As used in this Act:
(a) "Person" means any natural person, corporation, firm, partnership, venture, receiver, trustee, executor, administrator, guardian, fiduciary or other representative of any kind and includes any government or any political subdivision or agency thereof; (b) "Drilling operations" means the drilling, deepening or conversion of a well for oil or gas production, core hole or drill hole for a stratigraphic test; (c) "Entry" means the moving upon the surface of land with equipment to commence drilling operations, but shall not include entry for the survey for or ascertaining or identification of a well location; (d) "Operator" means the person, whether the owner or not, who applies for or holds a permit for drilling operations or who is named as the principal on a bond for a permit for a well that was issued by the Department of Natural Resources; (e) "Surface owner" means the person in whose name the surface of the land on which drilling operations are contemplated, and who is assessed for purposes of taxes imposed pursuant to the Property Tax Code according to the records of the assessor of the county where the land is located as certified by said assessor; (f) "Assessor" means the supervisor of assessments, board of assessors, or county assessor, as the case may be, for the county in which the land is located; (g) "Production operation" means the operation of a well for the production of oil , gas , and coalbed methane, including all acts, structures, equipment, and roadways necessary for such operation; (h) "New well" means a well that is spudded after the effective date of this Act and does not utilize any part of a well bore or drilling location that existed prior to the effective date of this Act; (i) "Completion of the well" means completion of those processes necessary before production occurs, including the laying of flow lines and the construction of the tank battery. If the well is not productive, the date of completion of the well is the day it is plugged and abandoned. Amended by P.A. 095-0830,§ 5, eff. 8/14/2008.P.A. 88-670, eff. 12-2-94; 89-445, eff. 2-7-96.