Bandini Petroleum Co. v. Superior Court

This is an original prohibition proceeding. The petitioners seek to prevent the respondent court from enforcing a preliminary injunction and order modifying the same and also to check any further order or proceeding against them in an action pending in the respondent court entitled People of the State of California on Relation of Fred G. Stevenot, Director of Natural Resources of the State of California v. Associated Oil Company et al., which action was brought for the purpose of enjoining all of the defendants therein named from unreasonably wasting natural gas from their wells in the Santa Pe Springs oil-field. On March 19, 1930, after hearing the parties to the action, the court granted a temporary injunction limiting and defining the amount of gas which the defendants would be allowed to permit to escape into the air from their wells in the field mentioned. On March 28, 1930, the court made another order somewhat relaxing the terms of the injunction pendente lite. It is asserted by petitioners that they have been irreparably injured and damaged by attempting to curtail the production of natural gas; that there is no market for a large part thereof and that if they are to be…