JUNE 2024 | 27 THE OKLAHOMA BAR JOURNAL construed to alter the ownership of, or rights associated with the oil or gas, as those terms are defined in Section 86.1 of Title 52 of the Oklahoma Statutes, that may be within the pore space.16 If the meaning of a statute is ever in doubt an amendatory legislative act is presumed to clarify the existing law’s ambiguity, Texas Cnty, Irrigation and Water Res. Ass’n v. Oklahoma Water Res. Bd., 1990 OK 121, ¶ 6, 803 P.2d 1119, 1122. The 2011 amendments to section 6 are presumed to clarify whether contents of pore space are within the term “land” and they are unequivocally not included within the term. Currently, land is the solid material of the earth, including the pore space, but excluding the contents of the pore space. 60 O.S.2021, § 6. Logically, contents of pore space means fluids and gases, like oil and gas, and therefore, deeds conveying only oil or gas transactions are declared exempt from the affidavit requirement in title 60, section 121. In addition to excluding “oil and gas” by the process of statutory construction, the AG used its discretion (granted by the Legislature in Section 121) to conclude (in footnote 3) that deeds to “minerals” would also be excluded from the need to be accompanied by a non-alien affidavit by stating: Further, this declared exemption [for oil and gas] includes assignments and leases of only oil and gas interests. Furthermore, as detailed below, the 2023 amendments to section 121 are intended to only affect surface interests where marijuana can be grown. There being no intent to affect any minerals, hard or soft, this office declares, in its discretion, that deeds conveying only subsurface mineral interests are necessarily exempt from the affidavit requirement in title 60, section 121. CONCLUSION Deeds (and similar instruments, such as leases and assignments) that convey any interest in “minerals” or “oil and gas” are not subject to the requirement of SB 212 and, consequently, do not need to have a non-alien affidavit attached to it to be eligible for filing with the county clerk. It is hoped that this article prompts further discussion on these topics. ABOUT THE AUTHOR Kraettli Q. Epperson is of counsel with Nash Cohenour & Giessmann PC in Oklahoma City. He received his J.D. from the OCU School of Law in 1978 and focuses on mineral and surface title litigation and expert representation. Mr. Epperson chaired the OBA Title Examination Standards Committee from 1988 to 2020 and taught “Oklahoma Land Titles” at the OCU School of Law from 1982 to 2018. He edits and co-authors West/Epperson: Oklahoma Real Estate Forms. ENDNOTES 1. OK Const., Art. 22, Section 1: Aliens – Ownership of land prohibited – Disposal of land acquired (herein the “constitutional bar”). 2. 16 O.S. Sections 15-16. 3. 1979 OK AG 286. 4. Steven L. Barghols, “Alien Ownership of Oklahoma Urban Real Property,” 50 OBJ 2439 (1979). 5. Cartwright v. Hillcrest Investments, Ltd., 1981 OK 27, 630 P.2d 1253. 6. Id., Para. 8. 7. Id., Para. 14. 8. Id., Para. 26. 9. Id., Para. 31. 10. 60 O.S. Sections 4, 5, 6 and 9; 18 O.S. Sections 1040 and 2032. 11. Michael Kuzow, “Corporate Aliens and Oklahoma’s Alien Landownership Restrictions,” 16 Tulsa L. J. 528 (2013) (presented at the spring 1981 Energy Symposium); Jennifer Scott Morardi, “Alien Ownership of Land in Oklahoma,” 79 OBJ 233. (2008). 12. State ex rel Short v. Benevolent Inv. & Relief Assn., 1924 OK 1043, para. 9, 232 P. 35, 39: “These sections [Art. 22, Sections 1 and 2] have been held by this court not to be self-executing.” 13. Websters, “otherwise,” adv. “in a different manner, … in other circumstances, … in all other respects.” 14. 16 O.S. Sections 15-16. 15. 60 O.S. Supp.2023, §121(B)(emphasis added). 16. 60 O.S.2021, §6 (emphasis added). Statements or opinions expressed in the Oklahoma Bar Journal are those of the authors and do not necessarily reflect those of the Oklahoma Bar Association, its officers, Board of Governors, Board of Editors or staff.
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