Belden v. Tri-Star Producing Co.

At issue in this appeal are the rights under certain oil and gas leases covering 40 acres of Fayette County land. This land was and is owned by several individuals collectively referred to as the “Breeze heirs” and thus the tract is known as the “Breeze lease” or the “Breeze land.” The precise question presented is whether a 1938 oil and gas lease covering that land expired under the terms of the habendum clause in that lease.

On July 18, 1938, the then owners of the Breeze land entered into an oil and gas lease with the Minerva Oil Company as lessee. The lessors reserved unto themselves the…