A. It shall be unlawful for any person, firm, corporation or entity to conduct any seismic test hole blasting within two hundred (200) feet of any habitable dwelling, building or water well without written permission from the owner of the property.

B. The surface owner shall be entitled to reasonable damages that have been or will be sustained to the surface estate by reason of the operator's seismic exploration.

C. At least fifteen (15) days prior to commencement of seismic exploration, the operator shall provide the notice to the surface owner required by Section 318.22 of this title, and, in the absence of an agreement between the surface owner and the operator as to seismic exploration, operator and surface owner shall make a good-faith effort to resolve any reasonable damage issues raised by the surface owner by reason of operator's seismic exploration.

D. The surface owner may accept the offer in the notice required by Section 318.22 of this title by accepting the offer in writing to the operator within fifteen (15) days of the postmark of the notice. By the timely acceptance of such offer, the surface owner shall be deemed to have accepted and agreed to such offer as full consideration for all reasonable damages by reason of the operator's seismic exploration and the operator may commence seismic operations. The operator shall, upon receipt of the surface owner's timely acceptance of the offer in the notice, remit the appropriate consideration to the surface owner. The surface owner's acceptance of such offer and consideration shall not prohibit the surface owner from attempting to recover damages which are unreasonable and caused by reason of the operator's seismic exploration on the surface estate of the surface owner.

E. If prior to the expiration of the fifteen-day notice period set forth in Section 318.22 of this title, the surface owner rejects the amount tendered with the notice required by Section 318.22 of this title in writing to the operator, or the surface owner fails to make a timely acceptance of the offer contained in the notice, then the surface owner will be deemed to have rejected the offer tendered with the notice, and the operator may enter the property and commence seismic operations.

F. Within ninety (90) days of the last mailing of the notice described herein, the applicant shall file an affidavit setting out that mailing of the notice has occurred in compliance with Section 318.22 of this title, and specifically listing the surface owners which were not locatable at the addresses required. Further, in the event that any surface owner is not locatable at the addresses, then such surface owner will be deemed as having rejected the offer provided in the notice required under Section 318.22 of this title.

G. If the surface owner has properly rejected or has been deemed to have rejected the amount tendered with the notice required by Section 318.22 of this title, the surface owner may initiate an action pursuant to The Small Claims Procedure Act or a civil action pursuant to the Oklahoma Pleading Code, as appropriate, to recover the reasonable damages, if any, actually sustained by reason of the operator's seismic exploration. Venue for such action shall properly be in the county where the surface estate is located.

H. If an action to recover the reasonable damages is commenced pursuant to subsection G of this section and a judgment is entered in the action for the surface owner for reasonable damages by reason of the operator's seismic exploration in an amount in excess of the amount set forth in the notice required by Section 318.22 of this title, the surface owner shall be considered the prevailing party; if the judgment entered for reasonable damages by reason of the operator's seismic exploration is for an amount equal to or less than the amount set forth in the notice required by Section 318.22 of this title, the operator shall be considered the prevailing party. The prevailing party in any court proceeding brought pursuant to this section shall be entitled to recover the costs of the suit, including but not limited to reasonable attorney and expert witness fees and litigation expenses. If the action should be dismissed other than by way of settlement prior to the entry of judgment, then the surface owner shall forfeit its right to receive any consideration for all reasonable damages by reason of the operator’s seismic exploration.

I. Nothing in the Seismic Exploration Regulation Act shall modify or restrict an operator's right to enter a surface estate and conduct seismic exploration thereon pursuant to the operator's right to conduct seismic exploration. Additionally, nothing in the response or deemed response of a surface owner to any notice required by Section 318.22 of this title shall restrict or otherwise affect an operator's right to enter a surface estate and conduct seismic operations thereon.

Added by Laws 1998, c. 354, § 3, emerg. eff. June 5, 1998. Amended by Laws 2012, c. 220, § 3, eff. Nov. 1, 2012; Laws 2012, c. 229, § 3, emerg. eff. May 9, 2012.

NOTE: Laws 2012, c. 220, § 3 and Laws 2012, c. 229, § 3 made identical changes to this section.