For the purposes of this article, unless otherwise indicated, the following terms shall have the meanings respectively ascribed to them by this section:

1. (1) BOARD. The State Oil and Gas Board created in Section 9-17-3.
2. (2) FUND. The Alabama Coalbed Methane Gas Well Plugging Fund established in Section 9-17-133.
3. (3) COALBED METHANE GAS WELL. A well capable of producing occluded natural gas from a coalbed or coalbeds.
4. (4) PLUGGING FEE. The fee authorized by Section 9-17-137.
5. (5) OPERATOR. Any person who notifies the supervisor pursuant to Section 9-17-24 of such person’s desire or proposal to drill a coalbed methane gas well.
6. (6) PERSON. Any natural person, firm, corporation, association, partnership, joint venture, receiver, trustee, guardian, executor, administrator, fiduciary, representative of any kind or any other group acting as a unit.
7. (7) SUPERVISOR. The state oil and gas supervisor.

(Acts 1990, No. 90-635, p. 1164, §3.)