H.B. No. 152 Summary

• Amends Ohio Revised Code Section 1509.28 to revise laws governing oil and gas unit operations, including updated definitions for bonus payments, net acres, net proceeds, operational changes, post-production costs, royalty, unit orders, unleased mineral owners, and working interests.

• Requires applicants seeking unit operation to submit a $10,000 nonrefundable fee and allows requests for remote hearings and protection of trade secrets; the chief must hold hearings within 30-60 days of receiving an application or motion.

• Unit orders must include provisions for allocation of production, expense determination and payment, supervision and conduct of operations, commencement and termination times, and grants unleased mineral owners the right to elect to lease their interests, participate as a consenting party, or participate as a non-consenting party within 30 days.

• Specifies that non-operating working interest owners who are carried or fail to meet financial obligations must pay a non-participation charge of at least 300 percent of carried amounts payable from their production share.

• Prohibits the chief from establishing new guidelines to administer this section except through rulemaking under Chapter 119 of the Revised Code.