Iowa Code 458A.7 – Department shall set spacing units
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The department shall set spacing units as follows:
1. When necessary to prevent waste, to avoid the drilling of unnecessary wells, or to protect correlative rights, the department shall establish spacing units for a pool. Spacing units when established shall be of uniform size and shape for the entire pool, except that when found to be necessary for any of the purposes above mentioned, the department may divide any pool into zones and establish spacing units for each zone, which units may differ in size and shape from those established in any other zone.
Terms Used In Iowa Code 458A.7
- and: includes the word "or" and the use of the word "or" includes the word "and". See Iowa Code 458A.2
- Department: means the department of natural resources. See Iowa Code 462A.2
- Department: means the department of natural resources created under section 455A. See Iowa Code 458A.2
- Director: means the director of the department or the director's designee. See Iowa Code 462A.2
- Director: means the director of the department or a designee. See Iowa Code 458A.2
- Equitable: Pertaining to civil suits in "equity" rather than in "law." In English legal history, the courts of "law" could order the payment of damages and could afford no other remedy. See damages. A separate court of "equity" could order someone to do something or to cease to do something. See, e.g., injunction. In American jurisprudence, the federal courts have both legal and equitable power, but the distinction is still an important one. For example, a trial by jury is normally available in "law" cases but not in "equity" cases. Source: U.S. Courts
- Gas: means and includes all natural gas and all other fluid hydrocarbons which are produced at the wellhead and not defined in this section as oil. See Iowa Code 458A.2
- Oil: means and includes crude petroleum oil and other hydrocarbons regardless of gravity which are produced at the wellhead in liquid form and the liquid hydrocarbons known as distillate or condensate recovered or extracted from gas, other than gas produced in association with oil and commonly known as casinghead gas. See Iowa Code 458A.2
- Pool: means an underground reservoir containing a common accumulation of oil or gas or both; each zone of a structure which is completely separated from any other zone in the same structure is a pool, as that term is used in this chapter. See Iowa Code 458A.2
- Waste: means and includes all of the following:a. See Iowa Code 458A.2
- Well: means any hole drilled to determine stratigraphic sequence, mineralization, or for the discovery of oil or gas. See Iowa Code 458A.2
2. The size and shape of spacing units are to be such as will result in the efficient and economical development of the pool as a whole.3. An order establishing spacing units for a pool shall specify the size and shape of each unit and the location of the permitted well thereon in accordance with a reasonably uniform spacing plan. Upon application, if the director finds that a well drilled at the prescribed location would not produce in paying quantities, or that surface conditions would substantially add to the burden or hazard of drilling such well, the director is authorized to enter an order permitting the well to be drilled at a location other than that prescribed by such spacing order; however, the director shall include in the order suitable provisions to prevent the production from the spacing unit of more than its just and equitable share of the oil and gas in the pool.4. An order establishing units for a pool shall cover all lands determined or believed to be underlaid by the pool, and may be modified by the director from time to time to include additional areas determined to be underlaid by the pool. When found necessary for the prevention of waste, or to avoid the drilling of unnecessary wells or to protect correlative rights, an order establishing spacing units in a pool may be modified by the director to increase the size of spacing units in the pool or any zone of the pool, or to permit the drilling of additional wells on a reasonable uniform plan in the pool, or any zone of the pool. Orders of the director may be appealed to the department within thirty days.