In Texas, if you own 100 acres surface and minerals 100%, can you use a wildcat driller and drill for oil without involving the adjacent tract lands around you?
Sure, as long as your wellbore does not violate spacing regulations. If you are unleased, in all likelihood, it would be on state spacing, 467 feet from lease line.
You need no surface ownership to exploit your minerals.
However, if you have to ask the question, you probably should not do it.
Thank you for answering. I do have one more question: if you stay within the lease line 467 feet, can you drill and use only a small part of your land, say 20 acres?
thank you for answering. I do have one more question: if you stay within the lease line 467 feet, can you drill and use only a small part of your land, say 20 acres?
Dear ML,
You may drill as many wells as you wish, if you comply with proration and spacing units. However, you might need an exception to drill to the same formation and keep the state spacing of not closer than 1200’ on the same tract or farm.
One item that you may run into is that if the allowable is based on acreage, you may not receive a full allowable, based on proration unit size.
What Buddy said, plus it depends on whether you are drilling a vertical or horizontal, plus the spacing rules vary by field. It is also possible to get variances from spacing requirements.
“However, if you have to ask the question, you probably should not do it.”
This is the best advice you can get.
What kind of answer is that? You answer as if you were a born oil lawyer. Did you not ask questions in school, or were you one of those know-it-alls? So you are saying, why even ask?
Tom said:
“However, if you have to ask the question, you probably should not do it.”
This is the best advice you can get.
That just further proved my point. Good luck with your well.