What is the law of capture concerning oil ownership?

The law of capture pertains specifically to the principle that a landowner has the right to extract minerals and oil from beneath their property, regardless of whether those resources migrate from adjacent landowners’ properties. This principle underscores that oil and gas are considered fugitive resources that do not respect property lines; thus, once a landowner successfully extracts oil, that oil is theirs to keep, even if it originated from a neighboring parcel of land.

This legal framework incentivizes landowners to extract resources as they become available, fundamentally recognizing their right to capture any oil that comes under their control. The concept is vital for understanding the dynamics of mineral rights and resource extraction in the context of oil fields and has significant implications for how landowners strategize their drilling efforts.