§ 31:166 — Granting of mineral lease by co-owner of land

§166. Granting of mineral lease by co-owner of land
A co-owner of land may grant a valid mineral lease or a valid lease or permit for
geological surveys, by means of a torsion balance, seismographic explosions, mechanical
device, or any other method, as to his undivided interest in the land, but the lessee or
permittee shall not exercise his rights thereunder without consent of co-owners owning at
least an undivided seventy-five percent interest in the land, provided that the lessee or
permittee has made every effort to contact the co-owners and, if contacted, has offered to
contract with them on substantially the same basis that the lessee or permittee has contracted
with another co-owner. A co-owner of the land who does not consent to the exercise of the
rights has no liability for the costs of development and operations, except out of his share of
production.

Legislative History

Acts 1974, No. 50, §166, eff. Jan. 1, 1975; Acts 1986, No. 1047, §1; Acts 1988, No. 647, §1; Acts 1995, No. 479, §1, eff. June 17, 1995; Acts 2019, No. 350, §1; Acts 2023, No. 88, §1.