Page:United States Statutes at Large Volume 65.djvu/235

 65 STAT.]

PUBLIC LAW 128—AUG. 28, 1951

201

State of the United States. The agreement to extend and renew said compact for a period of four years from September 1, 1951, to September 1, 1955, duly executed by the representatives of Alabama, Arkansas, Colorado, Florida, Indiana, Kentucky, Louisiana, Michigan, Mississippi, Montana, New Mexico, New York, Ohio, Oklahoma, Pennsylvania, Tennessee, Texas, and West Virginia, has been deposited in the Department of State of the United States, and reads as follows: AN

AGREEMENT TO E X T E N D THE INTERSTATE COMPACT TO CONSERVE OIL AND GAS

Whereas, on the 16th day of February, 1935, in the City of Dallas, Texas, there was executed "An Interstate Compact to Conserve Oil and Gas" which was thereafter formally ratified and approved by the States of Oklahoma, Texas, New Mexico, Illinois, Colorado, and Kansas, the original of which is now on deposit with the Department of State of the United States, a true copy of which follows: " A N INTERSTATE COMPACT TO CONSERVE O I L AND GAS

((ARTICLE

I

"This agreement may become effective within any compacting state at any time as prescribed by that state, and shall become effective within those states ratifying it whenever any three of the states of Texas, Oklahoma, California, Kansas, and New Mexico have ratified and Congress has given its consent. Any oil-producing state may become a party hereto as hereinafter provided. "ARTICLE II

"The purpose of this compact is to conserve oil and gas by the prevention of physical waste thereof from any cause. "ARTICLE III

"Each state bound hereby agrees that within a reasonable time it will enact laws, or if laws have been enacted, then it agrees to continue the same in force, to accomplish within reasonable limits the prevention of: " (a) The operation of any oil well with an inefficient gas-oil ratio. " (b) The drowning with water of any stratum capable of producing oil or gas, or both oil and gas, in paying quantities. "(c) The avoidable escape into the open air or the wasteful burning of gas from a natural gas well. " (d) The creation of unnecessary fire hazards. "(e) The drilling, equipping, locating, spacing or operating of a well or wells so as to bring about physical waste of oil or gas or loss in the ultimate recovery thereof. "(f) The inefficient, excessive or improper use of the reservoir energy in producing any well. "The enumeration of the foregoing subjects shall not limit the scope of the authority of any state. u ARTICLE IV

"Each state bound hereby agrees that it will, within a reasonable time, enact statutes, or if such statutes have been enacted then that it

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