California Code, Public Resources Code - PRC § 3609

Notwithstanding any other provisions of this chapter, if the supervisor determines, pursuant to rules and regulations and after a public hearing, that the development of a pool discovered after the effective date of this section for the production of oil and gas, or either, requires the adoption of a well-spacing pattern other than that specified in Sections 3600 to 3608.1, inclusive, in order to prevent waste and to increase the ultimate economic recovery of oil or gas, he may adopt a well-spacing plan to apply to the surface and subsurface of a designated pool.  Such plan shall be applicable to all wells thereafter drilled or redrilled into such pool.  Such plan may include a requirement that, as a prerequisite to approval to drill or redrill a well, all or certain specified parcels of land shall be included in a pooling or unit agreement.  The supervisor may provide in the rules and regulations for mandatory pooling agreements in connection with the well-spacing order.