§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.

            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.