Which legal principle states that a landowner who drills for gas or oil is entitled to all that well produces?

The principle that states a landowner who drills for gas or oil is entitled to all that well produces is known as the Rule of Capture. This legal doctrine allows landowners to claim all of the resources (such as oil and gas) that they extract from their land, regardless of whether those resources migrate from adjacent properties. Essentially, the Rule of Capture incentivizes landowners to drill for these resources, as it recognizes their right to the natural resources within their reach.

This principle is particularly significant in the context of oil and gas exploration because it can lead to competition among landowners to extract resources, potentially resulting in disputes over resource rights. It reflects the idea that the first person to capture a resource has the right to it, regardless of ownership boundaries, which is fundamental in the oil and gas industry.

Subsurface rights pertain to the ownership of minerals or resources beneath the surface of the land but do not express the nature of entitlement derived through drilling activities. Remainder interest and life estate are concepts related to future interests in property and do not directly apply to the extraction of resources like oil or gas.