For purposes of this part and unless the context clearly requires otherwise, the terms listed below will have the following meaning:

(1) “Drilling operation” means the actual drilling or redrilling of an oil or gas well and the related preparation of the drilling site and access roads, which requires entry upon the surface estate;

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Terms Used In Tennessee Code 60-1-603

  • Corporation: A legal entity owned by the holders of shares of stock that have been issued, and that can own, receive, and transfer property, and carry on business in its own name.
  • Fiduciary: A trustee, executor, or administrator.
  • 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
  • Guardian: A person legally empowered and charged with the duty of taking care of and managing the property of another person who because of age, intellect, or health, is incapable of managing his (her) own affairs.
  • Oil: means crude petroleum that was originally in an oil phase in the reservoir. See Tennessee Code 60-1-101
  • Partnership: A voluntary contract between two or more persons to pool some or all of their assets into a business, with the agreement that there will be a proportional sharing of profits and losses.
  • Person: means any natural person, corporation, association, partnership, receiver, trustee, guardian, executor, administrator, fiduciary or representative of any kind. See Tennessee Code 60-1-101
  • Representative: when applied to those who represent a decedent, includes executors and administrators, unless the context implies heirs and distributees. See Tennessee Code 1-3-105
  • Trustee: A person or institution holding and administering property in trust.
(2) “Oil and gas developer” means the person who acquires the oil and gas estate by any legal means for the purpose of extracting therefrom oil or gas;
(3) “Person” means any natural person, corporation, firm, partnership, venture, receiver, trustee, executor, administrator, guardian, fiduciary or other representative of any kind, and includes any government or any political subdivision or agency thereof;
(4) “Surface owner” means a person who owns an estate in fee in the surface of land overlying an oil and gas estate being developed, either solely or as a co-owner.