Ocean Drilling & Exploration Co. v. United States

This interesting case is an aftermath of the Supreme Court decisions in 1947 and 1950 which held that the federal government had paramount jurisdiction over the outer continental shelf lands. Louisiana leased and collected rents and royalties on part of the shelf lands prior to the decisions. After the decisions the federal government validated these leases as federal leases and collected the rents and royalties from them. The part of plaintiffs petition before the court relates to matters rising by reason of the changeover.

Plaintiffs claims contained in paragraphs Vand VI of its 14-paragraph…