A Survey of Oklahoma Water Law
As it Relates to the Oil and Gas Industry
Dale E. Cottingham
One Leadership Square , 15th Floor
211 N. Robinson
Oklahoma City, OK 73102
(405) 235-5500 (telephone)
(405) 235-2875 (facsimile)
dcottingham@gablelaw.com
November 11, 2010
The Basics
• Industry needs water for
– Drilling and fracturing of an oil or gas well
– Enhanced recovery to increase or maintain production of a
drilled oil or gas (hydrocarbon) well
– Industrial facilities affiliated with oil and gas, e.g.
refineries.
• Focus of this talk
– Emphasis on water for drilling and enhanced recovery
– Discussion of Oklahoma
– Water as a property resources and water rights arising
from water as a resource
• Water quality and waste disposal are environmental issues.
The Basics
• Three sources
– Stream water includes natural lakes and ponds,
bays, flowing and intermittent streams, springs on
surface
– Groundwater includes fresh water under the
surface of the earth
– Diffuse surface water includes water flowing over
the ground (rainwater, irrigation runoff) before
entering a defined stream
Physical Classifications of Water
• Water in a "definite stream" (definite, natural channel with
defined beds and banks, originating from definite source of
supply) – playa lake
• Water flowing under the surface but not forming a definite
stream is "groundwater" (fresh water under the surface of the
earth regardless of the geologic structure in which it is
standing or moving outside the cut bank of any definite
stream)
• Water flowing over the surface not in a definite stream –
diffused surface water
Arbuckle-Simpson Aquifer
Johnston County, OK
Ownership v. Use
• 60 O.S. §60 - "The owner of the land owns water flowing . . . under its
surface but not forming a definite stream. The use of groundwater shall be
governed by the Oklahoma Groundwater Law. Water running in a definite
stream, formed by nature over or under the surface…“
• “may be used by the owner of the land riparian to the stream for domestic
uses as defined in Section 105.1 of Title 82 of the Oklahoma Statutes, but
he may not prevent the natural flow of the stream, or of the natural spring
from which it commences its definite course, nor pursue not pollute the
same…”
• “as such water then becomes public water and is subject to appropriation
for the benefit and welfare of the people of the state, as provided by law
..."
Doctrines to Regulate Use of Groundwater
•
Appropriation – public water; priority in time and beneficial use required; junior rights must
cease withdrawal to satisfy senior rights; Oklahoma law from 1949 to 1973; amount of land
owned irrelevant
•
English rule of absolute ownership – affect of withdrawal on others no matter except if
withdrawing with intent to cause damage; Texas `right of capture' under attack
•
American rule of reasonable use – impact on others not determinative if use is reasonable,
but reasonableness may include consideration of impact on others; not reasonable to use
out-of-area; Oklahoma before 1949
•
Correlative rights – mutual or reciprocal rights to a common water source; California `fair and
just portion' to overlying landowners; out-of-basin use restricted
•
Allocation – modified correlative rights; Oklahoma system after 1972, based on quantum of
overlying land (surface acres) – more closely ties ownership of land to use
Principles of Oklahoma Groundwater Law
(82 O.S. §1020.1 et seq.)
• OWRB to issue permits to applicants who "own or lease" the land.
Easements attached to land – 60 O.S. §49(5) - right of taking water.
Easements not attached to land – 60 O.S. §50(6) – right of taking
water.
Ricks Exploration v. OWRB, 1984 OK 73
Unit Petroleum v. OWRB, 1995 OK 73
• Permit quantity is based on number of acres "owned or leased"
• Use must be "beneficial" – reasonable intelligence, reasonable
diligence, economically necessary for lawful purpose
• No "waste" – by pollution or by depletion
Principles of Oklahoma Groundwater Law
(82 O.S. §1020.1 et seq.)
• "Maximum annual yield“: determinations of the amount that may
be withdrawn for each acre overlying a basin; regular permit
allocates; legislative quantification of two acre-feet per acre
allocation by “temporary” permit before MAY completed
• Macro management vs. micro management:
– well interference – cone of depression effects
– activities that may cause pollution to groundwater
– obvious depletion by physical waste – broken pipes, leaks
Groundwater
Applicants for Enhanced Recovery Projects
• To use fresh groundwater for enhanced recovery of
oil or gas, the operator/applicant must provide the
following:
– Provide a schedule of use
– Discuss availability of saltwater
– Provide an economic study
• Additional cost of saltwater
• Comparison of value of fresh water for oil and gas use versus
other uses
– Provide analysis of waste by pollution
– Provide analysis of waste by depletion
Groundwater Issues To Address
• Groundwater pumping affects on stream and
spring flows – conjunctive or integrated use
management
• Store and preserve groundwater for future
generations – compare oil and gas restrictions;
at what point does restricting use trigger
takings?
Stream Water Appropriation
• Appropriation - Fundamental Elements:
– Priority in time gives the better right
– Beneficial use is the basis, measure and limit
• Statutory permit elements:
–
–
–
–
In amount applied for
Applicant has a present or future need for the water
Proposed use is a beneficial use
Shall consider availability of all stream water sources and may consider
availability of groundwater as an alternative
– Proposed use does not interfere with domestic or existing appropriative uses
– If application for transportation of water outside area of origin, proposed use
cannot interfere with existing and proposed beneficial uses within the stream
system of origin
Stream Water Appropriation
•
No physical/geographical connection to the water source
•
Eminent domain and access to the water source, 82 O.S. §105.3 – Watchorn Basin
v. OG&E
•
Transferring stream water rights:
– Rights to appropriate for irrigation are appurtenant to the land
– Transfer possible – if changes made without detriment to existing rights
•
Use-it-or-lose-it forfeiture – seven years or schedule of use
•
No "public interest" element in Oklahoma – broad, open-ended authority
Riparian Rights Distinguished
• Physical/geographical connection to waterbody
required
• Natural flow doctrine – fiction, but prevents large
diversions
• Reasonable use doctrine – correlative rights, share
the pain of low flows
Dual System
Franco American Charolaise, Ltd. v. OWRB, 1990 OK 44
• Riparian claims, if determined reasonable, are superior to
appropriations
• Reasonableness factors case-by-case —footnote 40, Restatement of
Torts (2nd) §850A; relative reasonableness
• New riparian uses or changes to riparian uses can occur —
reasonableness must be determined by a court for each new or
changed use; no stability, certainty, security
• Franco under attack — Heldermon v. Wright, SC #100,709
– dam construction, release requirement, two riparians
– domestic use protection versus reasonable use
– 1993 statute confirming 1963 statute — unconstitutional?
Stream Water
Applicants for Enhanced Recovery Projects
• To use fresh stream water for enhanced recovery of
oil or gas, the operator/applicant must provide the
following:
– Provide a schedule of use
– Discuss availability of saltwater
– An economic study
• Additional cost of saltwater
• Comparison of value of fresh water for oil and gas use versus
other uses
– Provide analysis of waste by pollution
– Provide analysis of waste by depletion
I appreciate the opportunity to discuss this subject
with you.
I am happy to answer questions you might have.
Dale E. Cottingham
One Leadership Square, 15th Floor
211 N. Robinson
Oklahoma City, OK 73102
(405) 235-5500 (telephone)
(405) 235-2875 (facsimile)
dcottingham@gablelaw.com