(a) Whenever the Secretary establishes a salable quantity and allotment percentage for a class of oil that may be freely marketed during a marketing year, the Committee shall issue an annual allotment to each producer holding an allotment base for that class of oil. Each producer's annual allotment for a class of oil shall be determined by multiplying the producer's allotment base for that class of oil by the applicable allotment percentage.

(b) On or before December 1, the Committee shall furnish each registered holder of an allotment base a form for the producer to apply for an annual allotment for the ensuing marketing year. The Committee, with the approval of the Secretary, shall establish rules and regulations prescribing the information to be submitted on this form. The Committee shall notify each producer of the producer's annual allotment for each class of oil within 10 days after the Secretary establishes the salable quantity and allotment percentage.

(c) Through 1981, a handler may acquire oil of a producer's own production to fulfill a written contract entered into by these two persons prior to February 27, 1979. The terms of this contract shall require the producer to deliver to that handler a specified quantity of a class of oil from that producer's production at a specific price from a specified acreage and produced prior to 1982. The quantity of oil acquired by the handler pursuant to that contract during the 1980-81 or 1981-82 marketing year may exceed the producer's annual allotment for the applicable marketing year, but shall be charged against the producer's annual allotment for that year.