82-1-101. Persons required to comply. (1) A person, firm, or corporation operating individually or through agents within the state of Montana for the purpose of seismic exploration in which exploration entry is made upon the surface estate for the acquisition of geophysical data for any purpose whatsoever, and which person, firm, or corporation either through its own employees or by hiring the services of others operates seismograph crews, as the term is generally known, shall comply with the following provisions of this part; provided, however, that compliance with the provisions of this part by a seismograph crew or its employer shall constitute compliance herewith by that person, firm, or corporation who has engaged the services of such crew or its employer as an independent contractor insofar as the geophysical operations of such crew are concerned.

Terms Used In Montana Code 82-1-101

  • Corporation: A legal entity owned by the holders of shares of stock that have been issued, and that can own, receive, and transfer property, and carry on business in its own name.
  • Gas: means all natural gases and all other fluid hydrocarbons, including methane gas or any other natural gas found in any coal formation, as produced at the wellhead and not defined as oil in subsection (3). See Montana Code 82-1-111
  • Oil: means crude petroleum oil and other hydrocarbons, regardless of gravity, that are produced at the wellhead in liquid form by ordinary production methods and that are not the result of condensation of gas before or after it leaves the reservoir. See Montana Code 82-1-111
  • Person: includes a corporation or other entity as well as a natural person. See Montana Code 1-1-201
  • State: when applied to the different parts of the United States, includes the District of Columbia and the territories. See Montana Code 1-1-201

(2)The board of oil and gas conservation shall adopt rules:

(a)requiring adequate identification of seismic exploration crews operating in this state;

(b)designating areas where seismic exploration and activities may not be allowed; and

(c)regulating the plugging and abandonment of seismic shot holes.