Hull v. Calvert

469 S.W.2d 277, 1971 Tex. App. LEXIS 2767
CourtCourt of Appeals of Texas
DecidedJune 9, 1971
DocketNo. 11827
StatusPublished
Cited by1 cases

This text of 469 S.W.2d 277 (Hull v. Calvert) is published on Counsel Stack Legal Research, covering Court of Appeals of Texas primary law. Counsel Stack provides free access to over 12 million legal documents including statutes, case law, regulations, and constitutions.

Bluebook
Hull v. Calvert, 469 S.W.2d 277, 1971 Tex. App. LEXIS 2767 (Tex. Ct. App. 1971).

Opinions

PHILLIPS, Chief Justice.

Suit was brought in the District Court by H. Winston Hull and others1 against Robert S. Calvert, Comptroller of Public Accounts of Texas. Plaintiffs-Appellants are taxpayers who own real property in Ector County and who pay taxes to the State of Texas.

Appellants sought to enjoin Appellee Comptroller from disbursing funds for the planning and operation of the University of Texas at the Permian Basin upon a site purportedly acquired for such University by the Board of Regents of The University of Texas System. The authority for the acquisition of this site is provided for by H.B. 157, Acts 1969, 61st Leg., Reg. Session, Ch. 459, p. 1523, Vernon’s Ann.Civ. St., Article 2606c-4.

Appellants alleged that in acquiring an interest in the site the Regents did not comply with the requirements of H.B. 157, and that in disbursing funds for the planning and operation of the University upon such site Appellee has, and is acting, without authority of law and in direct violation of the provisions of H.B. 157.

Both parties filed motions for summary judgment in the trial court and that of Ap-pellee was granted and that of Appellants was refused by the trial court.

The judgment of the trial court is affirmed in part and reversed and rendered in part.

I.

The two tracts of land acquired by the Regents as a site for The University of Texas of the Permian Basin, hereinafter referred to as the University, are comprised of one tract containing approximately 308 acres and the other about 280 acres. The acreage is located in Section 18, Block 41, T-2-S, T & P RR. Co. Survey, Ector County. These two tracts will hereinafter be referred to as Section 18 except in instances in which it is necessary to differentiate between them.

Section 18 in its entirety lies within the confines of the Headlee Devonian Field. This field is unitized for oil and gas operation. There is a gas injection operation engaged in by the unit, through Getty as Unit operator, which is known in the industry as a gas cycling project. In this operation, gas is produced from the reservoir and the liquids contained therein (ethane, propane, butane and heavier hydro-carbons) are removed. The dry gas, together with an additional volume of dry gas acquired elsewhere, equal to the volume of the liquids removed from the produced gas, is injected back into the Devonian reservoir through compressor stations and injection wells. This process continues over and over; and this continuous circulation of the gas will continue until at some point of time in the future when all of the economically recoverable liquids will have been removed from the gas.

In addition to having the right, as owners of the mineral estate, to use the surface of Section 18 in oil and gas operations, the owners of the mineral estate [279]*279have acquired surface leases on portions of Section 18, such surface leases giving such owners the express right to use the leased surface in oil and gas operations. Six surface leases of 3.67 acres each have been granted around producing wells. In addition, two surface leases upon 4.59 acres each have been granted around each of two injection wells. The eight surface leases cover 31.2 acres and are scattered throughout Section 18.

Appellants’ evidence was that unit operation of the Devonian reservoir will continue for from twenty to forty years. That additional use of the surface of Section 18 may be required for such operations. That a secondary recovery project for the Ellen-berger formation is under study. That it may be necessary to make more use of the surface of Section 18 in these operations. That it may be advisable to drill additional wells and to install more facilities on Section 18.

II.

Section 18 was conveyed to Ector County on October 2, 1969 by one McKnight and others. All parties to this lawsuit agree that the 308 acre tract is a gift to the University by way of Houston Endowment, Inc. The deed first grants an easement for a proposed county road. The deed next conveys the 308 acre tract “IN TRUST, for the use and benefit of the University of Texas, for the purpose of establishing and maintaining thereon a fully state supported co-educational institution of higher learning, to be known as the University of Texas of the Permian Basin (as provided by Chapter 459, Acts of the 61st Legislature, Regular Session 1969); provided, however, that the County * * *, as trustee, may convey the * * * property to the persons who compose the Board of Regents of the University of Texas, as Trustees, for the use and benefit of the University of Texas.”

The deed then conveys to the County the 280 acre tract.

There is expressly excepted from the conveyance the oil, gas and mineral estate; and the deed expressly recited that it is made subject to the oil, gas and mineral leases theretofore executed by McKnight, et ah, and to the unitization agreement and enlargements thereof for the Headlee Devonian unit.

The deed recites that “the Board of Regents of the University of Texas will be concerned about the program of development for oil, gas and other minerals in and under the property described * * * (the 308 acre tract). The grantors relinquish their right to develop for oil, gas or other minerals in and under the 308 acre tract and agree that all future development of the mineral estate in and under the 308 acre tract shall be conducted by utilizing the 280 acre tract. The grantors agree that all future well locations shall be located on the 280 acre tract; and expressly provide that wells may be directionally drilled therefrom so as to develop the minerals in and under the 308 acre tract.

The minutes of a special meeting of the Commissioners’ Court held October 24, 1969, reflect the intention of the Commissioners to issue time warrants for the acquisition of the 280 acres for park purposes and for the acquisition of right-of-way for County road purposes. The order authorizing the giving of notice of such intention recites that the Regents are willing to accept Section 18 as a site for the University. It further recites that McKnight, et al., will convey the 308 acre tract to the County in trust for the University and that the 280 acre tract will “be conveyed to the County for its use as a County Park— without right of reverter.”

After certain additional recitations not necessary to this opinion, the order recites the intention of the Commissioners’ Court to issue time warrants in the maximum amount of $1,350,000.00, $600,000.00 of which is to be used to acquire the 280 acre tract for park purposes, and the remainder of which is to be used for the acquisition and rights-of-way for County roads.

[280]*280The deed to the 308 acres from the Commissioners to the Regents is dated October 29, 1969 and was filed for record December 12, 1969. The deed of 280 acres is dated December 12, 1969 and filed of record the same day.

The minutes of a meeting of the Commissioners’ Court held on November 10, 1969, reflect that at such meeting the issuance of the $1,350,000.00 of warrants was authorized.

On September 12, 1969, the Regents adopted a resolution selecting Section 18 as the site for the University.

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Related

Calvert v. Hull
475 S.W.2d 907 (Texas Supreme Court, 1972)

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Bluebook (online)
469 S.W.2d 277, 1971 Tex. App. LEXIS 2767, Counsel Stack Legal Research, https://law.counselstack.com/opinion/hull-v-calvert-texapp-1971.