(a) The general assembly finds that the exploration for and development of oil and gas reserves must coexist with the equal right to the use, agricultural or otherwise, of the surface of land within this state.
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Terms Used In Tennessee Code 60-1-602

  • Gas: means all natural gas and all other fluid hydrocarbons not defined as oil, including condensate because it originally was in a gaseous phase in the reservoir. See Tennessee Code 60-1-101
  • Oil: means crude petroleum that was originally in an oil phase in the reservoir. See Tennessee Code 60-1-101
  • State: when applied to the different parts of the United States, includes the District of Columbia and the several territories of the United States. See Tennessee Code 1-3-105
(b) It is the purpose of this part to provide constitutionally permissible protection and compensation to surface owners of land on which oil and gas wells are drilled for the burden resulting from such drilling operations. This part shall be interpreted to benefit surface owners regardless of when any particular oil and gas estate was separated from the surface estate and regardless of who executed that document.
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