Title 324, NATURAL RESOURCES AND ENVIRONMENTAL PROTECTION

Sec. 61704. (1) Upon the filing of a petition as provided in section 61703, the petitioner shall give notice to interested persons as set forth in section 61727. A person protesting the petition shall have 15 days after the completion of the publication of notice as provided in s…

Sec. 61705. The order of the supervisor shall be upon terms and conditions that are fair, reasonable, and equitable and shall prescribe a plan for unit operations that includes all of the following: (a) A description of the unit area. (b) A statement in reasonable detail of the o…

Sec. 61706. An order of the supervisor providing for unit operations shall not be declared or become effective until the supervisor makes a finding, either in the order providing for unit operations or in a supplemental order as provided in section 61707, that the plan for unit o…

Sec. 61707. If a finding is not made as set forth in section 61706 at the time the order for unit operations is made, the supervisor on the supervisor's motion or the motion of any interested person after notice shall hold supplemental hearings to determine if the plan for unit o…

Sec. 61708. An order providing for unit operations may be amended by an order made by the supervisor in the same manner and subject to the same conditions as an original order for unit operations. If an amendment affects only the rights and interests of those persons responsible …

Sec. 61709. Writings containing signatures that are witnessed and acknowledged in a form acceptable for recording under the laws of this state shall be admissible under this part and shall be considered prima facie evidence in fulfillment of requirements of this part that call fo…

Sec. 61710. The supervisor by order may provide for the unit operation of a unit area that embraces a unit area established by a previous order. The order in providing for the allocation of unit production first shall treat the unit area previously established as a single tract, …

Sec. 61711. An order may provide for a unit area less than the whole of a pool if the unit area is of such size or shape as may be reasonably adaptable to unit operation and if the conduct of that unit area will not have a substantially adverse effect upon other portions of the p…

Sec. 61712. All operations, including, but not limited to, the commencement, drilling, or operation of a well upon any portion of the unit area, shall be considered for all purposes the conduct of those operations upon each separately owned tract itself, and the portion of the un…

Sec. 61713. Operations conducted pursuant to an order of the supervisor for unit operations constitute a fulfillment of all the express and implied obligations of each lease or contract covering lands in the unit area to the extent that compliance with the obligations cannot be h…

Sec. 61714. Except to the extent that the parties specifically agree otherwise, an order for unit operations shall not be construed to result in a transfer of all or any part of the title of any person to the oil and gas rights in any tract in the unit area. All property, whether…

Sec. 61715. Each unit created under this part, if the plan provides, shall, through its operator, be capable of suing, being sued, and contracting as such in its own right. The operator of the unit, on behalf and for the account of all owners of interest within the unit area, wit…

Sec. 61716. After the effective date of the order of the supervisor creating a unit, the operation of any well within the unit area except by authority of and pursuant to the order of the supervisor is unlawful and prohibited.

Sec. 61717. Property rights, leases, contracts, and all other rights and obligations shall be regarded as amended and modified to the extent necessary to conform to the provisions and requirements of this part and to any valid and applicable plan of unitization or order of the su…

Sec. 61718. Subject to reasonable limitations as set out in the plan of unitization, the unit shall have a first and prior lien for costs incurred pursuant to the plan of unitization upon the leasehold estate and other oil and gas rights, exclusive of a 1/8 share of gross product…

Sec. 61719. The obligation or liability of each lessee in the several separately owned tracts for the payment of unit expense at all times is several and not joint or collective and a lessee of the oil or gas rights in the separately owned tract is not chargeable with, obligated,…

Sec. 61720. The portion of the unit production allocated to any tract and the proceeds from the sale of that unit production are the property and income of the several persons to whom or to whose credit the same are allocated or payable under the order for unit operations.

Sec. 61721. A division order or other contract relating to the sale or purchase of production from a separately owned tract shall not be terminated by the order for unit operations, but shall remain in force and apply to oil and gas allocated to the tract until terminated pursuan…

Sec. 61722. The unit production, proceeds from the sale of the unit production, or other receipts shall not be treated, regarded, or taxed as income or profits of the unit; but instead all receipts shall be the income of the several persons to whom or to whose credit the receipts…

Sec. 61723. An agreement between or among lessees or other owners of oil and gas rights in oil and gas properties entered into pursuant to this part, or with a view to or for the purpose of bringing about the unitized development or operation of the properties, shall not violate …

Sec. 61724. The department or other proper board or officer of the state having the control and management of state land and the proper board or officer of any political, municipal, or other subdivision or agency of the state, on behalf of the state or of the political, municipal…

Sec. 61725. Except as provided in section 61704, rules, regulations, or orders shall not be made, promulgated, put into effect, revoked, changed, renewed, or extended, unless public hearings are held thereon. Public hearings shall be held at such time, place, and manner and upon …

Sec. 61726. Jurisdictional requirements of notice of time, place, and issues involved for all hearings required by this part, except proceedings for criminal or civil enforcement of this part, are satisfied by: (a) Publication once each week for 2 weeks consecutively in a newspap…

Sec. 61727. (1) Service of the notice described in section 61704(2), which is provided as a matter of public policy and not as a requirement of jurisdiction, before the date of the first publication of notice provided for in section 61726 by personal service or by certified mail,…

Sec. 61728. Except as otherwise expressly provided in this part, all proceedings under this part, including the filing of petitions, the giving of notices, the conduct of hearings, and other action taken by the supervisor or the supervisor's agents shall be pursuant to the admini…

Sec. 61729. During the pendency of the appeal, the appealing party shall obey the order, rule, or regulation appealed unless the interests sought to be protected by the order, rule, or regulation can be adequately protected by a bond, in which case the supervisor may accept a bon…

Sec. 61730. The action of the supervisor shall be final with respect to jurisdiction for an appeal before any regulatory agency of this state, but any person may seek relief before the commission or in the courts as provided under the laws of the state, and the taking of an appea…

Sec. 61731. The supervisor may compel by subpoena the attendance of witnesses or the production of books, papers, records, or articles necessary in any proceeding before the supervisor. A person shall not be excused from obeying any subpoena for the reason that the testimony or e…

Sec. 61732. In case of failure or refusal on the part of any person to comply with any subpoena issued by the supervisor, or the refusal of any witness to testify or answer as to any matters regarding which he or she may be lawfully interrogated, any circuit court in this state o…

Sec. 61733. Any witness summoned by subpoena or by written request of the supervisor and attending any hearing called by the supervisor is entitled to the same fees and travel expense as provided by law for attending the circuit court in any civil matter or proceeding. The fees a…

Sec. 61734. If any person of whom an oath is required under this part, or by any rule, regulation, or order of the supervisor, willfully swears falsely in regard to any matter or thing respecting which the oath is required, or willfully makes any false affidavit required or autho…

Sec. 61735. The supervisor may bring proceedings for the enforcement of this part and all rules and regulations promulgated under this part or for the prevention of the violation thereof, and the attorney general shall represent the supervisor in all actions brought under this pa…

Sec. 61736. A person who violates this part or any rule, regulation, or order promulgated under this part is subject to a penalty of not more than $1,000.00, and each day a violation continues after notice by the supervisor constitutes a separate offense. The penalty shall be rec…

Sec. 61737. A person aiding or abetting in the violation of this part, or any rule, regulation, or order made under this part, is subject to the same penalties as are prescribed in this part.

Sec. 61738. A certified copy of any order of the supervisor issued under this part is entitled to be recorded in the office of the register of deeds for the counties where all or any portion of the unit area is located, and such recordation shall constitute notice to all persons …

Sec. 61901. (1) The legislature finds that it is in the public interest to encourage and promote safe, effective, efficient, and environmentally prudent extraction of hydrocarbon resources in the Pigeon river country state forest; and that economic benefits to the state will resu…

Sec. 61902. The Pigeon river country state forest as dedicated by the commission on December 7, 1973, is a valuable public resource. It is in the public interest to produce oil and gas as quickly as possible to minimize the duration of activities associated with hydrocarbon devel…

Sec. 61903. The hydrocarbon activities within the Pigeon river country state forest authorized by the plan referred to in section 61902 can be carried out without violation of law under terms of the amended stipulation and consent order referred to in section 61902.

Sec. 61904. In light of the legislative findings in section 61901, the declaration of public interest in section 61902, and the determination that hydrocarbons can be developed in concert with law in section 61903, the department shall implement the approved hydrocarbon developme…

Sec. 62101. So that the state of Michigan can cooperate with other states in fostering and encouraging the production of oil and gas without waste, the governor of the state of Michigan is hereby authorized and empowered, for and in the name of the state of Michigan, now a member…

Sec. 62102. The interstate compact to conserve oil and gas referred to in the above section, and which it is hereby proposed to extend by agreement reads as follows: "AN INTERSTATE COMPACT TO CONSERVE OIL AND GAS" "ARTICLE I. This agreement may become effective within any compact…

Sec. 62103. The governor shall be the official representative of the state of Michigan on "the interstate oil and gas compact commission," provided for in the compact to conserve oil and gas, and shall exercise and perform for the state of Michigan all the powers and duties as a …

Sec. 62501. As used in this part: (a) "Artificial brine" means mineralized water formed by dissolving rock salt or other readily soluble rocks or minerals. (b) "Brine well" means a well drilled or converted for the purpose of producing natural or artificial brine. (c) "Department…

Sec. 62502. A person shall not cause surface or underground waste in the drilling, development, production, operation, or plugging of wells subject to this part.

Sec. 62503. The supervisor of mineral wells shall appoint, with the approval of the department, assistants as necessary to implement this part. The supervisor of mineral wells and assistants, in addition to salaries, shall receive reasonable traveling expenses while on business c…

Sec. 62504. The commission shall act as an appeal board regarding the issuance, denial, suspension, revocation, annulment, withdrawal, recall, cancellation, or amendment of a permit under this part. If an owner or operator considers an order made by the supervisor of mineral well…