(c) Notwithstanding the requirements of (a) and (b) of this section that relate to fixing a date for a hearing and causing notice of the hearing to be given, for an action under this chapter that involves the exploration for or development of nonconventional gas and that has application to a single well or a single field, upon the request of a lessee or operator, the commission may, where operations might be unduly delayed, approve a variance from the commission's regulations that apply to the well or field without providing notice and opportunity to be heard. In the exercise of its authority to issue the variance,

1. (1) the commission may approve the variance if

   1. (A) the approval provides at least an equally effective means of accomplishing the requirement set out in the commission's regulation; or
   2. (B) the commission determines that the request is more appropriate to the proposed operation than compliance with the requirement of the regulation; and

2. (2) the terms of the approval of the variance may include exempting the lessee or operator from a requirement of a regulation if the commission determines that the requirement is not necessary or not suited to the well or field taking into consideration

   1. (A) the nature of the operation involved;
   2. (B) the characteristics of the well or field for which the variance is sought; and
   3. (C) the reasonably anticipated risks of the exemption from the requirement to human safety and the environment.