The General Assembly finds and declares that the production and development of oil and gas resources is important to the economic well-being of the State and the nation. The drilling and production of oil and gas should be conducted in a manner that will minimize their effects on the surrounding environment. Furthermore, proper evaluation of […]
(a) In this subtitle the following words have the meanings indicated. (b) “Coalbed methane” means methane and any other gaseous substance occurring in or produced from a coal seam or related, associated, or adjacent rock materials. (c) “County” includes Baltimore City unless otherwise indicated. (d) “Department” means the Department of the Environment. (e) “Field” means the general area underlaid by […]
The Department may enforce effectively the provisions of this subtitle through the adoption and promulgation of rules and regulations. The Department may not prorate or limit the output of any gas or oil well.
(a) A person may not drill any well for the exploration, production, or underground storage of gas or oil in the State without obtaining a permit from the Department of the Environment under the terms and conditions and on the forms the Department prescribes. (b) (1) The Department shall require an applicant to submit an environmental assessment for […]
(a) (1) An applicant for a permit to drill a well under § 14–104 of this subtitle shall submit an application in a manner satisfactory to the Department. (2) The application for a permit to drill a well under § 14–104 of this subtitle and each application for a permit renewal shall include a closure cost estimate for […]
(a) The Department may bifurcate an application to drill for oil or gas when the drilling will be conducted in geologic formations not yet proven to be productive. (b) If the Department bifurcates the permit process it may issue a permit for exploration only. Production may not commence until the environmental assessment required by § 14–104 of […]
Notwithstanding any other law, a person may not drill for oil or gas in the waters of the Chesapeake Bay, any of its tributaries, or in the Chesapeake Bay Critical Area.
(a) In this section, “hydraulic fracturing” means a stimulation treatment performed on oil and natural gas wells in low–permeability oil or natural gas reservoirs through which specially engineered fluids are pumped at high pressure and rate into the reservoir interval to be treated, causing fractures to open. (b) A person may not engage in the hydraulic fracturing […]
The Department shall deny the permit if the Department determines that: (1) The proposed operation shall violate a requirement of this subtitle or a regulation adopted under this subtitle; (2) The proposed drilling or well operation poses a substantial threat to public safety or a risk of significant adverse environmental impact to, but not limited to, the […]
(a) (1) In this section the following words have the meanings indicated. (2) “Explosives” means normal commercial explosives, blasting agents, and detonators. (3) “Seismic operations” means the controlled application of vibratory energy from any source to determine if favorable conditions exist for the subsurface entrapment of oil or gas. (4) “Seismic section” means a graphic, near-vertical display of waveform data […]
(a) (1) A permit shall be expressly conditioned upon compliance with all requirements of this subtitle and any regulations adopted under this subtitle. (2) The Department may place in a permit conditions which the Department deems reasonable and appropriate to assure that the operation shall fully comply with the requirements of this subtitle, and provide for public safety […]
(a) In this section, “water supply” means a source of water used for drinking or other domestic purpose or for agriculture, including livestock. (b) For each permit the Department issues under this subtitle to drill a well for the exploration or production of gas in deep shale deposits, there is a presumptive impact area around the gas […]
(a) Except as provided in subsection (d) of this section, every holder of a permit to drill for gas or oil shall: (1) Submit a completion report on forms to be supplied by the Department within 30 days after the drilling of a well has been completed; (2) Submit cutting samples at the request of the Department; (3) Notify […]
(a) (1) Except as provided in paragraph (2) of this subsection, a well for the production or underground storage of gas or oil may not be drilled on any property nearer than 1,000 feet to the boundary of the property except by agreement with the owners of the gas and oil on adjacent lands. (2) A well for […]
On completion of a well producing gas or oil on any leased lands included under a unit operation agreement, royalties from the producing well shall be paid on all lands originally included within the unit operation agreement. Within six months after the completion of the producing well, the lands within the unit operation agreement not […]
(a) Except in an emergency, a rule, regulation, order, or amendment may not be made by the Department without a public hearing upon at least ten days’ notice. The public hearing shall be held at the time and place prescribed by the Department. Any interested person is entitled to be heard by the Department. (b) When an […]
(a) The Department may summon witnesses, administer oaths, and require the production of records, books, and documents for examination at any hearing or investigation it conducts. (b) If any person fails or refuses to comply with a subpoena issued by the Department, or if any witness refuses to testify as to any matter regarding which the witness […]
Any person adversely affected by any rule, regulation, determination, or order of the Department may within 15 days after its effective date apply to the Department in writing for a rehearing. The application shall be acted upon within 15 days after its filing. The rehearing, if granted, shall be held promptly.
(a) Except as provided in § 14-105 of this subtitle, any person aggrieved by any action of the Department may apply to the circuit court of the county in which the person resides or the well is located for review of its decision. Any other interested party may intervene. The Department may become a party to […]
Upon application of the Department, verified by oath or affirmation, the circuit court of the county where the well is located, sitting in equity, may by injunction enforce compliance with, or restrain the violation of any order, notice, rule or regulation made under the provisions of this subtitle or restrain the violation or attempted violation […]
