Documents Archived School Finance Documents USE…

55-302. History: L. 1905, ch. 313, § 2; Repealed, L. 2013, ch. 13, § 1; July 1. Previous | Next LEGISLATIVE COORDINATING COUNCIL General Policies 2026 Archived LCC Documents Archived LCC Meetings REVISOR OF STATUTES Archived Session Documents Archived School Finance Documents USE…

55-303. History: L. 1905, ch. 313, § 3; Repealed, L. 2013, ch. 13, § 1; July 1. Previous | Next LEGISLATIVE COORDINATING COUNCIL General Policies 2026 Archived LCC Documents Archived LCC Meetings REVISOR OF STATUTES Archived Session Documents Archived School Finance Documents USE…

55-304. History: L. 1905, ch. 313, § 4; Repealed, L. 2013, ch. 13, § 1; July 1. Previous | Next LEGISLATIVE COORDINATING COUNCIL General Policies 2026 Archived LCC Documents Archived LCC Meetings REVISOR OF STATUTES Archived Session Documents Archived School Finance Documents USE…

55-305. History: L. 1905, ch. 313, § 5; Repealed, L. 2013, ch. 13, § 1; July 1. Previous | Next LEGISLATIVE COORDINATING COUNCIL General Policies 2026 Archived LCC Documents Archived LCC Meetings REVISOR OF STATUTES Archived Session Documents Archived School Finance Documents USE…

55-306. History: L. 1905, ch. 313, § 6; Repealed, L. 2013, ch. 13, § 1; July 1. Previous | Next LEGISLATIVE COORDINATING COUNCIL General Policies 2026 Archived LCC Documents Archived LCC Meetings REVISOR OF STATUTES Archived Session Documents Archived School Finance Documents USE…

55-307. History: L. 1905, ch. 313, § 7; Repealed, L. 2013, ch. 13, § 1; July 1. Previous | Next LEGISLATIVE COORDINATING COUNCIL General Policies 2026 Archived LCC Documents Archived LCC Meetings REVISOR OF STATUTES Archived Session Documents Archived School Finance Documents USE…