2023 Montana Code Annotated › Title 82. Minerals, Oil, and Gas › Chapter 1. General Provisions › Part 1. Geophysical Exploration › 82-1-104. Indemnification of property owners -- restoration of surface

82-1-104. Indemnification of property owners -- restoration of surface.
(1) (a) Prior to performing seismic activity, a person, firm, or corporation shall file with the secretary of state a surety bond, cash, certificate of deposit, or other instrument acceptable to the secretary of state in the amount of $10,000 for a single seismic crew or a blanket surety bond, cash, certificate of deposit, or other instrument acceptable to the secretary of state in the amount of $25,000 for all seismic crews operating within the state for the person, firm, or corporation to indemnify the owners of property within this state for physical damages to their property resulting from any seismic exploration. Partial or complete forfeiture of the surety bond, cash, certificate of deposit, or other instrument acceptable to the secretary of state must be determined by the appropriate court of civil jurisdiction.
(b) The secretary of state may charge a fee for the filing of the surety bond, cash, certificate of deposit, or other instrument required under this section. The fee must be set by rule and deposited in accordance with 2-15-405.
(2) Unless the owner of the surface rights and the person, firm, or corporation conducting seismic activity agree otherwise, it is the obligation of the person, firm, or corporation upon completion of seismic exploration to plug all "shot holes" in the manner specified by the board of oil and gas conservation to contain any water within its native strata by filling the holes with bentonite mud, cement, or other material approved by the board of oil and gas conservation to contain the water. In addition, the holes must be capped in a manner and with a material specified by the board of oil and gas conservation so that the top of the cap is a sufficient depth below the surface of the land to allow cultivation. The portion of the holes above the cap must be filled with native material.
(3) Upon completion of any seismic exploration, the person, firm, or corporation conducting the exploration shall remove all stakes, markers, cables, ropes, wires, and debris or other material used in the exploration and shall also restore the surface around any shot holes as near as practicable to its original condition.
(4) The surety bond, cash, certificate of deposit, or other instrument acceptable to the secretary of state must remain on file with the secretary of state so long as the exploration is conducted, plus an additional 5 years after the cessation of the exploration activities. The aggregate liability for the exploration activities may not exceed the amount of the surety bond, cash, certificate of deposit, or other instrument acceptable to the secretary of state. Upon the filing of the surety bond, cash, certificate of deposit, or other instrument acceptable to the secretary of state, the secretary of state shall issue to the person, firm, or corporation a certificate showing that the surety bond, cash, certificate of deposit, or other instrument acceptable to the secretary of state has been filed. The certificate must contain the name of the designated resident agent within the state for service of process for the person, firm, or corporation.
History: En. Sec. 4, Ch. 235, L. 1955; amd. Sec. 1, Ch. 175, L. 1961; amd. Sec. 1, Ch. 272, L. 1977; R.C.M. 1947, 69-3304; amd. Sec. 2, Ch. 116, L. 1983; amd. Sec. 2, Ch. 339, L. 1985; amd. Sec. 10, Ch. 33, L. 2007; amd. Sec. 2, Ch. 69, L. 2015.