Garfield Oil Co. v. Champlin, 78 Okla. 91, 189 P. 514, 520; Lewis v. Grininger, 198 Okla. 419, 179 P.2d 463, 464; Williams v. Ware, 167 Okla. 626, 31 P.2d 567, 570; Frank Oil Co. v. Belleview Gas Oil Co., 29 Okla. 719, 119 P. 260, 265, 43 L.R.A., N.S., 487. McKinlay v. Feagins, 82 Okla. 193, 198 P. 997, 998; New England Oil Pipe Line Co. v. Rogers, 154 Okla. 285, 7 P.2d 638, 641. Time is of the essence of the provision in an "unless" lease for the payment of delay rental; and the payment of the delay rental on or before the specified date is a condition precedent, which must be performed in order to continue the lease in force and give the lessee the right to defer drilling operations; and such a lease is automatically terminated at the end of the original term, upon failure of the lessee either to commence a well or to pay the delay rental on or before the specified date, by reason of the agreement of the parties.
The Oklahoma decisions, in my judgment, support this conclusion. Frank Oil Co. v. Belleview Gas & Oil Co. et al., 1911, 29 Okl. 719, 119 P. 260, 43 L.R.A.,N.S. 50; Cohn v. Clark 1915, 48 Okl. 500, 150 P. 467, L.R.A. 1916B, 686; Mitchell v. Probst, 1915, 52 Okl. 10, 152 P. 597; McKee v. Grimm, 1916, 59 Okl. 259, 159 P. 264; Curtis v. Harris et al., 1919, 76 Okl. 226, 184 P. 574; Garfield Oil Co. v. Champlin et al., 1920, 78 Okl. 91, 189 P. 514; Eastern Oil Co. v. Smith, 1920, 80 Okl. 207, 195 P. 773; McKinlay v. Feagins, et al., 1921, 82 Okl. 193, 198 P. 997; Reland v. Chatman, 1922, 87 Okl. 223, 209 P. 408; Crowder et al. v. James, 1925, 110 Okl. 214, 236 P. 891; Oldfield v. Gypsy Oil & Gas Co., 1926, 123 Okl. 293, 253 P. 298; Brazell v. Soucek et al., 1928, 130 Okl. 204, 266 P. 442; McCrory v. Twombly, 1928, 130 Okl. 245, 266 P. 768; Harris v. Kerns et al., 1930, 144 Okl. 225, 291 P. 100; New England Oil & Oil & Pipe Line Co. v. Rogers, 1931, 154 Okl. 285, 7 P.2d 638; Williams v. Ware, 1934, 167 Okl. 626, 31 P.2d 567; Lewis v. Grininger, 1947, 198 Okl. 419, 179 P.2d 463. Decree in conformity herewith should be prepared by the attorney for the defendants and presented to the Court for signing and entry at Chickasha, Oklahoma, on the 26th day of July, 1949, at 9:30 a.m.
V. This lease of the "unless" type, giving optional rights to the lessee should be strictly construed in favor of the lessor and against the lessee. Fritsche v. Turner, 133 Neb. 633, 276 N.W. 403; McKinley v. Feagins, 82 Okla. 193, 198 P. 997; Valentine Oil Co. v. Power, 157 Neb. 71, 59 N.W.2d 150. VI. There is no forfeiture involved when a lease expires by its own terms.
" We held in Fritsche v. Turner, 133 Neb. 633, 276 N.W. 403, by quoting from McKinlay v. Feagins, 82 Okla. 193, 198 P. 997, that: "`An oil and gas lease containing the "unless" clause confers an optional right upon the lessee, and should be strictly construed in favor of the lessor and against the lessee, and time is of the essence of the contract.' * * * a failure on the part of the lessee to commence the drilling of a well or to pay the rental as stipulated automatically terminated the lease contract." See, also, Valentine Oil Co. v. Powers, supra.
Therein this court held: "An oil and gas lease, providing that, unless work is commenced by a certain time, or unless the lessee pay a rental stated to renew the lease, it shall terminate, confers an optional right upon the lessee and should be strictly construed in favor of the lessor and against the lessee." In so holding, the opinion cited and quoted with approval from McKinley v. Feagins, 82 Okla. 193, 198 P. 997, wherein it was said: "* * * `Held, a failure on the part of the lessee to commence the drilling of a well or to pay the rental as stipulated automatically terminated the lease contract. "`An oil and gas lease containing the "unless" clause confers an optional right upon the lessee, and should be strictly construed in favor of the lessor and against the lessee, and time is of the essence of the contract.'"
An "unless lease" automatically terminates as to any rights of the lessee thereunder upon default of the lessee in failing either to drill a well or to pay the delay rental provided in the contract. LeRosen v. North Central Tex. Oil Co., 169 La. 973, 126 So. 442; Epperson v. Helbron, 145 Ark. 566, 225 S.W. 345; Ohio Oil Co. v. Detamore, 165 Ind. 243, 73 N.E. 906; Dill v. Fraze, 169 Ind. 53, 79 N.E. 971; McNamer Realty Co. v. Sunburst Oil Gas Co., 96 Mont. 332, 247 P. 166; Abell v. Bishop, supra; Meek v. Cooney, 5 Ohio C.C. (N.S.) 266, 26 Ohio C.C. 553; Frank Oil Co. v. Belleview Gas Oil Co., 29 Okla. 719, 119 P. 260; McKinley v. Feagins, 82 Okla. 193, 198 P. 997; Jones v. Murphy, 253 S.W. 634; Young v. McIllhenny, 116 S.W. 728; Chi.-Okla. Oil Gas Co. v. Shertzer, 105 Okla. 111, 231 P. 877; Sparks v. Albin, supra; Union Gas Oil Co. v. Indian Tex. Petroleum Co., 202 Ky. 236, 259 S.W. 57; Risch v. Burch, 175 Ind. 621, 95 N.E. 123; Weiss v. Claborn, 219 S.W. 884; Gillespie v. Bobo, supra; McLaughlin v. Brock, 225 S.W. 575; Garfield Oil Co. v. Champlin, 103 Okla. 209, 229 P. 824; Ireland v. Chatman, 87 Okla. 223, 209 P. 408; Hitson v. Gilman, 220 S.W. 140; N.W. Oil Gas Co. v. Branine, 71 Okla. 107, 175 P. 533, 3 A.L.R. 344; Skien v. Injunction Oil Gas Co., 80 Okla. 41, 193 P. 988; Duffield v. Michaels, 42 C.C.A. 649, 203 F. 820; Rosson v. Bennett, 294 S.W. 660; Lovenberg v. Henry, 140 S.W. 1079; 15 A.L.R. 597.
An "unless lease" automatically terminates as to any rights of the lessee thereunder upon default of the lessee in failing either to drill a well or to pay the delay rentals provided in the contract. Epperson v. Helbron, 145 Ark. 566, 225 S.W. 345; 15 A.L.R. 597; Ohio Oil Co. v. Detamore, 165 Ind. 243, 73 N.E. 906; Dill v. Fraze, 169 Ind. 53, 79 N.E. 971; LeRosen v. North Central Tex. Oil Co., 126 So. 442; McNamer Realty Co. v. Sunburst Oil Gas Co., 96 Mont. 332, 247 P. 166; Abell v. Bishop, 284 P. 525; Meek v. Cooney, 5 Ohio C.C. (N.S.) 266, 26 Ohio C.C. 553; Frank Oil Co. v. Belleview Gas Oil Co., 29 Okla. 719, 119 P. 260; McKinley v. Feagins, 82 Okla. 193, 198 P. 997; Jones v. Murphy, 253 S.W. 634; Young v. McIllhenny, 116 S.W. 728; Chi.-Okla. Oil Gas Co. v. Shertzer, 105 Okla. 111, 231 P. 877; Sparks v. Albin, 195 Ky. 52, 241 S.W. 321; Union Gas Oil Co. v. Indian Tex. Petroleum Co., 202 Ky. 236, 259 S.W. 57; Risch v. Burch, 175 Ind. 621, 95 N.E. 123; Weiss v. Claborn, 219 S.W. 884; Gillespie v. Bobo, 271 Fed. 641; McLaughlin v. Brock, 225 S.W. 575; Garfield Oil Co. v. Champlin, 103 Okla. 209, 229 P. 824; Ireland v. Chatman, 87 Okla. 223, 209 P. 408; Hitson v. Gilman, 220 S.W. 140; N.W. Oil Gas Co. v. Branine, 71 Okla. 107, 175 P. 533, 3 A.L.R. 344; Skien v. Injunction Oil Gas Co., 80 Okla. 41, 193 P. 988; Duffield v. Michaels, 42 C.C.A. 649, 203 Fed. 820; Rosson v. Bennett, 294 S.W. 660; Lovenberg v. Henry, 140 S.W. 1079.
Curtis v. Harris, 76 Okla. 226, 184 P. 574; Eastern Oil Co. v. Smith, 80 Okla. 207, 195 P. 773; Taylor v. Hamilton, 194 Cal. 768, 230 P. 656; Thomas v. Standard Development Co. (Mont.) 224 P. 870; Garfield Oil Co. v. Champlin, 103 Okla. 209, 229 P. 824; McKinley v. Feagins, 82 Okla. 193, 198 P. 997; Garfield Oil Co. v. Champlin, 78 Okla. 91, 189 P. 514. In the case of Texala Oil Gas Co. v. Caddo Mineral Lands Co., 152 La. 549, 93 So. 788, in the third paragraph of the syllabus it is said:
term from time to time by drilling or commencing a well, as the case may be, or with a stipulated sum called rental for the privilege of deferring for a definite time the drilling or commencement of a well, the failure to drill or pay works a forfeiture of a valuable right conferred under a valid mutual contract based on a valuable consideration, has never been applied by this court. On the other hand, this court has many times, before and since the Brunson Case, held that in such cases, upon failure to drill or pay within the time provided by the option clause, the lease automatically terminates and that the equitable rules against forfeiture do not apply. Curtis v. Harris, 76 Okla. 226, 184 P. 574; Cohn v. Clark, 48 Okla. 500, 150 P. 467; McKee v. Grimm, 57 Okla. 680, 157 P. 308; Eastern Oil Co. v. Beatty, 71 Okla. 275, 177 P. 104; Mitchell v. Probst, 52, Okla. 10, 152, P. 597; Garfield Oil Co. v. Champlin, 78 Okla. 91, 189 P. 514; Eastern Oil Co. v. Smith, 80 Okla. 207, 195 P. 773; McKinlay v. Feagins, 82 Okla. 193, 198 P. 997; Crowder v. James, 110 Okla. 214, 236 P. 891. In McKinlay v. Feagins, supra, it was held:
Zeigler v. Daily, 37 Ind. App. 240, 76 N.E. 819. There having been no successful development within the ten-year period, the lease contract, on July 30, 1923, automatically terminated. Pettitt v. Double-O Oil Co., 82 Okla. 13, 198 P. 616; Curtis v. Harris, 76 Okla. 226, 184 P. 574; McKinley v. Feagins, 82 Okla. 193, 198 P. 997. In these circumstances it was not error for the court to render judgment quieting plaintiffs' title to the property involved against defendant's claim of a subsisting oil and gas lease thereon, on the ground that the term of the lease had expired.