(A) The business and occupation of drilling and exploring for, producing, obtaining, transporting, gathering and storing of oil, gas, petroleum and hydrocarbons within the limits of the City of Memphis is a hazardous and dangerous business and occupation. As such, it is necessary that such business and occupation be regulated, controlled and limited for the purpose of providing protection for the lives, health, welfare and safety of the citizens of the city and of the public generally and for the protection of property from the danger of fire, explosion, gas, leaks, nuisances and other hazards, injurious to the public peace, health, welfare and safety. The provisions of this chapter shall be deemed to be the minimum requirements for the preservation of the public peace, health, safety and welfare, and compliance with all terms thereof shall not be deemed to relieve any person from any duty imposed by law to use all necessary care and take all necessary precautions for the safeguarding of the public peace, health and safety and the rights of any individual or group of individuals, and it shall be the duty of any person drilling, operating or maintaining any well to use all necessary care and take all precautions reasonably necessary under the circumstances to protect the public or the rights of any part thereof.
(B) This chapter applies to the location, installation, drilling and operation of any well for the commercial extraction of oil, gas or other hydrocarbons in the city. No well owner or operator or property owner shall allow any activity which is not in compliance with the requirements of this chapter.
(C) Words used in this chapter, unless otherwise defined, shall be the common meaning of such words as generally understood in the oil and gas industry, unless the content of this chapter clearly implies otherwise.
(Ord. 211, passed 1-5-2021)