>On behalf of us all, let me say thanks for sharing all this great stuff on unitization.

You're quite welcome.

>f a mutally benefical agreement can't be reached, could this end up being decided by an independent aribtrator or even the Hungarian courts?

That's what the Hungarian Mining Act states:

Mining Act Section 29 (1) If several mining entrepreneurs are entitled simultaneously to exploitation of a coherent site of mineral resources, they shall coordinate the exercise of their activities and ensure, in the framework thereof, the conditions of joint, workmanlike and reasonable exploitation. In the absence of agreement the sequence and conditions of exploitation shall be established by the mining supervision.

All of the articles I've read also state the same thing, that the parties involved are first given a chance to come to an agreement amongst themselves. If they can't, then the government steps in.

<!-- /* Style Definitions */ p.MsoNormal, li.MsoNormal, div.MsoNormal {mso-style-parent:""; margin:0in; margin-bottom:.0001pt; mso-pagination:widow-orphan; font-size:12.0pt; font-family:"Times New Roman"; mso-fareast-font-family:"Times New Roman";} @page Section1 {size:8.5in 11.0in; margin:1.0in 1.25in 1.0in 1.25in; mso-header-margin:.5in; mso-footer-margin:.5in; mso-paper-source:0;} div.Section1 {page:Section1;} --> "In the United States, the consequence of a failure to agree to unitize voluntarily is that the conservation commission may be able to compel unitization."

" <!-- /* Style Definitions */ p.MsoNormal, li.MsoNormal, div.MsoNormal {mso-style-parent:""; margin:0in; margin-bottom:.0001pt; mso-pagination:widow-orphan; font-size:12.0pt; font-family:"Times New Roman"; mso-fareast-font-family:"Times New Roman";} @page Section1 {size:8.5in 11.0in; margin:1.0in 1.25in 1.0in 1.25in; mso-header-margin:.5in; mso-footer-margin:.5in; mso-paper-source:0;} div.Section1 {page:Section1;} --> Outside the United States, a country can require unitization without any minimum percentage of voluntary agreement, but initial voluntary efforts to unitize are required. If the parties cannot agree voluntarily, the countries have different procedures leading to unitization"

This all fits perfectly with what we know:

Formation of Unit: Falcon, ExxonMobil and MOL all recognize the significant potential benefits, from an operating efficiency and technical analysis standpoint, of combining all or a portion of their jointly-owned interest into one unit. Therefore, they have agreed to commence technical discussions and use reasonable efforts to combine all or a portion of their respective interests in the Makó Trough. The Amendment provides that Falcon, ExxonMobil and MOL will pursue discussions toward that objective, beginning in the first calendar quarter of 2009.

Yes it sounds like they are all just doing it because they want to, but when people get together and decide they want to discuss something voluntarily, do they usually set a deadline? In the news release they casually state "beginning in the first calendar quarter", however, in the more detailed document on Sedar, they actually have a deadline of April 1, 2009.

If this was 100% voluntary, then what's with the deadline :)

Besides, this story has been following the Mining Act like a script for the last 3 years, I dont see any reason why this would be any different.