APPORTIONMENT RULE

apportionment  rule.Oil  &  gas.  The  minority  doctrine  that  royalties  accrued  under  an

oil-and-gas  lease  on  land  that  is  subdivided  during  the  lease  term  must  be  shared  by  the

landowners in  proportion to their interests in the land. • For example, if Grey  granted a lease to

Simms, then sold one-half of the land to Metcalfe, Simms and Metcalfe would each be entitled to

one-half  of  any  royalty  from  the  land,  no  matter  where  the  producing  well  was  located.  Only

California, Mississippi, and Pennsylvania follow this rule. Cf. NONAPPORTIONMENT RULE. [Blacks Law 8th]