Oil, gas measure clears House committee

A measure that would bar a municipality, county or other political subdivision (other than the Oklahoma Corporation Commission) from passing an ordinance, resolution, rule, regulation or other form of official policy making it harder to harvest oil and gas reserves cleared the House Energy and Natural Resources Committee on Tuesday. House Bill 2150, authored by Oklahoma Rep. John Pfeiffer, R-Orlando, states any such act would be considered a taking pursuant to Article 2 of Oklahoma's constitution and relevant statutes if it were to:

• Substantially interfere with the use and enjoyment of a mineral estate

• Impose or enforce a limitation adversely impacting the use and development of minerals

• Prohibit access to mineral holdings

• Substantially increase the costs of oil and gas operations

• Substantially reduce the fair market value of a mineral estate The Oklahoma Independent Petroleum Association − Oklahoma Oil and Gas Association applauded the committee's do-pass recommendation on what it called a “common sense” measure, which cleared the committee by a 14 to 5 vote. “A patchwork of overly broad, unnecessary local regulations creates confusion, thwarts innovative solutions, threatens environmental protections and encroaches on the rights of private property owners to fully realize the value of their minerals,” said Chad Warmington, the association's president.