Cross-unit drilling for unconventional wells

Act 60 of 1979, § 2.2, under OIL AND GAS - LEASES TO REMOVE OR RECOVER.

Act 60 of 1979, § 2.2

Section 2.2. Cross-unit drilling for unconventional wells.

(a) General rule.--If an operator has the right to drill an oil or gas well on separate units, the operator may drill and produce a well that traverses, by horizontal drilling, more than one unit, if:

(1) The operator reasonably allocates production from the well to or among each unit the operator reasonably determines to be attributable to each unit. The operator may allocate production on an acreage basis for multiple units provided the allocation has a reasonable correlation to the portion of the horizontal well bore in each unit.

(2) The traversing well is not expressly prohibited by the terms of a lease.

(b) Location requirement.--The 330-foot location requirement in section 6 of the act of July 25, 1961 (P.L.825, No.359), known as the Oil and Gas Conservation Law, shall not apply to unit lines traversed by a conservation well.

(c) Construction.--Nothing in this section shall be construed to:

(1) authorize an operator to drill an oil or gas well that is not subject to a valid lease or royalty agreement; and

(2) automatically expand or diminish the current surface rights of an operator to include operations related to any existing unit or any well drilled between existing units.

((2.2) added Nov. 7, 2019, P.L.634, No.85)