Unitization of Oil and Gas Fields in Texas

By 1985, every oil and gas-producing state but Texas had passed a 'unitization' statute requiring cooperation among the various owners of oil and gas reserves. Using interviews, legislative transcripts, and statistical data, Jacqualine Lang Weaver attempts to explain why Texas failed to enact such a statute – aimed at encouraging the most efficient recovery of resources – and how Texas has managed to achieve substantial unitization nonetheless. Originally published in 1986.