Old oil contracts and natural gas contracts in the former Principality of Schaumburg-Lippe

In the case of old oil contracts, a landowner has concluded a contract with a petroleum company for the exploration and production of bituminous substances. The contract had to be concluded before the entry into force of the Petroleum Ordinance in 1934, and then notified to the mining authority in due time and confirmed by it. Then the landowner retained the right to this land treasure and it did not pass to the state. Special incentive interest agreements apply here. The basis is the Petroleum Ordinance of 13.12.1934. The files of these contracts contain card documents of various scales. The right to dispose of oil, natural gas and bituminous materials was withdrawn by the Land of Prussia in 1934. In view of the numerous contracts between landowners and companies for the exploration and extraction of these minerals, which existed in Prussia at the time, and since oil was already produced, the legislature felt compelled to leave all contracts concluded before the entry into force of the Petroleum Ordinance unaffected. They had to be notified to the mountain authority for confirmation. Natural gas contracts are only available in the former Principality of Schaumburg-Lippe. The exploration of oil, with the exception of natural gas, was granted in the form of a mine property in 1929. Natural gas has not been mentioned in both the Mining Act of 1906 and the Supplementary Act of 1956. Due to its gaseous state of aggregate, natural gas cannot be counted as minerals referred to in § 1 of the Schaumburg-Lippesche Berggesetz. However, since the minerals reserved to the State have been listed, the extraction of natural gas in the former Principality of Schaumburg-Lippe remains the landowners. Several landowners concluded contracts with companies for the extraction of natural gas around 1955.