John M. Denman Oil Co. v. State Corp. Commission of the State

Leben, J.:

John M. Denman Oil Company has appealed a Kansas Corporation Commission (KCC) order that Denman Oil must plug 41 abandoned oil wells. Denman Oil contends that only one party may be held legally responsible for the wells under K.S.A. *9955-179 and that since another party took over the mineral lease from Denman Oil, it is no longer responsible.

But K.S.A. 55-179(b) provides that “a person who is legally responsible shall include, but is not limited to, one or more” of several parties defined in that statute. And one of those who may be held responsible is “the original operator who . . .…