45.1-361.15 - Additional duties and responsibilities of the Board. - Virginia Statutes

§ 45.1-361.15. Additional duties and responsibilities of the Board.

A. In executing its duties under this chapter, the Board shall:

1. Foster, encourage and promote the safe and efficient exploration for anddevelopment, production and conservation of the gas and oil resources locatedin the Commonwealth;

2. Administer a method of gas and oil conservation for the purpose ofmaximizing exploration, development, production and utilization of gas andoil resources;

3. Administer procedures for the recognition and protection of the rights ofgas or oil owners with interests in gas or oil resources contained within apool;

4. Promote the maximum production and recovery of coal without substantiallyaffecting the right of a gas owner proposing a gas well to explore for andproduce gas; and

5. Hear and decide appeals of Director's decisions and orders issued underArticle 3 of this chapter.

B. Without limiting its general authority, the Board shall have the specificauthority to issue rules, regulations or orders pursuant to the provisions ofthe Administrative Process Act (§ 2.2-4000 et seq.) in order to:

1. Prevent waste through the design spacing, or unitization of wells, pools,or fields.

2. Protect correlative rights.

3. Enter spacing and pooling orders.

4. Establish drilling units.

5. Establish maximum allowable production rates for the prevention of wasteand for the protection of correlative rights.

6. Provide for the maximum recovery of coal.

7. Classify pools and wells as gas, oil, gas and oil, or coalbed methane gas.

8. Collect data, make investigations and inspections, examine property,leases, papers, books and records and require or provide for the keeping ofrecords and the making of reports.

9. Set application fees.

10. Govern practices and procedures before the Board.

11. Require additional data from parties to any hearing.

12. Take such actions as are reasonably necessary to carry out the provisionsof this chapter.

(1982, c. 347, § 45.1-296; 1987, c. 452; 1990, c. 92.)