(a) When the owner of an underground natural gas storage facility has permanently abandoned the storage facility and that facility was certificated by the state corporation commission pursuant to Kan. Stat. Ann. § 55-1201 et seq., the owner shall file with the commission a notice of abandonment. If any such storage facility was certificated pursuant to federal authority, the owner shall file a copy of any federal abandonment authority with the commission. Unless such notice of abandonment authority has been filed with the commission, there shall be a presumption that the storage facility and all rights associated with it remain as certificated. In either case the owner shall file an instrument with the register of deeds office in the appropriate county or counties, stating that such storage has ceased and, except in cases in which the owner of the storage facility has purchased the fee, that the ownership of all property acquired by the owner, both mineral and surface, has reverted to those who owned the property at the time of the acquisition or their heirs, successors or assigns.

(b) The state corporation commission may conduct an administrative hearing pursuant to the Kansas administrative procedures act upon application for abandonment of an underground natural gas storage facility if such facility was certificated by the commission.