{"data":{"id":"us-ok/okla.-stat.-tit.-52-52-287.8","jurisdiction":"us-ok","citation":"Okla. Stat. tit. 52, § 52-287.8","heading":"Status and powers of unit - Liability for expenses -","body":"Liens.\n\nEach unit created under the provisions of this act shall be a\n\nbody politic and corporate, capable of suing, being sued and\n\ncontracting as such in its own name. Each such unit shall be\n\nauthorized on behalf and for the account of all the owners of the\n\noil and gas rights within the unit area, without profit to the unit,\n\nto supervise, manage and conduct the further development and\n\noperations for the production of the oil and gas from the unit area,\n\npursuant to the powers conferred, and subject to the limitations\n\nimposed by the provisions of this act and by the plan of\n\nunitization.\n\nThe obligation or liability of the lessee or other owners of the\n\noil and gas rights in the several separately-owned tracts for the\n\npayment of unit expense shall at all times be several and not joint\n\nor collective and in no event shall a lessee or other owner of the\n\noil and gas rights in the separately-owned tract be chargeable with,\n\nobligated or liable, directly or indirectly, for more than the\n\namount apportioned, assessed or otherwise charged to his interest in\n\nsuch separately-owned tract pursuant to the plan of unitization and\n\nthen only to the extent of the lien provided for in this act.\n\nSubject to such reasonable limitations as may be set out in the\n\nplan of unitization, the unit shall have a first and prior lien upon\n\nthe leasehold estate and other oil and gas rights (exclusive of a\n\none-eighth (1/8) royalty interest) in and to each separately-owned\n\ntract, the interest of the owners thereof in and to the unit\n\nproduction and all equipment in the possession of the unit, to\n\nsecure the payment of the amount of the unit expense charged to and\n\nassessed against such separately-owned tract. The interest of the\n\nlessee or other persons who by lease, contract or otherwise are\n\nobligated or responsible for the cost and expense of developing and\n\noperating a separately-owned tract for oil and gas in the absence of\n\nunitization, shall however, be primarily responsible for and charged\n\nwith any assessment for unit expense made against such tract and\n\nresort may be had to overriding royalties, oil and gas payments,\n\nroyalty interests in excess of one-eighth (1/8) of the production,\n\nor other interests which otherwise are not chargeable with such\n\ncost, only in the event the owner of the interest primarily\n\nresponsible fails to pay such assessment or the production to the\n\ncredit thereof is insufficient for that purpose. In the event the\n\nowner of any royalty interest, overriding royalty, oil and gas\n\npayment or other interest which under the plan of unitization is not\n\nprimarily responsible therefor pays in whole or in part the amount\n\nof an assessment for unit expense for the purpose of protecting such\n\ninterest, or the amount of the assessment in whole or in part is\n\ndeducted from the unit production to the credit of such interest,\n\nthe owner thereof shall to the extent of such payment or deduction\n\nbe subrogated to all of the rights of the unit with respect to the\n\ninterest or interests primarily responsible for such assessment. A\n\none-eighth (1/8) part of the unit production allocated to each\n\nseparately-owned tract shall in all events be regarded as royalty to\n\nbe distributed to and among, or the proceeds thereof paid to, the\n\nroyalty owners free and clear of all unit expense and free of any\n\nlien therefor.","path":["OK Code","Title 52"],"source_url":"https://www.oklegislature.gov/OK_Statutes/CompleteTitles/os52.pdf","current_through":"2026-08-14","vintage":"open-us-law v2026.08, retrieved 2026-09-14","retrieved_at":"2026-09-14T18:32:36Z","sha256":"972afac9bb4988e70cc6cffed681596e06fb0cb433d323a7dd98c510e17bce30","source_id":"us-ok","stale":false,"prev":"us-ok/okla.-stat.-tit.-52-52-287.7","next":"us-ok/okla.-stat.-tit.-52-52-287.9"},"notice":"GroundRules: Original legal text. Not legal advice."}