2023 Oklahoma Statutes › Title 52. Oil and Gas › §52-149. Conservation Division - Creation - Personnel - Duties - Qualifications.

There is hereby created within the Corporation Commission of Oklahoma, herein called "Commission", a Conservation Division, the duties and functions of which, subject to the supervision and direction of the Commission, shall be to aid the Commission in the administration and performance of the powers, duties and functions of the Commission with respect to oil and gas conservation and the prevention of pollution resulting from oil and gas production and transportation. The Conservation Division so created shall consist of the following personnel:
1. A Director of Conservation, who, in addition to the duties and functions now or hereafter prescribed for such officer in this title, shall have overall responsibility, supervision and direction of the activities of the Conservation Division and the administration and enforcement of the rules, regulations and orders of the Commission relating to oil and gas conservation and the prevention of pollution. The Director of Conservation shall be a graduate of an accredited college or university with a Bachelor's Degree and shall have five (5) years' experience in a supervisory capacity in an administrative or personnel management position;
2. A Manager of Pollution Abatement, whose duties and functions shall be to direct and supervise the activities of the Conservation Division with respect to the prevention of pollution. The Manager of Pollution Abatement shall be a graduate of an accredited college or university with a Bachelor of Science Degree in petroleum, civil or mechanical engineering, geology, environmental science or a related field and shall have at least five (5) years' practical or regulatory experience in the production of oil and gas, three (3) years of which must have been in an administrative or supervisory capacity;
3. A Manager of Field Operations, whose duties and functions shall be to direct, supervise and coordinate the activities of the district offices and all the field activities of the Conservation Division with respect to both oil and gas conservation and the prevention of pollution. The Manager of Field Operations shall be a graduate of an accredited college or university with a Bachelor of Science Degree in petroleum, civil or mechanical engineering, geology, environmental science or a related field and at least five (5) years' practical or regulatory experience in the production of oil and gas, three (3) years of which must have been in an administrative or supervisory capacity or an equivalent combination of education and experience, substituting one (1) additional year of qualifying experience for each year of the required degree;
4. A Deputy Director of Conservation, whose duties and functions shall be the administrative management of the various offices of the Conservation Division including, but not limited to, office services and procedures, coordinating personnel administration, processing of expense statements, budget preparation and cost accounting, procurement and use of supplies, files, records, and other professional and clerical services, computer services, with other divisions of the Commission and providing technical assistance as necessary. The Deputy Director of Conservation shall be a graduate of an accredited college or university with a Bachelor of Science Degree in petroleum, civil or mechanical engineering, geology, environmental science or a related field and shall have five (5) years' practical or regulatory experience in the production of oil and gas, three (3) years of which must have been in an administrative or supervisory capacity;
5. A Manager of Technical Services, whose duties and functions shall be to direct, supervise and coordinate the technical activities of the Conservation Division with respect to oil and gas conservation, prevention of waste and prevention of pollution. The Manager of Technical Services shall be a graduate of an accredited college or university, with a Bachelor of Science Degree in petroleum, civil or mechanical engineering, geology, environmental science or a related field and at least five (5) years' practical or regulatory experience in the production of oil and gas, three (3) years of which must have been in an administrative or supervisory capacity;
6. District Managers, whose duties and functions shall be to supervise and direct the district offices and all field activities of the Conservation Division, including both oil and gas conservation and the prevention of pollution in the respective districts to which they are assigned. A District Manager shall be a graduate of an accredited college or university with a Bachelor of Science Degree in petroleum, civil or mechanical engineering, geology, environmental science or a related field and shall have five (5) years' practical or regulatory experience in the production of oil and gas, three (3) years of which must have been in an administrative or supervisory capacity or an equivalent combination of education and experience, substituting one (1) year of practical or regulatory experience in the production of oil and gas for each year of the required degree;
7. Assistant District Managers, whose duties and functions shall be to supervise, direct and coordinate the activities of field and office personnel and who shall be under the supervision of the District Managers. An Assistant District Manager shall be a graduate from an accredited college or university with a Bachelor of Science degree in petroleum, civil or mechanical engineering, geology, environmental science or related field and shall have four (4) years' practical or regulatory experience in the production of oil and gas, one (1) year of which must have been in a supervisory capacity or an equivalent combination of education and experience, substituting one (1) year of practical or regulatory experience in the production of oil and gas for each year of the required degree;
8. Oil and Gas Field Inspectors, whose duties and functions, subject to the direction and supervision of the Oil and Gas Field Inspector Supervisor of the respective district to which they are assigned, shall be to make inspections and investigations, witness tests, and generally serve as enforcement officers and representatives of the Commission in the administration and enforcement of the rules, regulations and orders of the Commission relating to both oil and gas conservation and the prevention of pollution. An Oil and Gas Field Inspector shall have four (4) years' practical experience in oil field production and drilling operations;
9. Assistant Manager of Field Operations, who under the general direction of the Manager of Field Operations, shall direct, supervise and coordinate office personnel and the activities of the district office and other field programs. An Assistant Manager of Field Operations shall be a graduate of an accredited college or university with a Bachelor of Science Degree in petroleum, civil or mechanical engineering, geology, environmental science or related fields and shall have five (5) years' practical or regulatory experience in the production of oil and gas or an equivalent combination of education and experience, substituting one (1) year of practical or regulatory experience in the production of oil and gas for each year of the required degree;
10. Oil and Gas Safety Specialist, who, under the general direction of the Assistant District Manager of the respective district to which they are assigned, shall be trained in Hydrogen Sulfide Gas control and safety and in hazardous chemical detection and shall investigate incidents of public safety concerns. An Oil and Gas Safety Specialist shall have five (5) years' regulatory experience in the production of oil and gas or a Bachelor of Science Degree in Industrial Safety and one (1) year of regulatory experience in the production of oil and gas;
11. Senior Field Inspector, who, under the general direction of the Oil and Gas Field Inspector Supervisor of the respective district to which they are assigned, shall perform detailed inspections and investigations and provide expert testimony concerning the enforcement of rules of the Corporation Commission. A Senior Field Inspector shall have four (4) years' practical and two (2) years' regulatory experience in the production of oil and gas; and
12. Oil and Gas Inspector Supervisor, who, under the supervision of the Assistant District Manager of the respective district to which they are assigned, shall supervise and perform field inspection activities related to tests, surveys and investigations of oil and gas production, pollution control and environmental protection. An Oil and Gas Inspector Supervisor shall have four (4) years' practical and three (3) years' regulatory experience in the production of oil and gas.
The employees of the Commission who at the effective date of this act are holding positions or performing functions corresponding to those herein prescribed but who do not have the qualifications required by this act for such positions or functions shall not, for that reason, be disqualified to continue in such positions or to perform such functions, but at such time as there is a vacancy in such position it shall be filled by an employee having the qualifications herein prescribed.
Added by Laws 1967, c. 207, § 1, emerg. eff. May 1, 1967. Amended by Laws 1981, c. 318, § 16, emerg. eff. June 30, 1981; Laws 1982, c. 354, § 8, operative July 1, 1982; Laws 1987, c. 208, § 60, operative July 1, 1987; Laws 1987, c. 236, § 82, emerg. eff. July 20, 1987; Laws 1994, c. 315, § 2, eff. July 1, 1994; Laws 1998, c. 180, § 4, eff. July 1, 1998.