There is created an "oil conservation commission", hereinafter in the Oil and Gas Act [this article] called the "commission", to be composed of a designee of the commissioner of public lands, a designee of the secretary of energy, minerals and natural resources and the director of the oil conservation division. The designees of the commissioner of public lands and the secretary of energy, minerals and natural resources shall be persons who have expertise in the regulation of petroleum production by virtue of education or training. No salary or compensation shall be paid any member of the commission for his services as a member of the commission. The term of office of each member of the commission shall be concurrent with the other office held by him. The commission shall organize by electing a chairman from its membership. Two members of the commission shall constitute a quorum for all purposes. The commission shall adopt a seal and the seal affixed to any paper signed by the director of the oil conservation division shall be prima facie evidence of due execution. The attorney general shall be the attorney for the commission. Any member of the commission or the director of the oil conservation division or any employee of the commission or division shall have power to administer oaths to any witness in any hearing, investigation or proceeding contemplated by the Oil and Gas Act or by any other law of this state relating to the conservation of oil and gas.

History: Laws 1935, ch. 72, § 3; 1941 Comp., § 69-204; Laws 1949, ch. 168, § 3; 1953 Comp., § 65-3-4; Laws 1975, ch. 289, § 13; 1977, ch. 255, § 39; 1987, ch. 234, § 58.

The 1987 amendment, effective July 1, 1987, in the first sentence, substituted "a designee of the commissioner of public lands, a designee of the secretary of energy, minerals and natural resources" for "the commissioner of public lands, the state geologist and the director of oil conservation division", inserted the present second sentence, and made minor changes in language and punctuation throughout the section.

Judicial decisions preclusive. — Commission was acting in a judicial capacity when it approved a proposed unitization plan; its decision was therefore entitled to preclusive effect. Amoco Prod. Co. v. Heimann, 904 F.2d 1405 (10th Cir. 1990), cert. denied, 498 U.S. 942, 111 S. Ct. 350, 112 L. Ed. 2d 314 (1990).

Former Oil Conservation Act was not unconstitutional on ground that since legislature had named the members of the commission there had been an invasion of the executive power of appointment in violation of N.M. Const., art. III, § 1. 1951 Op. Att'y Gen. No. 51-5397.

Appointments contemplated in the former Oil Conservation Act were appointments "otherwise provided for" as those words are used in N.M. Const., art. V, § 5, and did not invade governor's power of appointment. 1951 Op. Att'y Gen. No. 51-5397.

Former Oil Conservation Act was not violative of N.M. Const., art. IV, § 16 for failure to have the subject matter expressed clearly in the title. 1951 Op. Att'y Gen. No. 51-5397.

Duties delegated to commission member. — Under laws and constitution of the state, commission, by proper authority, may delegate to member of the commission the duty of holding a hearing and transcribing testimony for submission by proper report to commission for its order based upon evidence and material properly in that record. 1954 Op. Att'y Gen. No. 54-5900.

Quasi-judicial powers of commission are limited to hearing and consideration of evidence and ascertainment of certain facts in performance of its statutory duties. 1951 Op. Att'y Gen. No. 51-5397.

Commission has jurisdiction of public domain owned by federal government held merely in proprietary capacity to prevent waste of gas and oil, so far as such regulations do not conflict with congressional enactments. 1935 Op. Att'y Gen. No. 35-1110.

Law reviews. — For article, "Compulsory Pooling of Oil and Gas Interests in New Mexico," see 3 Nat. Res. J. 316 (1963).

For article, "An Administrative Procedure Act for New Mexico," see 8 Nat. Res. J. 114 (1968).

For article, " 'New Mexican Nationalism' and the Evolution of Energy Policy in New Mexico," see 17 Nat. Res. J. 283 (1977).

Am. Jur. 2d, A.L.R. and C.J.S. references. — 38 Am. Jur. 2d Gas and Oil § 148.