§ 23-0701 — Voluntary integration and unitization in oil and natural gas pools and fields

§ 23-0701. Voluntary integration and unitization in oil and natural gas\n pools and fields.\n 1. Voluntary integration and unitization in oil pools or fields and in\nnatural gas pools or fields shall be subject to the provisions of this\nsection. When two or more separately owned tracts are embraced within a\nspacing unit, or when there are separately owned interests in all or a\npart of a spacing unit, the interested persons may integrate their\ntracts or interests for the development and operation of the spacing\nunit. An agreement for the unit or for the cooperative development and\noperation of a field, pool, or part thereof, may be submitted to the\ndepartment for approval as being in the public interest or reasonably\nnecessary to prevent waste. Such approval shall constitute a complete\ndefense to any suit charging violation of any statute of this state\nrelating to trusts and monopolies on account thereof or on account of\noperations conducted pursuant thereto. Failure to submit such an\nagreement to the department for approval shall not for that reason imply\nor constitute evidence that the agreement or operations conducted\npursuant thereto are in violation of laws relating to trusts and\nmonopolies.\n 2. Upon twenty-one days notice to the fee owners of oil and gas\ninterests under lease in a spacing unit, a well operator may record as\nto each tract for which notice has been given a declaration of voluntary\nintegration. The declaration of voluntary integration shall include the\nacreage applicable to each tract so integrated and the proportion such\nacreage bears to the entire spacing unit. The declaration of voluntary\nintegration shall be final and binding upon all persons and their heirs,\nsuccessors and assigns, and all persons who take title by operation of\nlaw.\n