Oklahoma has enacted a natural gas prorationing law restricting sales from unallocated wells effective Mar. 24.
Under the law, the production ceiling in November-February will be the greater of either 1 MMcfd or 40% of the well's calculated absolute open flow. During March-October, the production cap is reduced to the greater of either 750 Mcfd or 25% of CAOF. The statewide allowable had been 50% of CAOF.
The law also gives the Oklahoma Corporation Commission power to set allowables field by field. It contains an emergency clause that allowed prorationing to take effect when Oklahoma's governor signed it last week.
Mickey Thompson, the president of Oklahoma Independent Petroleum Association (OIPA), said about 1,200 wells, or 5% of Oklahoma's gas wells, fall into the "capable well" category affected by the bill. They account for about 25% of the state's production of more than 1.7 tcf/year from gas wells.
Thompson said OIPA's worst case estimate is that 3-4% of the state's gas production will be curtailed under the law.
Texas and Louisiana are considering similar measures.
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