Art. 5366a. EXTENSION OF OIL AND GAS LEASES ON AREAS COVERED BY COASTAL WATERS OR WITHIN GULF.

Sec. 1. In each case in which an oil and gas mineral lease has heretofore been granted or may hereafter be granted by the State of Texas on an area covered by the coastal waters of the State or within the Gulf of Mexico and in which the War Department of the United State refuses to grant a permit to the lessee or owner of such lease to drill a well thereon for oil, gas or other minerals (the area included in such lease being within the navigable waters of the United States) and in the event the primary term of such lease should expire during the period of time in which the War Department of the United States may continue to refuse to issue such permit, then and in such event the primary term of such lease is hereby extended for successive periods of one (1) year from and after the end of the original primary term of such lease while and so long as the War Department may continue such refusal to issue to the lessee or to the owner of such lease a permit to drill for oil, gas or other minerals, on the area covered thereby; provided, that in order to make such extensions effectual the lessee or the owner of such lease shall, during each of the annual periods during which the primary term of the lease is so extended, apply to and seek to obtain from the War Department a permit to drill a well for oil, gas or other minerals on the area covered by such lease and be unsuccessful in its attempts to obtain a permit, or, if successful in obtaining a permit, commence operations for drilling a well upon the leased premises within sixty (60) days after obtaining such permit; and provided further that the lessee or the owner of such lease continues to pay the annual renewal rentals at the rate provided for in such lease for the period of time involved in such extensions. Should such lease be so extended and should the War Department at any time while such lease is still in force and effect issue a permit to the lessee or to the owner of such lease to drill a well thereon for oil, gas or other minerals, such lease shall continue in force and effect if the lessee commences drilling operations upon the leased premises within sixty (60) days after obtaining such permit, and so long as the lessee or the owner of such lease shall continue to conduct drilling or mining operations thereon, or if oil, gas or other mineral be discovered thereon by the lessee or the owner of such lease, so long as oil, gas or other mineral is produced from such leased premises. Should the production of oil, gas or other mineral on said leased premises after once secured, cease from any cause, such lease shall not terminate if the lessee or owner of such lease commences additional drilling, reworking or mining operations within thirty (30) days thereafter or if it be within the original primary term of such lease, commences or resumes the payment or tender of rental on or before the rental paying date, if any, next ensuing; but if there be no rental paying date next ensuing, the lease shall in no event terminate prior to the expiration of the primary term.

Sec. 2. The Commissioner of the General Land Office is hereby authorized to issue to the lessee or owner of said lease such instrument in writing in the nature of an extension of said lease as may be necessary or proper to carry into effect the foregoing provisions of this Act.

Acts 1941, 47th Leg., p. 456, ch. 287.