Termination of Oil or Gas Interests in Land/Dormant Minerals Act

(1) Any interest in oil or gas in any land owned by any person other than the owner of the surface, which has not been sold, leased, mortgaged, or transferred by instrument recorded in the register of deeds office for the county where that interest in oil or gas is located for a period of 20 years shall, in the absence of the issuance of a permit to drill an oil or gas well issued by the department of environmental quality, or its predecessor or successor, as to that interest in oil or gas or the actual production or withdrawal of oil or gas from said lands, or from lands covered by a lease to which that interest in oil or gas is subject, or from lands pooled, unitized, or included in unit operations therewith, or the use of that interest in underground gas storage operations, during such period of 20 years, be deemed abandoned, unless the owner thereof shall, within 3 years after September 6, 1963 or within 20 years after the last sale, lease, mortgage, or transfer of record of that interest in oil or gas or within 20 years after the last issuance of a drilling permit as to that interest in oil or gas or actual production or withdrawal of oil or gas, from said lands, or from lands covered by a lease to which that interest in oil or gas is subject, or from lands pooled, unitized, or included in unit operations therewith, or the use of that interest in oil or gas in underground gas storage operations, whichever is later, record a claim of interest as provided in section 2.

(2) Any interest in oil or gas deemed abandoned as provided in subsection (1) shall vest as of the date of such abandonment in the owner or owners of the surface in keeping with the character of the surface ownership.