§ 57-908 — Commission; spacing units; establish

(1) When required to prevent waste, to avoid the drilling of unnecessary wells, or to protect correlative rights, the commission shall establish spacing units for a pool, except in those pools which, prior to September 28, 1959, have been developed to such an extent that it would be impracticable or unreasonable to establish spacing units at the existing state of development. Spacing units when established shall be of substantially uniform size and shape for the entire pool, except that when found to be necessary for any of the purposes above mentioned, the commission is authorized to divide any pool into zones and establish spacing units for each zone, which units may differ in size and shape from those established in any other zone.
(2) The size and the shape of spacing units are to be such as will result in the efficient and economical development of the pool as a whole, and that size shall be the area that can be efficiently and economically drained by one well.
(3) An order establishing spacing units for a pool shall specify the size and shape of each unit and the location of the permitted well thereon in accordance with a reasonably uniform spacing plan. Upon application of the person entitled to drill and after hearing, if the commission finds that a well drilled at the prescribed location would not produce in paying quantities, or that surface conditions would substantially add to the burden or hazard of drilling such well, the commission is authorized to enter an order permitting the well to be drilled at a location other than that prescribed by such spacing order; Provided, the commission shall include in the order suitable provisions to prevent the production from the spacing unit of more than its just and equitable share of the oil and gas in the pool.
(4) An order establishing units for a pool shall cover all lands determined or believed to be underlaid by such pool, and may be changed or modified by the commission from time to time, when found necessary for the prevention of waste, or to avoid the drilling of unnecessary wells, or to protect correlative rights.

Legislative History

Source: Laws 1959, c. 262, § 8, p. 906. Annotations: Pooling order herein was entered in conformity to requirements of act. Farmers Irr. Dist. v. Schumacher, 187 Neb. 825, 194 N.W.2d 788 (1972).