Longer Lateral Drilling Law Eagerly Anticipated in Oklahoma

 

Oil and gas exploration companies apparently are eagerly awaiting the date of November 1st in Oklahoma.

That’s when under a new law, they will be allowed to drill horizontal wells up to two miles long in all layers and will no longer be limited to one mile.

As The Oklahoman quoted one driller, “Long laterals is the future of onshore U.S. drilling.”

The new law is the result of legislative approval of Senate Bill 867 authored in part by Sen. Bryce Marlatt, R-Woodward. Since 2011, drillers could create two-mile laterals but only in shale rock layers. SB 867 allows two-mile laterals in all producing rock layers.