The CALIFORNIA CO. v. Britt

This case involves a claim for drainage by owners of an unsigned, fractional mineral interest, against the operator of a voluntary unitization of an oil field, using a pressure maintenance program. It was approved by the state regulatory agency, and no unit production was on the nonunitized tract.

Howard Britt and others brought this action in the Chancery Court of Lincoln County against The California Company, appellant (called Callifornia), Sun Oil Company, and certain individual defendants. They sought an accounting and damages for a willful and malicious trespass upon an unleased…