The commission, in the interest of increasing the ultimate recovery of oil or gas, the protection of oil or gas from unreasonable waste, the possible arresting or amelioration of land subsidence, or protecting adjacent landowners, may include in any oil and gas lease executed under this chapter a provision which may require the lessee to enter into any unit or cooperative agreement with respect to the leased lands when the commission gives notice of intention to lease those lands. For any of those purposes, the commission, on behalf of the state as lessor or prospective lessor, may negotiate and enter into unit or cooperative agreements with respect to lands owned by the state, or lands in which the oil and gas deposits are reserved to the state, for the purpose of bringing about the unitized or cooperative development and operation of all, or a part or parts, of the oil and gas field in which the lands are located. Subject to the provisions of this section and notwithstanding any competitive bidding requirements or restrictions on term contained in this code or any other statute, the commission may negotiate and execute all agreements necessary to effectuate, implement, or modify any such unit or cooperative agreement, including the power to bind and commit lands, including tide and submerged lands, or any interest in lands, to the cooperative or unit agreement for the full term thereof, irrespective of whether the term thereof is for a period extending over the life of the field or for any other indefinite period. The power of the commission to enter into unit or cooperative agreements includes the power to do other acts or things, and to incur on behalf of the state other commitments and obligations, that are customary in unit or cooperative agreements. The commission may designate a representative or representatives to attend unit meetings, vote, and otherwise represent and bind the interest of the state in accordance with the terms and conditions of any such unit or cooperative agreement.
(Amended by Stats. 1982, Ch. 1463, Sec. 5.)