Danny Snowden and Shelia Snowden v. Jre Investments, Inc., Chesapeak — Wills, J., Concurring in Part and Dissenting…

Summary

The separate opinion would construe the statute to sever nonproducing sections from the producing section and would hold that the drilling exception applies only to sections other than Section 29. It reasons that the majority's contrary interpretation makes the severance provision meaningless by allowing production in the original section to preserve the entire lease indefinitely. The opinion concurs that Chesapeake's drilling obligations should be tolled during the litigation because the Snowdens filed suit before the statutory drilling period expired.