Chaparral Energy is taking Canadian County Commissioners to court in a fight over county land where it wants to drill an oil and gas well.
In a suit filed this month in Canadian County District Court, (CV-2018-325) the Oklahoma City energy company wants the court to appoint three appraisers to determine the amount of damages that might be caused by drilling the well.
The site is a tract of land owned by the Canadian County Public Facilities Authority and is located near the Canadian County Children’s Justice Center located along Route 66 west of Yukon.
Chaparral Energy owns the mineral rights to the land and intends to build a permanent site pad. County Commissioners discussed the issue in an executive session this week but took no action.
They have to wait on the value of the property to be set by the appraisers, then can either accept the offer or head to a jury trial. As for the site of the drilling?
“The location couldn’t be much worse,” said District 1 Commissioner Marc Hader.
Gabe Bass, attorney for the Public Facilities Authority told commissioners the mineral owner, under Oklahoma law, has the right to a reasonable use of the surface to explore and produce minerals. And commissioners will have no say in the site.
“They get to pick the spot,” said Bass. “They just have to pay for the damages. Whatever those are determined to be.”