Oklahoma Dept. of Wildlife Surface Contract Agreement for Oil / Gas Drilling Bond
Overview
Oklahoma's Department of Wildlife Conservation requires oil and gas drilling operators to post a Surface Contract Agreement bond before disturbing wildlife-managed lands for drilling activity. This bond is your commitment to the state that surface disturbance caused by oil or gas operations will be properly reclaimed and restored according to wildlife and environmental standards. It protects Oklahoma's wildlife habitat, public lands, and the Department of Wildlife Conservation from the cost of cleaning up after a drilling operation that fails to meet its restoration obligations. Without it, you cannot legally proceed with drilling under a surface contract on Department-managed property.
Who Needs This Bond?
Oil and gas drilling contractors, independent operators, and production companies who have entered — or are entering — a surface contract agreement with the Oklahoma Department of Wildlife Conservation need this bond. If your drilling operations will physically disturb land under the Department's jurisdiction in Oklahoma, this bond is part of the paperwork package required to move forward. Operators working on wildlife management areas, game ranges, or other Department-controlled surface acreage in Oklahoma must carry it regardless of the size of the drilling project.
What is this Bond For?
This bond guarantees that the drilling operator will comply with the terms of the surface contract agreement and all applicable Oklahoma wildlife and environmental regulations governing surface disturbance from oil and gas operations. The Oklahoma Department of Wildlife Conservation is the protected party — if the operator fails to reclaim disturbed land, properly manage waste and runoff, or remedy environmental damage caused during drilling, the Department can make a claim against the bond. It shifts the financial risk of non-compliance and incomplete reclamation away from Oklahoma taxpayers and onto the bonded operator.
When is it Required?
Before any ground is broken on a Department of Wildlife Conservation surface contract, the bond must already be in place. The Department requires proof of the bond as a condition of finalizing the surface contract agreement itself — meaning the clock starts before your equipment rolls out, not after. If you are renewing a contract or expanding the scope of your drilling operations onto additional Department-managed surface acreage, a new or amended bond may be required to reflect the updated terms.
Where Does it Apply?
This is a statewide Oklahoma bond tied specifically to surface contract agreements administered by the Oklahoma Department of Wildlife Conservation. It applies wherever Department-managed surface lands are located across Oklahoma — it is not limited to a single county or region. The bond obligation follows the terms of the specific surface contract agreement between the operator and the Department.
How to Buy Online
Click 'Buy This Bond Online' on this page and the secure surety portal will open in a new tab, where you can complete your application and purchase the bond without waiting on a callback. The process is fully online — enter your information, complete the steps, and get your bond documents issued fast. Once issued, you will have the documentation you need to submit to the Oklahoma Department of Wildlife Conservation.
Why Bond Titan?
Bond Titan is powered by The Southern Agency and built specifically to get operators bonded fast through a fully online process — no phone tag, no waiting on an agent. Our nationwide catalog includes hard-to-find environmental and oil and gas bonds like this one, ready to purchase the moment you need them. When the Department is waiting on your bond, Bond Titan gets it done.