INTERSTATE COMPACT TO CONSERVE OIL 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 the laws have been enacted to continue the same in force, to accomplish within reasonable limits the prevention of:
1. The operation of any oil well with an inefficient gas-oil ratio.
2. The drowning with water of any stratum capable of producing oil or gas, or both oil and gas, in paying quantities.
3. The avoidable escape into the open air or the wasteful burning of gas from a natural gas well.
4. The creation of unnecessary fire hazards.
5. 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.
6. 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.
Article IV.
Each state bound hereby agrees that it will, within a reasonable time, enact statutes, or if such statutes have been enacted that it will continue the same in force, providing in effect that oil produced in violation of its valid oil and/or gas conservation statutes or any valid rule, order, or regulation promulgated thereunder shall be denied access to commerce and providing for stringent penalties for the waste of either oil or gas.
Article V.
It is not the purpose of this compact to authorize the states joining herein to limit the production of oil or gas for the purpose of stabilizing or fixing the price thereof, or to create or perpetuate monopoly, or to promote regimentation, but is limited to the purpose of conserving oil and gas and preventing the avoidable waste thereof within reasonable limitations.
Article VI.
Each state joining herein shall appoint one representative to a commission hereby constituted and designated as the Interstate Oil Compact Commission (the Commission), the duty of which shall be to make inquiry and ascertain from time to time such methods, practices, circumstances, and conditions as may be disclosed for bringing about conservation and the prevention of physical waste of oil and gas, and at such intervals as the Commission deems beneficial, it shall report its findings and recommendations to the several states for adoption or rejection.
The Commission shall have power to recommend the coordination of the exercise of the police powers of the several states within their several jurisdictions to promote the maximum ultimate recovery from the petroleum reserves of the states and to recommend measures for the maximum ultimate recovery of oil and gas. The Commission shall adopt suitable rules and regulations for the conduct of its business.
No action shall be taken by the Commission except (i) by the affirmative vote of the majority of the whole number of the compacting states represented at any meeting and (ii) by a concurring vote of a majority in interest of the compacting states at the meeting, such interest to be determined as follows: the vote of each state shall be in the decimal proportion fixed by the ratio of its daily average production during the preceding calendar half-year to the daily average production of the compacting states during that period.
Article VII.
No state by joining herein shall become financially obligated to any other state, nor shall the breach of the terms hereof by any state subject that state to financial responsibility to the other states joining herein.
Article VIII.
This compact shall continue in effect until Congress withdraws its consent. Any state joining herein may, upon 60 days' notice, withdraw herefrom.
The representatives of the signatory states have signed this agreement in a single original that shall be deposited in the archives of the Department of State of the United States, and a duly certified copy shall be forwarded to the Governor of each of the signatory states.
This compact shall become effective when ratified and approved as provided in Article I. Any oil-producing state may become a party thereto by affixing its signature to a counterpart to be similarly deposited, certified, and ratified.
1982, c. 570, § 45.1-381; 2021, Sp. Sess. I, c. 387.