Sec. 52.178. OPERATION UNDER PERMIT. The owner of a permit or combination of permits shall have 18 months from the date or average date thereof in which to begin drilling a well for oil and gas on some portion of the land included therein. The drilling on one permit shall be sufficient protection against forfeiture of all the permits included in a combination. Owners of permits or combination of permits included herein shall have three years after the date or average date thereof in which to complete the development of oil and gas thereon, and if oil and gas should not be found in paying quantities and a lease applied for within said time all rights in such permit or combination of permits shall terminate, and the oil and gas in such land shall become subject to the provisions of this law relating to the relinquishment of oil and gas to the owner of the soil.
Acts 1977, 65th Leg., p. 2460, ch. 871, art. I, Sec. 1, eff. Sept. 1, 1977.
Structure Texas Statutes
Subtitle D - Disposition of the Public Domain
Section 52.171. School and Asylum Lands
Section 52.172. Sale and Lease by Agent
Section 52.174. Failure to Drill Offset
Section 52.175. Lease of Oil and Gas After Forfeiture
Section 52.176. Forfeiture of Rights
Section 52.177. Rights of Subsequent Purchaser
Section 52.178. Operation Under Permit
Section 52.179. Lease Under Permit
Section 52.180. Payments Under Permit
Section 52.181. Relinquishment Under Permit
Section 52.182. Damages to Soil
Section 52.183. Effective Date of Lease
Section 52.184. Statement of Consideration
Section 52.185. University Land
Section 52.186. Lease of Certain Minerals When Owner of the Soil Unavailable
Section 52.188. Assignments to the Owner of the Soil