I've always felt severed surface owners should get an on-going payment for oil produced from a well on their land.
Whether or not eight percent is the right number can be worked out.
[Update: Since posting the above, I've been mulling it around in my little mind. That may have not been well thought out, on my part. Lots of issues to consider. For example, the surface owner who consciously decided to sell his/her mineral rights, now cashes in anyway if the bill is passed. He/she made money selling mineral rights; now gets royalties, anyway. It certainly makes it an easier decision in the future to sell mineral rights on "oil-poor acreage" if the bill passes. If the surface owner erred, he/she will get royalties anyway. On second thought, more work needs to go into this bill. This will be very interesting to follow.]
More discussion here by folks a lot smarter than I am on this issue. Thank goodness.
