(a) A person who acquires the right to operate a well or production facility, whether by purchase, transfer, assignment, conveyance, exchange, or other disposition, shall, as soon as it is reasonably possible, but not later than the date when the acquisition of the well or production facility becomes final, notify the supervisor or the district deputy, in writing, of the person’s operation. The acquisition of a well or production facility shall not be recognized as complete by the supervisor or the district deputy until the new operator provides all of the following material:
(1) The name and address of the person from whom the well or production facility was acquired.
(2) The name and location of the well or production facility, and a description of the land upon which the well or production facility is situated.
(3) The date when the acquisition becomes final.
(4) The date when possession was or will be acquired.
(5) An indemnity bond for each well as required under Section 3204 or 3205.
(b) (1) Upon request of the supervisor, the new operator shall, within 15 days, provide to the division copies of the documents recorded with a governmental office involving the sale, assignment, transfer, conveyance, exchange, or other disposition of the well or production facility.
(2) If after reviewing the documents submitted pursuant to paragraph (1) the division determines additional documentation is needed to validate the sale, assignment, transfer, conveyance, exchange, or other disposition of the well or production facility, the division shall notify the new operator.
(3) Upon receiving notice pursuant to paragraph (2), the new operator shall, within 30 days, provide to the division documents necessary to identify the operator of the well or production facility. If the documents are not otherwise publicly available, the new operator may redact information from the documents before submitting them to the division if the division agrees the information is not relevant to identification of the current operator of the well or production facility.
(c) After notice is given pursuant to subdivision (a) and until another person acquires the well or production facility, the new operator shall notify the supervisor whether any of the rights have changed. That notification shall be in writing and occur every other year by July 1.
(d) The new operator shall also notify the supervisor within 30 days of any quitclaim of a well or production facility.
(Amended by Stats. 2020, Ch. 370, Sec. 235. (SB 1371) Effective January 1, 2021.)