§ 1206.104 - How will ONRR determine if my royalty payments are correct?

§ 1206.104 How will ONRR determine if my royalty payments are correct?

Cross Reference

Link to an amendment published at 86 FR 4653, Jan. 15, 2021.

Cross Reference

This amendment was delayed until Apr. 16, 2021, at 86 FR 9289, Feb. 12, 2021.

Cross Reference

This amendment was further delayed until Nov. 1, 2021, at 86 FR 20032, Apr. 16, 2021.

Cross Reference

This amendment was withdrawn effective Nov. 1, 2021, at 86 FR 54072, Sept. 30, 2021.

(a)

(1) ONRR may monitor, review, and audit the royalties that you report, and, if ONRR determines that your reported value is inconsistent with the requirements of this subpart, ONRR may direct you to use a different measure of royalty value or decide your value under § 1206.105.

(2) If ONRR directs you to use a different royalty value, you must either pay any additional royalties due, plus late payment interest calculated under §§ 1218.54 and 1218.102 of this chapter), or report a credit for - or request a refund of - any overpaid royalties.

(b) When the provisions in this subpart refer to gross proceeds, in conducting reviews and audits, ONRR will examine if your or your affiliate's contract reflects the total consideration actually transferred, either directly or indirectly, from the buyer to you or to your affiliate for the oil. If ONRR determines that a contract does not reflect the total consideration, ONRR may decide your value under § 1206.105.

(c) ONRR may decide your value under § 1206.105 if ONRR determines that the gross proceeds accruing to you or your affiliate under a contract do not reflect reasonable consideration because:

(1) There is misconduct by or between the contracting parties; or

(2) You have breached your duty to market the oil for the mutual benefit of yourself and the lessor by selling your oil at a value that is unreasonably low. ONRR may consider a sales price to be unreasonably low if it is 10 percent less than the lowest reasonable measures of market price including - but not limited to - index prices and prices reported to ONRR for like quality oil; or

(3) ONRR cannot determine if you properly valued your oil under § 1206.101 or § 1206.102 for any reason including - but not limited to - your or your affiliate's failure to provide documents that ONRR requests under 30 CFR part 1212, subpart B.

(d) You have the burden of demonstrating that your or your affiliate's contract is arm's-length.

(e) ONRR may require you to certify that the provisions in your or your affiliate's contract include all of the consideration that the buyer paid to you or your affiliate, either directly or indirectly, for the oil.

(f)

(1) Absent contract revision or amendment, if you or your affiliate fail(s) to take proper or timely action to receive prices or benefits to which you or your affiliate are entitled, you must pay royalty based upon that obtainable price or benefit.

(2) If you or your affiliate apply in a timely manner for a price increase or benefit allowed under your or your affiliate's contract, but the purchaser refuses and you or your affiliate take reasonable documented measures to force purchaser compliance, you will not owe additional royalties unless or until you or your affiliate receive additional monies or consideration resulting from the price increase. You may not construe this paragraph to permit you to avoid your royalty payment obligation in situations where a purchaser fails to pay, in whole or in part or in a timely manner, for a quantity of oil.

(g)

(1) You or your affiliate must make all contracts, contract revisions, or amendments in writing, and all parties to the contract must sign the contract, contract revisions, or amendments.

(2) If you or your affiliate fail(s) to comply with paragraph (g)(1) of this section, ONRR may determine your value under § 1206.105.

(3) This provision applies notwithstanding any other provisions in this title 30 to the contrary.