Section 14-37-4-8.5 - Exercise of rights pertaining to coal bed methane; waste; application for permit to drill for testing or production(a) For purposes of this section, "waste" means locating, spacing, drilling, equipping, operating, or producing a well for coal bed methane purposes in a manner that unreasonably reduces or tends to unreasonably reduce the quantity of commercially minable coal resources ultimately to be recovered from a mine.(b) If ownership of coal bed methane is separate from ownership of coal, no surface right or any other right pertaining to coal bed methane and naturally flowing from the character of any instrument in law may be exercised without the consent of the coal owner under subsection (d)(2), unless the director makes a finding that the exercise of the right:(1) will not result in; and(2) does not have the potential to result in; any waste of a commercially minable coal resource or endangerment of the health and safety of miners.
(c) In making a finding under subsection (b), the director shall consider whether the use of one (1) or more of the following may result in waste of a commercially minable coal resource or endangerment of the health and safety of miners:(1) Hydrofracturing the coal seam.(2) Horizontal drilling in the coal seam.(3) Any other technology that disturbs the integrity of either or both of the following: (B) The strata surrounding the coal seam.(d) An application for a permit to drill into or through one (1) or more coal seams for the purpose of testing or producing coal bed methane must be accompanied by:(1) subject to subsection (e), certification by affidavit of the applicant that, upon diligent inquiry, including reference to:(A) the record of filings maintained by the department and made by coal owners and lessees under IC 14-8-2-47; and(B) publicly available records pertaining to thickness and depth of coal; the activities of the applicant do not and will not result in waste of a commercially minable coal resource or endangerment of the health and safety of miners; or
(2) subject to subsections (f) and (g), written consent of the coal owner or coal lessee authorizing the drilling.(e) An applicant that submits a permit application accompanied by a certification under subsection (d)(1) shall submit proof that written notice of the permit application has been received by the owner and, if applicable, the lessee of the coal through which drilling is proposed.(f) If there is a coal lease, the coal owner and the coal lessee must include in the written consent under subsection (d)(2) a statement acknowledging that the recovery of coal bed methane might result in waste of the commercially minable coal resource.(g) If there is no coal lease, the coal owner must include in the written consent under subsection (d)(2) a statement that the coal owner has not leased the coal for coal mining purposes and acknowledging that the recovery of coal bed methane may result in waste of the commercially minable resource.(h) A person with the following interests in the coal through which drilling for purposes of testing for or producing coal bed methane is proposed has thirty (30) days, after receipt of the permit application notice, to object to the issuance of the permit on the basis of waste of a commercially minable coal resource or endangerment of the health and safety of miners: (2) If applicable, the lessee.(3) Another person with an interest to develop a coal resource who files an affidavit under IC 14-37-7-8.(i) A person that files an affidavit under IC 14-37-7-8 may not object to the issuance of the permit if the application includes the written consent of the coal owner under subsection (d)(2).(j) The commission shall prescribe by rule the procedure for objection under subsection (h), including a reasonable deadline for initiating the objection.(k) An owner or holder of mineral interests must comply with the requirements under IC 32-23-7-6.5.Amended by P.L. 6-2012, SEC. 106, eff. 2/22/2012.Added by P.L. 140-2011, SEC. 7, eff. 7/1/2011.