55-1,115. Underground storage of hydrocarbons; corporation commission regulation of underground porosity storage of natural gas. (a) On or before July 1, 2002, the state corporation commission shall adopt rules and regulations governing underground porosity storage of natural gas. Such rules and regulations shall include the permitting, monitoring and inspecting of underground porosity storage of natural gas and the closure and abandonment of such underground porosity storage of natural gas. Such rules and regulations may establish fees for permitting, monitoring, inspecting and closing or abandoning underground porosity storage of natural gas.

(b) No hydrocarbon storage shall be allowed in any underground formation if water within the formation contains less than 5,000 milligrams per liter chlorides, except that the provisions of this subsection shall not prohibit the storage of hydrocarbons in an underground porosity storage facility if such storage facility was in use before July 1, 2001.

(c) The provisions of K.S.A. 55-162 and 55-164, and amendments thereto, shall apply to violations of the rules and regulations adopted pursuant to this section.

(d) As used in this section and K.S.A. 55-150, 55-155, 55-182 and 74-623, and amendments thereto, "underground porosity storage" means the storage of hydrocarbons in underground, porous and permeable geological strata which have been converted to hydrocarbon storage.

History: L. 2001, ch. 191, § 17; L. 2003, ch. 77, § 1; July 1.