Okla. Stat. tit. 52 § 248
Whereas, agriculture constitutes one of the basic foundations of this state, and agricultural production in this state frequently is restricted and curtailed by reason of shortage of rainfall and could be increased and rendered more stable by irrigation, and, whereas, in many areas of the state in which surface water resources are inadequate to afford dependable and adequate sources of water for irrigation, there also exist ample subsurface reservoirs of water at such depths that they may be pumped successfully for irrigation only by use of an assured and adequate source of power, which is not available from commercial sources in rural neighborhoods, and, whereas, in many such areas there exist developed deposits of natural gas from which such power could be obtained, it is hereby declared and enacted that the use of natural gas on the premises from which it is produced to pump to the surface water to be used for irrigation on such premises is a preferred use, prior in order to all other uses which such gas may be devoted.
Okla. Stat. tit. 52, § 248