For the purpose of more properly conserving the oil and gas resources of the state, the commissioner of public lands may consent to and approve the development or operation of state lands under agreements made by lessees of state land jointly or severally with other lessees of state lands, with lessees of the United States or with others, including the consolidation or combination of two or more leases of state lands held by the same lessee. The agreements may provide for one or more of the following: for the cooperative or unit operation or development of part or all of any oil or gas pool, field or area; for reduction of gas-oil ratios; for repressuring or secondary recovery operations, or for the storing of gas regardless of where such gas is produced, including the use of wells on state lands as input wells; for the allocation of production and the sharing of proceeds from the whole or any specified part of the area covered by the agreement on an acreage or other basis, regardless of the particular tract from which production is obtained or proceeds are derived; for considering for all purposes the drilling or operation of a well on any part of the area included in the agreement, as being drilled or operated on each tract included in the agreement; for the payment of advance royalties in such sum or sums as shall be fixed by the commissioner; or for commingling of oil or gas from a well or wells or from one or more leases.

History: 1941 Comp., § 8-1138, enacted by Laws 1943, ch. 88, § 1; 1953 Comp., § 7-11-39; Laws 1961, ch. 176, § 1.

Cross references. — For state participation in pooling and communitization agreements, see 19-10-53 NMSA 1978.

For cooperative development or operation of geothermal resources lands, see 19-13-14 NMSA 1978.

Am. Jur. 2d, A.L.R. and C.J.S. references. — Secondary recovery of oil and gas, 19 A.L.R.4th 1182.