82-11-212. Property rights and operator's lien. That portion of the unit production allocated to any tract and the proceeds from the sale thereof shall be the property and income of the several persons to whom or to whose credit the same are allocated or payable under the order providing for unit operations, except that the operator of the unit shall, subject to 82-11-206(5)(a), have a first and prior lien upon each owner's oil and gas rights and his share of unitized production to secure the payment of such owner's proportionate part of developing and operating the unit area. Such lien may be perfected and enforced in the same manner as provided in Title 71, chapter 3, part 5, as amended. Upon demand by any owner of working interest in any tract to which gas has been allocated, the unit operator shall deliver such allocated share of gas to the owner in kind; but the operator and the other owners of interest shall not be required to bear the cost of providing additional facilities for the delivery of such gas.

     History: En. Sec. 9, Ch. 33, L. 1969; amd. Sec. 5, Ch. 150, L. 1971; R.C.M. 1947, 60-131.9.