30 USC 192 - Payment of royalties in oil or gas; sale of such oil or gas

Collapse to view only § 192. Payment of royalties in oil or gas; sale of such oil or gas

§ 181. Lands subject to disposition; persons entitled to benefits; reciprocal privileges; helium rights reserved
§ 182. Lands disposed of with reservation of deposits of coal, etc.
§ 183. Cancellation of prospecting permits
§ 184. Limitations on leases held, owned or controlled by persons, associations or corporations
§ 184a. Authorization of States to include in agreements for conservation of oil and gas resources lands acquired from United States
§ 185. Rights-of-way for pipelines through Federal lands
§ 186. Reservation of easements or rights-of-way for working purposes; reservation of right to dispose of surface of lands; determination before offering of lease; easement periods
§ 187. Assignment or subletting of leases; relinquishment of rights under leases; conditions in leases for protection of diverse interests in operation of mines, wells, etc.; State laws not impaired
§ 187a. Oil or gas leases; partial assignments
§ 187b. Oil or gas leases; written relinquishment of rights; release of obligations
§ 188. Failure to comply with provisions of lease
§ 188a. Surrender of leases
§ 189. Rules and regulations; boundary lines; State rights unaffected; taxation
§ 190. Oath; requirement; form; blanks
§ 191. Disposition of moneys received
§ 191a. Late payment charges under Federal mineral leases
§ 191b. Collection of unpaid and underpaid royalties and late payment interest owed by lessees
§ 192. Payment of royalties in oil or gas; sale of such oil or gas
§ 192a. Cancellation or modification of contracts
§ 192b. Application to contracts
§ 192c. Rules and regulations governing issuance of certain leases; disposition of receipts
§ 193. Disposition of deposits of coal, and so forth
§ 193a. Preference right of United States to purchase coal for Army and Navy; price for coal; civil actions; jurisdiction
§ 194. Repealed.
§ 195. Enforcement
§ 196. Cooperative agreements; delegation of authority

§ 181. Lands subject to disposition; persons entitled to benefits; reciprocal privileges; helium rights reserved

Deposits of coal, phosphate, sodium, potassium, oil, oil shale, gilsonite (including all vein-type solid hydrocarbons), or gas, and lands containing such deposits owned by the United States, including those in national forests, but excluding lands acquired under the Appalachian Forest Act, approved March 1, 1911 (36 Stat. 961), and those in incorporated cities, towns, and villages and in national parks and monuments, those acquired under other Acts subsequent to February 25, 1920, and lands within the naval petroleum and oil-shale reserves, except as hereinafter provided, shall be subject to disposition in the form and manner provided by this chapter to citizens of the United States, or to associations of such citizens, or to any corporation organized under the laws of the United States, or of any State or Territory thereof, or in the case of coal, oil, oil shale, or gas, to municipalities. Citizens of another country, the laws, customs, or regulations of which deny similar or like privileges to citizens or corporations of this country, shall not by stock ownership, stock holding, or stock control, own any interest in any lease acquired under the provisions of this chapter.

The term “oil” shall embrace all nongaseous hydrocarbon substances other than those substances leasable as coal, oil shale, or gilsonite (including all vein-type solid hydrocarbons).

The term “combined hydrocarbon lease” shall refer to a lease issued in a special tar sand area pursuant to section 226 of this title after November 16, 1981.

The term “special tar sand area” means (1) an area designated by the Secretary of the Interior’s orders of November 20, 1980 (45 FR 76800–76801) and January 21, 1981 (46 FR 6077–6078) as containing substantial deposits of tar sand.

The United States reserves the ownership of and the right to extract helium from all gas produced from lands leased or otherwise granted under the provisions of this chapter, under such rules and regulations as shall be prescribed by the Secretary of the Interior: Provided further, That in the extraction of helium from gas produced from such lands it shall be so extracted as to cause no substantial delay in the delivery of gas produced from the well to the purchaser thereof, and that extraction of helium from gas produced from such lands shall maintain the lease as if the extracted helium were oil and gas.

(Feb. 25, 1920, ch. 85, § 1, 41 Stat. 437; Feb. 7, 1927, ch. 66, § 5, 44 Stat. 1058;

§ 182. Lands disposed of with reservation of deposits of coal, etc.

The provisions of this chapter shall also apply to all deposits of coal, phosphate, sodium, oil, oil shale, gilsonite (including all vein-type solid hydrocarbons), or gas in the lands of the United States, which lands may have been or may be disposed of under laws reserving to the United States such deposits, with the right to prospect for, mine, and remove the same, subject to such conditions as are or may hereafter be provided by such laws reserving such deposits.

(Feb. 25, 1920, ch. 85, § 34, 41 Stat. 450; Pub. L. 86–705, § 7(a), Sept. 2, 1960, 74 Stat. 790; Pub. L. 97–78, § 1(1), Nov. 16, 1981, 95 Stat. 1070.)

§ 183. Cancellation of prospecting permits

The Secretary of the Interior shall reserve and may exercise the authority to cancel any prospecting permit upon failure by the permittee to exercise due diligence in the prosecution of the prospecting work in accordance with the terms and conditions stated in the permit, and shall insert in every such permit issued under the provisions of this chapter appropriate provisions for its cancellation by him.

(Feb. 25, 1920, ch. 85, § 26, 41 Stat. 448.)

§ 184. Limitations on leases held, owned or controlled by persons, associations or corporations

(a) Coal leases

(b) Sodium leases or permits, acreage

(1) No person, association, or corporation, except as otherwise provided in this subsection, shall take, hold, own, or control at one time, whether acquired directly from the Secretary under this chapter, or otherwise, sodium leases or permits on an aggregate of more than five thousand one hundred and twenty acres in any one State.

(2) The Secretary may, in his discretion, where the same is necessary in order to secure the economic mining of sodium compounds leasable under this chapter, permit a person, association, or corporation to take or hold sodium leases or permits on up to 30,720 acres in any one State.

(d) Oil or gas leases, acreage, Alaska; options, semi-annual statements

(1) No person, association, or corporation, except as otherwise provided in this chapter, shall take, hold, own or control at one time, whether acquired directly from the Secretary under this chapter, or otherwise, oil or gas leases (including options for such leases or interests therein) on land held under the provisions of this chapter exceeding in the aggregate two hundred forty-six thousand and eighty acres in any one State other than Alaska 1

1 So in original. Probably should be followed by a colon.

Provided, however, That acreage held in special tar sand areas, and acreage under any lease any portion of which has been committed to a federally approved unit or cooperative plan or communitization agreement or for which royalty (including compensatory royalty or royalty in-kind) was paid in the preceding calendar year, shall not be chargeable against such State limitations. In the case of the State of Alaska, the limit shall be three hundred thousand acres in the northern leasing district and three hundred thousand acres in the southern leasing district, and the boundary between said two districts shall be the left limit of the Tanana River from the border between the United States and Canada to the confluence of the Tanana and Yukon Rivers, and the left limit of the Yukon River from said confluence to its principal southern mouth.

(2) No person, association, or corporation shall take, hold, own, or control at one time options to acquire interests in oil or gas leases under the provisions of this chapter which involve, in the aggregate, more than two hundred thousand acres of land in any one State other than Alaska, or, in the case of Alaska, more than two hundred thousand acres in each of its two leasing districts, as hereinbefore described. No option to acquire any interest in such an oil or gas lease shall be enforcible if entered into for a period of more than three years (which three years shall be inclusive of any renewal period if a right to renew is reserved by any party to the option) without the prior approval of the Secretary. In any case in which an option to acquire the optionor’s entire interest in the whole or a part of the acreage under a lease is entered into, the acreage to which the option is applicable shall be charged both to the optionor and to the optionee, but the charge to the optionor shall cease when the option is exercised. In any case in which an option to acquire a part of the optionor’s interest in the whole or a part of the acreage under a lease is entered into, the acreage to which the option is applicable shall be fully charged to the optionor and a share thereof shall also be charged to the optionee, as his interest may appear, but after the option is exercised said acreage shall be charged to the parties pro rata as their interests may appear. In any case in which an assignment is made of a part of a lessee’s interest in the whole or part of the acreage under a lease or an application for a lease, the acreage shall be charged to the parties pro rata as their interests may appear. No option or renewal thereof shall be enforcible until notice thereof has been filed with the Secretary or an officer or employee of the Department of the Interior designated by him to receive the same. Each such notice shall include, in addition to any other matters prescribed by the Secretary, the names and addresses of the parties thereto, the serial number of the lease or application for a lease to which the option is applicable, and a statement of the number of acres covered thereby and of the interests and obligations of the parties thereto and shall be subscribed by all parties to the option or their duly authorized agents. An option which has not been exercised shall remain charged as hereinbefore provided until notice of its relinquishment or surrender has been filed, by either party, with the Secretary or any officer or employee of the Department of the Interior designated by him to receive the same. In addition, each holder of any such option shall file with the Secretary or an officer or employee of the Department of the Interior as aforesaid within ninety days after the 30th day of June and the 31st day of December in each year a statement showing, in addition to any other matters prescribed by the Secretary, his name, the name and address of each grantor of an option held by him, the serial number of every lease or application for a lease to which such an option is applicable, the number of acres covered by each such option, the total acreage in each State to which such options are applicable, and his interest and obligation under each such option. The failure of the holder of an option so to file shall render the option unenforcible 2

2 So in original. Probably should be “unenforceable”.

by him. The unenforcibility 3

3 So in original. Probably should be “unenforceability”.

of any option under the provisions of this paragraph shall not diminish the number of acres deemed to be held under option by any person, association, or corporation in computing the amount chargeable under the first sentence of this paragraph and shall not relieve any party thereto of any liability to cancellation, forfeiture, forced disposition, or other sanction provided by law. The Secretary may prescribe forms on which the notice and statements required by this paragraph shall be made.

(e) Association or stockholder interests, conditions; combined interests

(1) No person, association, or corporation shall take, hold, own or control at one time any interest as a member of an association or as a stockholder in a corporation holding a lease, option, or permit under the provisions of this chapter which, together with the area embraced in any direct holding, ownership or control by him of such a lease, option, or permit or any other interest which he may have as a member of other associations or as a stockholder in other corporations holding, owning or controlling such leases, options, or permits for any kind of minerals, exceeds in the aggregate an amount equivalent to the maximum number of acres of the respective kinds of minerals allowed to any one lessee, optionee, or permittee under this chapter, except that no person shall be charged with his pro rata share of any acreage holdings of any association or corporation unless he is the beneficial owner of more than 10 per centum of the stock or other instruments of ownership or control of such association or corporation, and except that within three years after September 2, 1960 no valid option in existence prior to September 2, 1960 held by a corporation or association on September 2, 1960 shall be chargeable to any stockholder of such corporation or to a member of such association so long as said option shall be so held by such corporation or association under the provisions of this chapter.

(2) No contract for development and operation of any lands leased under this chapter, whether or not coupled with an interest in such lease, and no lease held, owned, or controlled in common by two or more persons, associations, or corporations shall be deemed to create a separate association under the preceding paragraph of this subsection between or among the contracting parties or those who hold, own or control the lease in common, but the proportionate interest of each such party shall be charged against the total acreage permitted to be held, owned or controlled by such party under this chapter. The total acreage so held, owned, or controlled in common by two or more parties shall not exceed, in the aggregate, an amount equivalent to the maximum number of acres of the respective kinds of minerals allowed to any one lessee, optionee, or permittee under this chapter.

(f) Limitations on other sections; combined interests permitted for certain purposes

(g) Forbidden interests acquired by descent, will, judgment, or decree; permissible holding period

(h)

(1) If any interest in any lease is owned, or controlled, directly or indirectly, by means of stock or otherwise, in violation of any of the provisions of this chapter, the lease may be canceled, or the interest so owned may be forfeited, or the person so owning or controlling the interest may be compelled to dispose of the interest, in any appropriate proceeding instituted by the Attorney General. Such a proceeding shall be instituted in the United States district court for the district in which the leased property or some part thereof is located or in which the defendant may be found.

(2) The right to cancel or forfeit for violation of any of the provisions of this chapter shall not apply so as to affect adversely the title or interest of a bona fide purchaser of any lease, interest in a lease, option to acquire a lease or an interest therein, or permit which lease, interest, option, or permit was acquired and is held by a qualified person, association, or corporation in conformity with those provisions, even though the holdings of the person, association, or corporation from which the lease, interest, option, or permit was acquired, or of his predecessor in title (including the original lessee of the United States) may have been canceled or forfeited or may be or may have been subject to cancellation or forfeiture for any such violation. If, in any such proceeding, an underlying lease, interest, option, or permit is canceled or forfeited to the Government and there are valid interests therein or valid options to acquire the lease or an interest therein which are not subject to cancellation, forfeiture, or compulsory disposition, the underlying lease, interest, option, or permit shall be sold by the Secretary to the highest responsible qualified bidder by competitive bidding under general regulations subject to all outstanding valid interests therein and valid options pertaining thereto. Likewise if, in any such proceeding, less than the whole interest in a lease, interest, option, or permit is canceled or forfeited to the Government, the partial interests so canceled or forfeited shall be sold by the Secretary to the highest responsible qualified bidder by competitive bidding under general regulations. If competitive bidding fails to produce a satisfactory offer the Secretary may, in either of these cases, sell the interest in question by such other method as he deems appropriate on terms not less favorable to the Government than those of the best competitive bid received.

(3) The commencement and conclusion of every proceeding under this subsection shall be promptly noted on the appropriate public records of the Bureau of Land Management.

(i) Bona fide purchasers, conditions for obtaining dismissals

(j) Waiver or suspension of rights

(k) Unlawful trusts; forfeiture

(l) Rules and regulations; notice to and consultation with Attorney General; application of antitrust laws; definitions

(1) At each stage in the formulation and promulgation of rules and regulations concerning coal leasing pursuant to this chapter, and at each stage in the issuance, renewal, and readjustment of coal leases under this chapter, the Secretary of the Interior shall consult with and give due consideration to the views and advice of the Attorney General of the United States.

(2) No coal lease may be issued, renewed, or readjusted under this chapter until at least thirty days after the Secretary of the Interior notifies the Attorney General of the proposed issuance, renewal, or readjustment. Such notification shall contain such information as the Attorney General may require in order to advise the Secretary of the Interior as to whether such lease would create or maintain a situation inconsistent with the antitrust laws. If the Attorney General advises the Secretary of the Interior that a lease would create or maintain such a situation, the Secretary of the Interior may not issue such lease, nor may he renew or readjust such lease for a period not to exceed one year, as the case may be, unless he thereafter conducts a public hearing on the record in accordance with subchapter II of chapter 5 of title 5 and finds therein that such issuance, renewal, or readjustment is necessary to effectuate the purposes of this chapter, that it is consistent with the public interest, and that there are no reasonable alternatives consistent with this chapter, the antitrust laws, and the public interest.

(3) Nothing in this chapter shall be deemed to convey to any person, association, corporation, or other business organization immunity from civil or criminal liability, or to create defenses to actions, under any antitrust law.

(4) As used in this subsection, the term “antitrust law” means—

(A) the Act entitled “An Act to protect trade and commerce against unlawful restraints and monopolies”, approved July 2, 1890 (15 U.S.C. 1 et seq.), as amended;

(B) the Act entitled “An Act to supplement existing laws against unlawful restraints and monopolies, and for other purposes”, approved October 15, 1914 (15 U.S.C. 12 et seq.), as amended;

(D) sections 73 and 74 of the Act entitled “An Act to reduce taxation, to provide revenue for the Government, and for other purposes”, approved August 27, 1894 (15 U.S.C. 8 and 9), as amended; or

(E) the Act of June 19, 1936, chapter 592 (15 U.S.C. 13, 13a, 13b, and 21a).

(Feb. 25, 1920, ch. 85, § 27, 41 Stat. 448; Apr. 30, 1926, ch. 197, 44 Stat. 373; July 3, 1930, ch. 854, § 1, 46 Stat. 1007; Mar. 4, 1931, ch. 506, 46 Stat. 1524; Aug. 8, 1946, ch. 916, § 6, 60 Stat. 954; June 1, 1948, ch. 365, 62 Stat. 285; June 3, 1948, ch. 379, § 6, 62 Stat. 291; Aug. 2, 1954, ch. 650, 68 Stat. 648; Pub. L. 85–122, Aug. 13, 1957, 71 Stat. 341; Pub. L. 85–698, Aug. 21, 1958, 72 Stat. 688; Pub. L. 86–294, § 1, Sept. 21, 1959, 73 Stat. 571; Pub. L. 86–391, § 1(c), Mar. 18, 1960, 74 Stat. 8; Pub. L. 86–705, § 3, Sept. 2, 1960, 74 Stat. 785; Pub. L. 88–526, § 1, Aug. 31, 1964, 78 Stat. 710; Pub. L. 88–548, Aug. 31, 1964, 78 Stat. 754; Pub. L. 94–377, §§ 11, 15, Aug. 4, 1976, 90 Stat. 1090, 1091; Pub. L. 97–78, § 1(2), (5), Nov. 16, 1981, 95 Stat. 1070; Pub. L. 106–191, § 2, Apr. 28, 2000, 114 Stat. 232; Pub. L. 106–463, § 3, Nov. 7, 2000, 114 Stat. 2011; Pub. L. 109–58, title III, § 352, Aug. 8, 2005, 119 Stat. 714.)

§ 184a. Authorization of States to include in agreements for conservation of oil and gas resources lands acquired from United States

Notwithstanding the provisions of any applicable grant, deed, patent, exchange, or law of the United States, any State owning lands or interests therein acquired by it from the United States may consent to the operation or development of such lands or interests, or any part thereof, under agreements approved by the Secretary of the Interior made jointly or severally with lessees or permittees of lands or mineral deposits of the United States or others, for the purpose of more properly conserving the oil and gas resources within such State. Such agreements may provide for the cooperative or unit operation or development of part or all of any oil or gas pool, field, or area; for the allocation of production and the sharing of proceeds from the whole or any specified part thereof regardless of the particular tract from which production is obtained or proceeds are derived; and, with the consent of the State, for the modification of the terms and provisions of State leases for lands operated and developed thereunder, including the term of years for which said leases were originally granted, to conform said leases to the terms and provisions of such agreements: Provided, That nothing in this section contained, nor the effectuation of it, shall be construed as in any respect waiving, determining or affecting any right, title, or interest, which otherwise may exist in the United States, and that the making of any agreement, as provided in this section, shall not be construed as an admission as to the title or ownership of the lands included.

(Jan. 26, 1940, ch. 14, 54 Stat. 17.)

§ 185. Rights-of-way for pipelines through Federal lands

(a) Grant of authority

(b) Definitions

(1) For the purposes of this section “Federal lands” means all lands owned by the United States except lands in the National Park System, lands held in trust for an Indian or Indian tribe, and lands on the Outer Continental Shelf. A right-of-way through a Federal reservation shall not be granted if the Secretary or agency head determines that it would be inconsistent with the purposes of the reservation.

(2) “Secretary” means the Secretary of the Interior.

(3) “Agency head” means the head of any Federal department or independent Federal office or agency, other than the Secretary of the Interior, which has jurisdiction over Federal lands.

(1) Where the surface of all of the Federal lands involved in a proposed right-of-way or permit is under the jurisdiction of one Federal agency, the agency head, rather than the Secretary, is authorized to grant or renew the right-of-way or permit for the purposes set forth in this section.

(2) Where the surface of the Federal lands involved is administered by the Secretary or by two or more Federal agencies, the Secretary is authorized, after consultation with the agencies involved, to grant or renew rights-of-way or permits through the Federal lands involved. The Secretary may enter into interagency agreements with all other Federal agencies having jurisdiction over Federal lands for the purpose of avoiding duplication, assigning responsibility, expediting review of rights-of-way or permit applications, issuing joint regulations, and assuring a decision based upon a comprehensive review of all factors involved in any right-of-way or permit application. Each agency head shall administer and enforce the provisions of this section, appropriate regulations, and the terms and conditions of rights-of-way or permits insofar as they involve Federal lands under the agency head’s jurisdiction.

(d) Width limitations

(e) Temporary permits

(f) Regulatory authority

(g) Pipeline safety

(h) Environmental protection

(1) Nothing in this section shall be construed to amend, repeal, modify, or change in any way the requirements of section 102(2)(C) [42 U.S.C. 4332(2)(C)] or any other provision of the National Environmental Policy Act of 1969 [42 U.S.C. 4321 et seq.].

(2) The Secretary or agency head, prior to granting a right-of-way or permit pursuant to this section for a new project which may have a significant impact on the environment, shall require the applicant to submit a plan of construction, operation, and rehabilitation for such right-of-way or permit which shall comply with this section. The Secretary or agency head shall issue regulations or impose stipulations which shall include, but shall not be limited to: (A) requirements for restoration, revegetation, and curtailment of erosion of the surface of the land; (B) requirements to insure that activities in connection with the right-of-way or permit will not violate applicable air and water quality standards nor related facility siting standards established by or pursuant to law; (C) requirements designed to control or prevent (i) damage to the environment (including damage to fish and wildlife habitat), (ii) damage to public or private property, and (iii) hazards to public health and safety; and (D) requirements to protect the interests of individuals living in the general area of the right-of-way or permit who rely on the fish, wildlife, and biotic resources of the area for subsistence purposes. Such regulations shall be applicable to every right-of-way or permit granted pursuant to this section, and may be made applicable by the Secretary or agency head to existing rights-of-way or permits, or rights-of-way or permits to be renewed pursuant to this section.

(i) Disclosure

(j) Technical and financial capability

(k) Public hearings

(l) Reimbursement of costs

(m) Bonding

(n) Duration of grant

(o) Suspension or termination of right-of-way

(1) Abandonment of a right-of-way or noncompliance with any provision of this section may be grounds for suspension or termination of the right-of-way if (A) after due notice to the holder of the right-of-way, (B) a reasonable opportunity to comply with this section, and (C) an appropriate administrative proceeding pursuant to section 554 of title 5, the Secretary or agency head determines that any such ground exists and that suspension or termination is justified. No administrative proceeding shall be required where the right-of-way by its terms provides that it terminates on the occurrence of a fixed or agreed upon condition, event, or time.

(2) If the Secretary or agency head determines that an immediate temporary suspension of activities within a right-of-way or permit area is necessary to protect public health or safety or the environment, he may abate such activities prior to an administrative proceeding.

(3) Deliberate failure of the holder to use the right-of-way for the purpose for which it was granted or renewed for any continuous two-year period shall constitute a rebuttable presumption of abandonment of the right-of-way: Provided, That where the failure to use the right-of-way is due to circumstances not within the holder’s control the Secretary or agency head is not required to commence proceedings to suspend or terminate the right-of-way.

(p) Joint use of rights-of-way

(q) Statutes

(r) Common carriers

(1) Pipelines and related facilities authorized under this section shall be constructed, operated, and maintained as common carriers.

(2)

(A) The owners or operators of pipelines subject to this section shall accept, convey, transport, or purchase without discrimination all oil or gas delivered to the pipeline without regard to whether such oil or gas was produced on Federal or non-Federal lands.

(B) In the case of oil or gas produced from Federal lands or from the resources on the Federal lands in the vicinity of the pipeline, the Secretary may, after a full hearing with due notice thereof to the interested parties and a proper finding of facts, determine the proportionate amounts to be accepted, conveyed, transported or purchased.

(3)

(A) The common carrier provisions of this section shall not apply to any natural gas pipeline operated by any person subject to regulation under the Natural Gas Act [15 U.S.C. 717 et seq.] or by any public utility subject to regulation by a State or municipal regulatory agency having jurisdiction to regulate the rates and charges for the sale of natural gas to consumers within the State or municipality.

(B) Where natural gas not subject to State regulatory or conservation laws governing its purchase by pipelines is offered for sale, each such pipeline shall purchase, without discrimination, any such natural gas produced in the vicinity of the pipeline.

(4) The Government shall in express terms reserve and shall provide in every lease of oil lands under this chapter that the lessee, assignee, or beneficiary, if owner or operator of a controlling interest in any pipeline or of any company operating the pipeline which may be operated accessible to the oil derived from lands under such lease, shall at reasonable rates and without discrimination accept and convey the oil of the Government or of any citizen or company not the owner of any pipeline operating a lease or purchasing gas or oil under the provisions of this chapter.

(5) Whenever the Secretary has reason to believe that any owner or operator subject to this section is not operating any oil or gas pipeline in complete accord with its obligations as a common carrier hereunder, he may request the Attorney General to prosecute an appropriate proceeding before the Secretary of Energy or Federal Energy Regulatory Commission or any appropriate State agency or the United States district court for the district in which the pipeline or any part thereof is located, to enforce such obligation or to impose any penalty provided therefor, or the Secretary may, by proceeding as provided in this section, suspend or terminate the said grant of right-of-way for noncompliance with the provisions of this section.

(6) The Secretary or agency head shall require, prior to granting or renewing a right-of-way, that the applicant submit and disclose all plans, contracts, agreements, or other information or material which he deems necessary to determine whether a right-of-way shall be granted or renewed and the terms and conditions which should be included in the right-of-way. Such information may include, but is not limited to: (A) conditions for, and agreements among owners or operators, regarding the addition of pumping facilities, looping, or otherwise increasing the pipeline or terminal’s throughput capacity in response to actual or anticipated increases in demand; (B) conditions for adding or abandoning intake, offtake, or storage points or facilities; and (C) minimum shipment or purchase tenders.

(s) Exports of Alaskan North Slope oil

(1)

(A) whether exports of this oil would diminish the total quantity or quality of petroleum available to the United States;

(B) the results of an appropriate environmental review, including consideration of appropriate measures to mitigate any potential adverse effects of exports of this oil on the environment, which shall be completed within four months of November 28, 1995; and

(C) whether exports of this oil are likely to cause sustained material oil supply shortages or sustained oil prices significantly above world market levels that would cause sustained material adverse employment effects in the United States or that would cause substantial harm to consumers, including noncontiguous States and Pacific territories.

If the President determines that exports of this oil are in the national interest, he may impose such terms and conditions (other than a volume limitation) as are necessary or appropriate to ensure that such exports are consistent with the national interest.

(2) Except in the case of oil exported to a country with which the United States entered into a bilateral international oil supply agreement before November 26, 1979, or to a country pursuant to the International Emergency Oil Sharing Plan of the International Energy Agency, any oil transported by pipeline over right-of-way granted pursuant to section 1652 of title 43 shall, when exported, be transported by a vessel documented under the laws of the United States and owned by a citizen of the United States (as determined in accordance with section 50501 of title 46).

(3) Nothing in this subsection shall restrict the authority of the President under the Constitution, the International Emergency Economic Powers Act (50 U.S.C. 1701 et seq.), the National Emergencies Act (50 U.S.C. 1601 et seq.), or Part B of title II of the Energy Policy and Conservation Act (42 U.S.C. 6271–76) to prohibit exports.

(4) The Secretary of Commerce shall issue any rules necessary for implementation of the President’s national interest determination, including any licensing requirements and conditions, within 30 days of the date of such determination by the President. The Secretary of Commerce shall consult with the Secretary of Energy in administering the provisions of this subsection.

(5) If the Secretary of Commerce finds that exporting oil under authority of this subsection has caused sustained material oil supply shortages or sustained oil prices significantly above world market levels and further finds that these supply shortages or price increases have caused or are likely to cause sustained material adverse employment effects in the United States, the Secretary of Commerce, in consultation with the Secretary of Energy, shall recommend, and the President may take, appropriate action concerning exports of this oil, which may include modifying or revoking authority to export such oil.

(6) Administrative action under this subsection is not subject to sections 551 and 553 through 559 of title 5.

(t) Existing rights-of-way

(u) Limitations on export

(v) State standards

(w) Reports

(1) The Secretary and other appropriate agency heads shall report to the Committee on Natural Resources of the United States House of Representatives and the Committee on Energy and Natural Resources of the United States Senate annually on the administration of this section and on the safety and environmental requirements imposed pursuant thereto.

(2) The Secretary or agency head shall promptly notify the Committee on Natural Resources of the United States House of Representatives and the Committee on Energy and Natural Resources of the United States Senate upon receipt of an application for a right-of-way for a pipeline twenty-four inches or more in diameter, and no right-of-way for such a pipeline shall be granted until a notice of intention to grant the right-of-way, together with the Secretary’s or agency head’s detailed findings as to the terms and conditions he proposes to impose, has been submitted to such committees.

(3) Periodically, but at least once a year, the Secretary of the Department of Transportation shall cause the examination of all pipelines and associated facilities on Federal lands and shall cause the prompt reporting of any potential leaks or safety problems.

(x) Liability

(1) The Secretary or agency head shall promulgate regulations and may impose stipulations specifying the extent to which holders of rights-of-way and permits under this chapter shall be liable to the United States for damage or injury incurred by the United States in connection with the right-of-way or permit. Where the right-of-way or permit involves lands which are under the exclusive jurisdiction of the Federal Government, the Secretary or agency head shall promulgate regulations specifying the extent to which holders shall be liable to third parties for injuries incurred in connection with the right-of-way or permit.

(2) The Secretary or agency head may, by regulation or stipulation, impose a standard of strict liability to govern activities taking place on a right-of-way or permit area which the Secretary or agency head determines, in his discretion, to present a foreseeable hazard or risk of danger to the United States.

(3) Regulations and stipulations pursuant to this subsection shall not impose strict liability for damage or injury resulting from (A) an act of war, or (B) negligence of the United States.

(4) Any regulation or stipulation imposing liability without fault shall include a maximum limitation on damages commensurate with the foreseeable risks or hazards presented. Any liability for damage or injury in excess of this amount shall be determined by ordinary rules of negligence.

(5) The regulations and stipulations shall also specify the extent to which such holders shall indemnify or hold harmless the United States for liability, damage, or claims arising in connection with the right-of-way or permit.

(6) Any regulation or stipulation promulgated or imposed pursuant to this section shall provide that all owners of any interest in, and all affiliates or subsidiaries of any holder of, a right-of-way or permit shall be liable to the United States in the event that a claim for damage or injury cannot be collected from the holder.

(7) In any case where liability without fault is imposed pursuant to this subsection and the damages involved were caused by the negligence of a third party, the rules of subrogation shall apply in accordance with the law of the jurisdiction where the damage occurred.

(y) Antitrust laws

(Feb. 25, 1920, ch. 85, § 28, 41 Stat. 449; Aug. 21, 1935, ch. 599, § 1, 49 Stat. 678; Aug. 12, 1953, ch. 408, 67 Stat. 557; Pub. L. 93–153, title I, § 101, Nov. 16, 1973, 87 Stat. 576; Pub. L. 95–91, title III, §§ 301(b), 306, title IV, § 402(a), (b), title VII, §§ 703, 707, Aug. 4, 1977, 91 Stat. 578, 581, 583, 584, 606, 607; Pub. L. 99–64, title I, § 123(b), July 12, 1985, 99 Stat. 156; Pub. L. 101–475, § 1, Oct. 30, 1990, 104 Stat. 1102; Pub. L. 103–437, § 11(a)(1), Nov. 2, 1994, 108 Stat. 4589; Pub. L. 104–58, title II, § 201, Nov. 28, 1995, 109 Stat. 560; Pub. L. 104–66, title I, § 1121(k), Dec. 21, 1995, 109 Stat. 724.)

§ 186. Reservation of easements or rights-of-way for working purposes; reservation of right to dispose of surface of lands; determination before offering of lease; easement periods

Any permit, lease, occupation, or use permitted under this chapter shall reserve to the Secretary of the Interior the right to permit upon such terms as he may determine to be just, for joint or several use, such easements or rights-of-way, including easements in tunnels upon, through, or in the lands leased, occupied, or used as may be necessary or appropriate to the working of the same, or of other lands containing the deposits described in this chapter, and the treatment and shipment of the products thereof by or under authority of the Government, its lessees, or permittees, and for other public purposes. The Secretary of the Interior, in his discretion, in making any lease under this chapter, may reserve to the United States the right to lease, sell, or otherwise dispose of the surface of the lands embraced within such lease under existing law or laws hereafter enacted, insofar as said surface is not necessary for use of the lessee in extracting and removing the deposits therein. If such reservation is made it shall be so determined before the offering of such lease. The said Secretary, during the life of the lease, is authorized to issue such permits for easements herein provided to be reserved.

(Feb. 25, 1920, ch. 85, § 29, 41 Stat. 449.)

§ 187. Assignment or subletting of leases; relinquishment of rights under leases; conditions in leases for protection of diverse interests in operation of mines, wells, etc.; State laws not impaired

No lease issued under the authority of this chapter shall be assigned or sublet, except with the consent of the Secretary of the Interior. The lessee may, in the discretion of the Secretary of the Interior, be permitted at any time to make written relinquishment of all rights under such a lease, and upon acceptance thereof be thereby relieved of all future obligations under said lease, and may with like consent surrender any legal subdivision of the area included within the lease. Each lease shall contain provisions for the purpose of insuring the exercise of reasonable diligence, skill, and care in the operation of said property; a provision that such rules for the safety and welfare of the miners and for the prevention of undue waste as may be prescribed by said Secretary shall be observed, including a restriction of the workday to not exceeding eight hours in any one day for underground workers except in cases of emergency; provisions prohibiting the employment of any child under the age of sixteen in any mine below the surface; provisions securing the workmen complete freedom of purchase; provision requiring the payment of wages at least twice a month in lawful money of the United States, and providing proper rules and regulations to insure the fair and just weighing or measurement of the coal mined by each miner, and such other provisions as he may deem necessary to insure the sale of the production of such leased lands to the United States and to the public at reasonable prices, for the protection of the interests of the United States, for the prevention of monopoly, and for the safeguarding of the public welfare. None of such provisions shall be in conflict with the laws of the State in which the leased property is situated.

(Feb. 25, 1920, ch. 85, § 30, 41 Stat. 449; Pub. L. 95–554, § 5, Oct. 30, 1978, 92 Stat. 2074.)

§ 187a. Oil or gas leases; partial assignments

Notwithstanding anything to the contrary in section 187 of this title, any oil or gas lease issued under the authority of this chapter may be assigned or subleased, as to all or part of the acreage included therein, subject to final approval by the Secretary and as to either a divided or undivided interest therein, to any person or persons qualified to own a lease under this chapter, and any assignment or sublease shall take effect as of the first day of the lease month following the date of filing in the proper land office of three original executed counterparts thereof, together with any required bond and proof of the qualification under this chapter of the assignee or sublessee to take or hold such lease or interest therein. Until such approval, however, the assignor or sublessor and his surety shall continue to be responsible for the performance of any and all obligations as if no assignment or sublease had been executed. The Secretary shall disapprove the assignment or sublease only for lack of qualification of the assignee or sublessee or for lack of sufficient bond: Provided, however, That the Secretary may, in his discretion, disapprove an assignment of any of the following, unless the assignment constitutes the entire lease or is demonstrated to further the development of oil and gas:

(1) A separate zone or deposit under any lease.

(2) A part of a legal subdivision.

(3) Less than 640 acres outside Alaska or of less than 2,560 acres within Alaska.

Requests for approval of assignment or sublease shall be processed promptly by the Secretary. Except where the assignment or sublease is not in accordance with applicable law, the approval shall be given within 60 days of the date of receipt by the Secretary of a request for such approval. Upon approval of any assignment or sublease, the assignee or sublessee shall be bound by the terms of the lease to the same extent as if such assignee or sublessee were the original lessee, any conditions in the assignment or sublease to the contrary notwithstanding. Any partial assignment of any lease shall segregate the assigned and retained portions thereof, and as above provided, release and discharge the assignor from all obligations thereafter accruing with respect to the assigned lands; and such segregated leases shall continue in full force and effect for the primary term of the original lease, but for not less than two years after the date of discovery of oil or gas in paying quantities upon any other segregated portion of the lands originally subject to such lease. Assignments under this section may also be made of parts of leases which are in their extended term because of any provision of this chapter. Upon the segregation by an assignment of a lease issued after September 2, 1960 and held beyond its primary term by production, actual or suspended, or the payment of compensatory royalty, the segregated lease of an undeveloped, assigned, or retained part shall continue for two years, and so long thereafter as oil or gas is produced in paying quantities.

(Feb. 25, 1920, ch. 85, § 30A, formerly § 30a, as added Aug. 8, 1946, ch. 916, § 7, 60 Stat. 955; amended July 29, 1954, ch. 644, § 1(6), 68 Stat. 585; Pub. L. 86–705, § 6, Sept. 2, 1960, 74 Stat. 790; renumbered § 30A and amended Pub. L. 100–203, title V, § 5103, Dec. 22, 1987, 101 Stat. 1330–258.)

§ 187b. Oil or gas leases; written relinquishment of rights; release of obligations

Notwithstanding any provision to the contrary in section 187 of this title, a lessee may at any time make and file in the appropriate land office a written relinquishment of all rights under any oil or gas lease issued under the authority of this chapter or of any legal subdivision of the area included within any such lease. Such relinquishment shall be effective as of the date of its filing, subject to the continued obligation of the lessee and his surety to make payment of all accrued rentals and royalties and to place all wells on the lands to be relinquished in condition for suspension or abandonment in accordance with the applicable lease terms and regulations; thereupon the lessee shall be released of all obligations thereafter accruing under said lease with respect to the lands relinquished, but no such relinquishment shall release such lessee, or his bond, from any liability for breach of any obligation of the lease, other than an obligation to drill, accrued at the date of the relinquishment.

(Feb. 25, 1920, ch. 85, § 30B, formerly § 30b, as added Aug. 8, 1946, ch. 916, § 8, 60 Stat. 956; renumbered § 30B, Pub. L. 100–203, title V, § 5103, Dec. 22, 1987, 101 Stat. 1330–258.)

§ 188. Failure to comply with provisions of lease

(a) Forfeiture

(b) Cancellation

(c) ReinstatementWhere any lease has been or is hereafter terminated automatically by operation of law under this section for failure to pay on or before the anniversary date the full amount of rental due, but such rental was paid on or tendered within twenty days thereafter, and it is shown to the satisfaction of the Secretary of the Interior that such failure was either justifiable or not due to a lack of reasonable diligence on the part of the lessee, the Secretary may reinstate the lease if—

(1) a petition for reinstatement, together with the required rental, including back rental accruing from the date of termination of the lease, is filed with the Secretary; and

(2) no valid lease has been issued affecting any of the lands covered by the terminated lease prior to the filing of said petition. The Secretary shall not issue any new lease affecting any of the lands covered by such terminated lease for a reasonable period, as determined in accordance with regulations issued by him. In any case where a reinstatement of a terminated lease is granted under this subsection and the Secretary finds that the reinstatement of such lease will not afford the lessee a reasonable opportunity to continue operations under the lease, the Secretary may, at his discretion, extend the term of such lease for such period as he deems reasonable: Provided, That (A) such extension shall not exceed a period equivalent to the time beginning when the lessee knew or should have known of the termination and ending on the date the Secretary grants such petition; (B) such extension shall not exceed a period equal to the unexpired portion of the lease or any extension thereof remaining at the date of termination; and (C) when the reinstatement occurs after the expiration of the term or extension thereof the lease may be extended from the date the Secretary grants the petition.

(d) Additional grounds for reinstatement

(1) Where any oil and gas lease issued pursuant to section 226(b) of this title or the Mineral Leasing Act for Acquired Lands (30 U.S.C. 351 et seq.) has been, or is hereafter, terminated automatically by operation of law under this section for failure to pay on or before the anniversary date the full amount of the rental due, and such rental is not paid or tendered within twenty days thereafter, and it is shown to the satisfaction of the Secretary of the Interior that such failure was justifiable or not due to lack of reasonable diligence on the part of the lessee, or, no matter when the rental is paid after termination, it is shown to the satisfaction of the Secretary that such failure was inadvertent, the Secretary may reinstate the lease as of the date of termination for the unexpired portion of the primary term of the original lease or any extension thereof remaining at the date of termination, and so long thereafter as oil or gas is produced in paying quantities. In any case where a lease is reinstated under this subsection and the Secretary finds that the reinstatement of such lease (A) occurs after the expiration of the primary term or any extension thereof, or (B) will not afford the lessee a reasonable opportunity to continue operations under the lease, the Secretary may, at his discretion, extend the term of such lease for such period as he deems reasonable, but in no event for more than two years from the date the Secretary authorizes the reinstatement and so long thereafter as oil or gas is produced in paying quantities.

(2) No lease shall be reinstated under paragraph (1) of this subsection unless—

(A) with respect to any lease that terminated under subsection (b) on or before August 8, 2005, a petition for reinstatement (together with the required back rental and royalty accruing after the date of termination) is filed on or before the earlier of—

(i) 60 days after the lessee receives from the Secretary notice of termination, whether by return of check or by any other form of actual notice; or

(ii) 15 months after the termination of the lease; or

(B) with respect to any lease that terminates under subsection (b) after August 8, 2005, a petition for reinstatement (together with the required back rental and royalty accruing after the date of termination) is filed on or before the earlier of—

(i) 60 days after receipt of the notice of termination sent by the Secretary by certified mail to all lessees of record; or

(ii) 24 months after the termination of the lease.

(e) Conditions for reinstatementAny reinstatement under subsection (d) of this section shall be made only if these conditions are met:

(1) no valid lease, whether still in existence or not, shall have been issued affecting any of the lands covered by the terminated lease prior to the filing of such petition:

(2) payment of back rentals and the inclusion in a reinstated lease issued pursuant to the provisions of section 226(b) of this title of a requirement for future rentals at a rate of not less than $20 per acre per year, as determined by the Secretary;

(3) payment of back royalties and the inclusion in a reinstated lease issued pursuant to the provisions of section 226(b) of this title of a requirement for future royalties at a rate of not less than 20 percent computed on a sliding scale based upon the average production per well per day, at a rate which shall be not less than 4 percentage points greater than the competitive royality 1

1 So in original. Probably should be “royalty”.

schedule then in force and used for royalty determination for competitive leases issued pursuant to such section as determined by the Secretary: Provided, That royalty on such reinstated lease shall be paid on all production removed or sold from such lease subsequent to the termination of the original lease; and

(4) notice of the proposed reinstatement of a terminated lease, including the terms and conditions of reinstatement, shall be published in the Federal Register at least thirty days in advance of the reinstatement.

A copy of said notice, together with information concerning rental, royalty, volume of production, if any, and any other matter which the Secretary deemed significant in making this determination to reinstate, shall be furnished to the Committee on Natural Resources of the House of Representatives and the Committee on Energy and Natural Resources of the Senate at least thirty days in advance of the reinstatement. The lessee of a reinstated lease shall reimburse the Secretary for the administrative costs of reinstating the lease, but not to exceed $500. In addition the lessee shall reimburse the Secretary for the cost of publication in the Federal Register of the notice of proposed reinstatement.

(f) Treatment of leases

(1) Except as otherwise provided in this section, a reinstated lease shall be treated in the same manner as the original lease issued pursuant to section 226 of this title.

(2) Notwithstanding any other provision of law, any lease issued pursuant to section 223 of this title shall be eligible for reinstatement under the terms and conditions set forth in subsections (c), (d), and (e) of this section, except that, upon reinstatement, such lease shall continue for twenty years and so long thereafter as oil or gas is produced in paying quantities.

(3) Notwithstanding any other provision of law, any lease issued pursuant to section 223 of this title shall, upon renewal on or after November 15, 1990, continue for twenty years and so long thereafter as oil or gas is produced in paying quantities.

(g) Statutory provisions applicable to leases

(h) Royalty reduction in reinstated leases

(i) Discretion of Secretary

(Feb. 25, 1920, ch. 85, § 31, 41 Stat. 450; Aug. 8, 1946, ch. 916, § 9, 60 Stat. 956; July 29, 1954, ch. 644, § 1(7), 68 Stat. 585; Pub. L. 87–822, § 1, Oct. 15, 1962, 76 Stat. 943; Pub. L. 91–245, §§ 1, 2, May 12, 1970, 84 Stat. 206; Pub. L. 97–451, title IV, § 401, Jan. 12, 1983, 96 Stat. 2462; Pub. L. 100–203, title V, §§ 5102(d)(2), 5104, Dec. 22, 1987, 101 Stat. 1330–258, 1330–259; Pub. L. 101–567, § 1, Nov. 15, 1990, 104 Stat. 2802; Pub. L. 103–437, § 11(a)(1), Nov. 2, 1994, 108 Stat. 4589; Pub. L. 109–58, title III, § 371(b), Aug. 8, 2005, 119 Stat. 734; Pub. L. 117–169, title V, § 50262(a)(2), (c)(2), (e)(2), Aug. 16, 2022, 136 Stat. 2056–2058.)

§ 188a. Surrender of leases

The Secretary of the Interior is authorized to accept the surrender of any lease issued pursuant to any of the provisions of this chapter, or any amendment thereof, where the surrender is filed in the Bureau of Land Management subsequent to the accrual but prior to the payment of the yearly rental due under the lease, upon payment of the accrued rental on a pro rata monthly basis for the portion of the lease year prior to the filing of the surrender. The authority granted to the Secretary of the Interior by this section shall extend only to cases in which he finds that the failure of the lessee to file a timely surrender of the lease prior to the accrual of the rental was not due to a lack of reasonable diligence, but it shall not extend to claims or cases which have been referred to the Department of Justice for purposes of suit.

(Nov. 28, 1943, ch. 329, 57 Stat. 593; 1946 Reorg. Plan No. 3, § 403, eff. July 16, 1946, 11 F.R. 7876, 60 Stat. 1100.)

§ 189. Rules and regulations; boundary lines; State rights unaffected; taxation

The Secretary of the Interior is authorized to prescribe necessary and proper rules and regulations and to do any and all things necessary to carry out and accomplish the purposes of this chapter, also to fix and determine the boundary lines of any structure, or oil or gas field, for the purposes of this chapter. Nothing in this chapter shall be construed or held to affect the rights of the States or other local authority to exercise any rights which they may have, including the right to levy and collect taxes upon improvements, output of mines, or other rights, property, or assets of any lessee of the United States.

(Feb. 25, 1920, ch. 85, § 32, 41 Stat. 450.)

§ 190. Oath; requirement; form; blanks

All statements, representations, or reports required by the Secretary of the Interior under this chapter shall be upon oath, unless otherwise specified by him, and in such form and upon such blanks as the Secretary of the Interior may require.

(Feb. 25, 1920, ch. 85, § 33, 41 Stat. 450.)

§ 191. Disposition of moneys received

(a) In general

(b) Deduction for administrative costs

(1) Notwithstanding the first sentence of subsection (a), any rentals received from leases in any State (other than the State of Alaska) on or after August 8, 2005, shall be deposited in the Treasury, to be allocated in accordance with paragraph (2).

(2) Of the amounts deposited in the Treasury under paragraph (1)—

(A) 50 percent shall be paid by the Secretary of the Treasury to the State within the boundaries of which the leased land is located or the deposits were derived; and

(B) 50 percent shall be deposited in a special fund in the Treasury, to be known as the “BLM Permit Processing Improvement Fund” (referred to in this subsection as the “Fund”).

(3)Use of fund.—

(A)In general.—The Fund shall be available to the Secretary of the Interior for expenditure, without further appropriation and without fiscal year limitation, for the coordination and processing of oil and gas use authorizations on onshore Federal and Indian trust mineral estate land.

(B)Accounts.—The Secretary shall divide the Fund into—

(i) a Rental Account (referred to in this subsection as the “Rental Account”) comprised of rental receipts collected under this section; and

(ii) a Fee Account (referred to in this subsection as the “Fee Account”) comprised of fees collected under subsection (d).

(4)Rental account.—

(A)In general.—The Secretary shall use the Rental Account for—

(i) the coordination and processing of oil and gas use authorizations on onshore Federal and Indian trust mineral estate land under the jurisdiction of the Project offices identified under section 15924(d) of title 42; and

(ii) training programs for development of expertise related to coordinating and processing oil and gas use authorizations.

(B)Allocation.—In determining the allocation of the Rental Account among Project offices for a fiscal year, the Secretary shall consider—

(i) the number of applications for permit to drill received in a Project office during the previous fiscal year;

(ii) the backlog of applications described in clause (i) in a Project office;

(iii) publicly available industry forecasts for development of oil and gas resources under the jurisdiction of a Project office; and

(iv) any opportunities for partnership with local industry organizations and educational institutions in developing training programs to facilitate the coordination and processing of oil and gas use authorizations.

(5)Fee account.—

(A)In general.—The Secretary shall use the Fee Account for the coordination and processing of oil and gas use authorizations on onshore Federal and Indian trust mineral estate land.

(B)Allocation.—The Secretary shall transfer not less than 75 percent of the revenues collected by an office for the processing of applications for permits to the State office of the State in which the fees were collected.

(d) BLM oil and gas permit processing fee

(1) In general

(2) Amount

(3) UseOf the fees collected under this subsection for a fiscal year, the Secretary shall transfer—

(A) for each of fiscal years 2016 through 2019—

(i) 15 percent to the field offices that collected the fees and used to process protests, leases, and permits under this chapter, subject to appropriation; and

(ii) 85 percent to the BLM Permit Processing Improvement Fund established under subsection (c)(2)(B) (referred to in this subsection as the “Fund”); and

(B) for each of fiscal years 2020 through 2026, all of the fees to the Fund.

(4) Additional costs

(Feb. 25, 1920, ch. 85, § 35, 41 Stat. 450; May 27, 1947, ch. 83, 61 Stat. 119; Aug. 3, 1950, ch. 527, 64 Stat. 402; Pub. L. 85–88, § 2, July 10, 1957, 71 Stat. 282; Pub. L. 85–508, §§ 6(k), 28(b), July 7, 1958, 72 Stat. 343, 351; Pub. L. 94–273, § 6(2), Apr. 21, 1976, 90 Stat. 377; Pub. L. 94–377, § 9, Aug. 4, 1976, 90 Stat. 1089; Pub. L. 94–422, title III, § 301, Sept. 28, 1976, 90 Stat. 1323; Pub. L. 94–579, title III, § 317(a), Oct. 21, 1976, 90 Stat. 2770; Pub. L. 97–451, title I, §§ 104(a), 111(g), Jan. 12, 1983, 96 Stat. 2451, 2456; Pub. L. 100–203, title V, § 5109, Dec. 22, 1987, 101 Stat. 1330–261; Pub. L. 100–443, § 5(b), Sept. 22, 1988, 102 Stat. 1768; Pub. L. 103–66, title X, § 10201, Aug. 10, 1993, 107 Stat. 407; Pub. L. 106–393, title V, § 503, Oct. 30, 2000, 114 Stat. 1624; Pub. L. 109–58, title III, § 365(g), Aug. 8, 2005, 119 Stat. 725; Pub. L. 113–67, div. A, title III, § 302, Dec. 26, 2013, 127 Stat. 1181; Pub. L. 113–291, div. B, title XXX, § 3021(b), (c)(1), Dec. 19, 2014, 128 Stat. 3760, 3761; Pub. L. 115–232, div. A, title VIII, § 809(i)(1), Aug. 13, 2018, 132 Stat. 1843.)

§ 191a. Late payment charges under Federal mineral leases

(a) Distribution of late payment charges

(b) Effective date

(Pub. L. 100–524, § 7, Oct. 24, 1988, 102 Stat. 2607.)

§ 191b. Collection of unpaid and underpaid royalties and late payment interest owed by lessees

Beginning in fiscal year 1996 and thereafter, the Secretary shall take appropriate action to collect unpaid and underpaid royalties and late payment interest owed by Federal and Indian mineral lessees and other royalty payors on amounts received in settlement or other resolution of disputes under, and for partial or complete termination of, sales agreements for minerals from Federal and Indian leases.

(Pub. L. 104–134, title I, § 101(c) [title I], Apr. 26, 1996, 110 Stat. 1321–156, 1321–167; renumbered title I, Pub. L. 104–140, § 1(a), May 2, 1996, 110 Stat. 1327.)

§ 192. Payment of royalties in oil or gas; sale of such oil or gas

All royalty accruing to the United States under any oil or gas lease or permit under this chapter on demand of the Secretary of the Interior shall be paid in oil or gas.

Upon granting any oil or gas lease under this chapter, and from time to time thereafter during said lease, the Secretary of the Interior shall, except whenever in his judgment it is desirable to retain the same for the use of the United States, offer for sale for such period as he may determine, upon notice and advertisement on sealed bids or at public auction, all royalty oil and gas accruing or reserved to the United States under such lease. Such advertisement and sale shall reserve to the Secretary of the Interior the right to reject all bids whenever within his judgment the interest of the United States demands; and in cases where no satisfactory bid is received or where the accepted bidder fails to complete the purchase, or where the Secretary of the Interior shall determine that it is unwise in the public interest to accept the offer of the highest bidder, the Secretary of the Interior, within his discretion, may readvertise such royalty for sale, or sell at private sale at not less than the market price for such period, or accept the value thereof from the lessee: Provided, That inasmuch as the public interest will be served by the sale of royalty oil to refineries not having their own source of supply for crude oil, the Secretary of the Interior, when he determines that sufficient supplies of crude oil are not available in the open market to such refineries, is authorized and directed to grant preference to such refineries in the sale of oil under the provisions of this section, for processing or use in such refineries and not for resale in kind, and in so doing may sell to such refineries at private sale at not less than the market price any royalty oil accruing or reserved to the United States under leases issued pursuant to this chapter: Provided further, That in selling such royalty oil the Secretary of the Interior may at his discretion prorate such oil among such refineries in the area in which the oil is produced: Provided, however, That pending the making of a permanent contract for the sale of any royalty, oil or gas as herein provided, the Secretary of the Interior may sell the current product at private sale, at not less than the market price: And provided further, That any royalty, oil, or gas may be sold at not less than the market price at private sale to any department or agency of the United States.

(Feb. 25, 1920, ch. 85, § 36, 41 Stat. 451; July 13, 1946, ch. 574, 60 Stat. 533.)

§ 192a. Cancellation or modification of contracts

Where, under any existing contract entered into pursuant to the first proviso in the second paragraph of section 192 of this title, any refinery is required to pay a premium price for the purchase of Government royalty oil, such refinery may, at its option, by written notice to the Secretary of the Interior, elect either—

(1) to terminate such contract, the termination to take place at the end of the calendar month following the month in which such notice is given; or

(2) to retain such contract with the modifications, that (a) the price, on and after March 1, 1949, shall be as defined in the contract, without premium payments, (b) any credit thereby resulting from past premium payments shall be added to the refinery’s account, and (c) the Secretary may, at his option, elect to terminate the contract as so modified, such termination to take place at the end of the third calendar month following the month in which written notice thereof is given by the Secretary.

(Sept. 1, 1949, ch. 529, § 1, 63 Stat. 682.)

§ 192b. Application to contracts

The provisions of sections 192a to 192c of this title shall apply to all existing contracts for the purchase of Government royalty oil entered into after July 13, 1946, and prior to September 1, 1949, irrespective of whether a determination of preference status was made in connection with the award of such contracts, but shall not apply to any such contract which subsequent to its award has been transferred, through the acquisition of stock interests or other transactions, to the ownership or control of a refinery ineligible for a preference under section 192 of this title, and the regulations in force thereunder at the time of such transfer.

(Sept. 1, 1949, ch. 529, § 2, 63 Stat. 682.)

§ 192c. Rules and regulations governing issuance of certain leases; disposition of receipts

The Secretary of the Interior is authorized under general rules and regulations to be prescribed by him to issue leases or permits for the exploration, development, and utilization of the mineral deposits, other than those subject to the provisions of chapter 7 of this title, in those lands added to the Shasta National Forest by the Act of March 19, 1948 (Public Law 449, Eightieth Congress), which were acquired with funds of the United States or lands received in exchange therefor: Provided, That any permit or lease of such deposits in lands administered by the Secretary of Agriculture shall be issued only with his consent and subject to such conditions as he may prescribe to insure the adequate utilization of the lands for the purposes set forth in the Act of March 19, 1948: And provided further, That all receipts derived from leases or permits issued under the authority of sections 192a to 192c of this title shall be paid into the same funds or accounts in the Treasury and shall be distributed in the same manner as prescribed for other receipts from the lands affected by the lease or permit, the intention of this provision being that sections 192a to 192c of this title shall not affect the distribution of receipts pursuant to legislation applicable to such lands.

(Sept. 1, 1949, ch. 529, § 3, 63 Stat. 683.)

§ 193. Disposition of deposits of coal, and so forth

The deposits of coal, phosphate, sodium, potassium, oil, oil shale, and gas, herein referred to, in lands valuable for such minerals, including lands and deposits in Lander, Wyoming, coal entries numbered 18 to 49, inclusive, shall be subject to disposition only in the form and manner provided in this chapter, except as provided in sections 1716 and 1719 of title 43, and except as to valid claims existent on February 25, 1920, and thereafter maintained in compliance with the laws under which initiated, which claims may be perfected under such laws, including discovery.

(Feb. 25, 1920, ch. 85, § 37, 41 Stat. 451; Feb. 7, 1927, ch. 66, § 5, 44 Stat. 1058; Aug. 8, 1946, ch. 916, § 11, 60 Stat. 957; Pub. L. 95–554, § 4, Oct. 30, 1978, 92 Stat. 2074.)

§ 193a. Preference right of United States to purchase coal for Army and Navy; price for coal; civil actions; jurisdiction

The United States shall, at all times, have the preference right to purchase so much of the product of any mine or mines opened upon the lands sold under the provisions of this Act, as may be necessary for the use of the Army and Navy, and at such reasonable and remunerative price as may be fixed by the President; but the producers of any coal so purchased who may be dissatisfied with the price thus fixed shall have the right to prosecute suits against the United States in the United States Court of Federal Claims for the recovery of any additional sum or sums they may claim as justly due upon such purchase.

(May 28, 1908, ch. 211, § 2, 35 Stat. 424; Pub. L. 97–164, title I, § 160(a)(10), Apr. 2, 1982, 96 Stat. 48; Pub. L. 102–572, title IX, § 902(b)(1), Oct. 29, 1992, 106 Stat. 4516.)

§ 194. Repealed. Pub. L. 89–554, § 8(a), Sept. 6, 1966, 80 Stat. 644

§ 195. Enforcement

(a) ViolationsIt shall be unlawful for any person:

(1) to organize or participate in any scheme, arrangement, plan, or agreement to circumvent or defeat the provisions of this chapter or its implementing regulations, or

(2) to seek to obtain or to obtain any money or property by means of false statements of material facts or by failing to state material facts concerning:

(A) the value of any lease or portion thereof issued or to be issued under this chapter;

(B) the availability of any land for leasing under this chapter;

(D) the provisions of this chapter and its implementing regulations.

(b) Penalty

(d) Corporations

(1) Whenever a corporation or other entity is subject to civil or criminal action under this section, any officer, employee, or agent of such corporation or entity who knowingly authorized, ordered, or carried out the proscribed activity shall be subject to the same action.

(2) Whenever any officer, employee, or agent of a corporation or other entity is subject to civil or criminal action under this section for activity conducted on behalf of the corporation or other entity, the corporation or other entity shall be subject to the same action, unless it is shown that the officer, employee, or agent was acting without the knowledge or consent of the corporation or other entity.

(e) Remedies, fines, and imprisonment

(f) State civil actions

(1) A State may commence a civil action under subsection (c) of this section against any person conducting activity within the State in violation of this section. Civil actions brought by a State shall only be brought in the United States district court for the judicial district in which the defendant resides or in which the violation occurred or in which the lease or land involved is located. The district court shall have jurisdiction, without regard to the amount in controversy or the citizenship of the parties, to order appropriate remedies and penalties as described in subsection (c) of this section.

(2) A State shall notify the Attorney General of the United States of any civil action filed by the State under this subsection within 30 days of filing of the action. The Attorney General of the United States shall notify a State of any civil action arising from activity conducted within that State filed by the Attorney General under this subsection within 30 days of filing of the action.

(3) Any civil penalties recovered by a State under this subsection shall be retained by the State and may be expended in such manner and for such purposes as the State deems appropriate. If a civil action is jointly brought by the Attorney General and a State, by more than one State or by the Attorney General and more than one State, any civil penalties recovered as a result of the joint action shall be shared by the parties bringing the action in the manner determined by the court rendering judgment in such action.

(4) If a State has commenced a civil action against a person conducting activity within the State in violation of this section, the Attorney General may join in such action but may not institute a separate action arising from the same activity under this section. If the Attorney General has commenced a civil action against a person conducting activity within a State in violation of this section, that State may join in such action but may not institute a separate action arising from the same activity under this section.

(5) Nothing in this section shall deprive a State of jurisdiction to enforce its own civil and criminal laws against any person who may also be subject to civil and criminal action under this section.

(Feb. 25, 1920, ch. 85, § 41, as added Pub. L. 100–203, title V, § 5108, Dec. 22, 1987, 101 Stat. 1330–260.)

§ 196. Cooperative agreements; delegation of authority

Notwithstanding any other provision of law, for fiscal year 1992 and each year thereafter, the Secretary of the Interior or his designee is authorized to—

(a) enter into a cooperative agreement or agreements with any State or Indian tribe to share royalty management information, to carry out inspection, auditing, investigation or enforcement (not including the collection of royalties, civil penalties, or other payments) activities in cooperation with the Secretary, except that the Secretary shall not enter into such cooperative agreement with a State with respect to any such activities on Indian lands except with the permission of the Indian tribe involved; and

(b) upon written request of any State, to delegate to the State all or part of the authorities and responsibilities of the Secretary under the authorizing leasing statutes, leases, and regulations promulgated pursuant thereto to conduct audits, investigations, and inspections, except that the Secretary shall not undertake such a delegation with respect to any Indian lands except with permission of the Indian tribe involved,

with respect to any lease authorizing exploration for or development of coal, any other solid mineral, or geothermal steam on any Federal lands or Indian lands within the State or with respect to any lease or portion of a lease subject to section 1337(g) of title 43, on the same terms and conditions as those authorized for oil and gas leases under sections 1732, 1733, 1735, and 1736 of this title and the regulations duly promulgated with respect thereto: Provided further, That section 1734 of this title shall apply to leases authorizing exploration for or development of coal, any other solid mineral, or geothermal steam on any Federal lands, or to any lease or portion of a lease subject to section 1337(g) of title 43: Provided further, That the Secretary shall compensate any State or Indian tribe for those costs which are necessary to carry out activities conducted pursuant to such cooperative agreement or delegation.

(Pub. L. 102–154, title I, Nov. 13, 1991, 105 Stat. 1001.)