§ 3163.2 - Civil penalties.

§ 3163.2 Civil penalties.

(a)

(1) Whenever any person fails or refuses to comply with any applicable requirements of the Federal Oil and Gas Royalty Management Act, any mineral leasing law, any regulation thereunder, or the terms of any lease or permit issued thereunder, the authorized officer will notify the person in writing of the violation, unless the violation was discovered and reported to the authorized officer by the liable person or the notice was previously issued under § 3163.1.

(2) Whenever a purchaser or transporter who is not an operating rights owner or operator fails or refuses to comply with 30 U.S.C. 1713 or applicable rules or regulations regarding records relevant to determining the quality, quantity, and disposition of oil or gas produced from or allocable to a Federal or Indian oil and gas lease, the authorized officer will notify the purchaser or transporter, as appropriate, in writing of the violation.

(b)

(1) If the violation specified in paragraph (a) of this section is not corrected within 20 days of such notice or report, or such longer time as the authorized officer may agree to in writing, the person will be liable for a civil penalty of up to $1,291 333 per violation for each day such violation continues, dating from the date of such notice or report. Any amount imposed and paid as assessments under § 3163.1(a)(1) will be deducted from penalties under this section.

(2) If the violation specified in paragraph (a) of this section is not corrected within 40 days of such notice or report, or a longer period as the authorized officer may agree to in writing, the person will be liable for a civil penalty of up to $12$13,924 343 per violation for each day the violation continues, dating from the date of such notice or report. Any amount imposed and paid as assessments under § 3163.1(a)(1) will be deducted from penalties under this section.

(c) In the event the authorized officer agrees to an abatement period of more than 20 days, the date of notice shall be deemed to be 20 days prior to the end of such longer abatement period for the purpose of civil penalty calculation.

(d) Whenever a transporter fails to permit inspection for proper documentation by any authorized representative, as provided in § 3162.7–1(c) of this chapter, the transporter is liable for a civil penalty of up to $1,291 333 per day for the violation, dating from the date of notice of the failure to permit inspection and continuing until the proper documentation is provided. If the violation continues beyond 20 days, the authorized officer will revoke the transporter's authority to remove crude oil produced from, or allocated to, any Federal or Indian lease under the authority of that authorized officer. This revocation of the transporter's authority will continue until the transporter provides proper documentation and pays any related penalty.

(e) Any person is liable for a civil penalty of up to $25$26,847 685 per violation for each day such violation continues, if the person:

(1) Fails or refuses to permit lawful entry or inspection authorized by § 3162.1(b) of this title; or

(2) Knowingly or willfully fails to notify the authorized officer by letter or Sundry Notice, Form 3160–5 or orally to be followed by a letter or Sundry Notice, not later than the 5th business day after any well begins production on which royalty is due, or resumes production in the case of a well which has been off of production for more than 90 days, from a well located on a lease site, or allocated to a lease site, of the date on which such production began or resumed.

(f) Any person is liable for a civil penalty of up to $64$66,618 712 per violation for each day such violation continues, if the person:

(1) Knowingly or willfully prepares, maintains or submits false, inaccurate or misleading reports, notices, affidavits, records, data or other written information required by this part; or

(2) Knowingly or willfully takes or removes, transports, uses or diverts any oil or gas from any Federal or Indian lease site without having valid legal authority to do so; or

(3) Purchases, accepts, sells, transports or conveys to another any oil or gas knowing or having reason to know that such oil or gas was stolen or unlawfully removed or diverted from a Federal or Indian lease site.

(g) On a case-by-case basis, the Secretary may compromise or reduce civil penalties under this section. In compromising or reducing the amount of a civil penalty, the Secretary will state on the record the reasons for such determination.

(h) Civil penalties provided by this section are supplemental to, and not in derogation of, any other penalties or assessments for noncompliance in any other provision of law, except as provided in paragraphs (a) and (b) of this section.

[52 FR 5393, Feb. 20, 1987; 52 FR 10225, Mar. 31, 1987, as amended at 53 FR 17364, May 16, 1988; 81 FR 41862, June 28, 2016; 81 FR 81420, Nov. 17, 2016; 83 FR 3995, Jan. 29, 2018; 84 FR 22381, May 17, 2019; 85 FR 10619, Feb. 25, 2020; 86 FR 30550, June 9, 2021; 87 FR 14179, Mar. 14, 2022; 88 FR 11820, Feb. 24, 2023; 89 FR 13984, Feb. 26, 2024]

Editorial Note

Editorial Note:

At 82 FR 6307, Jan. 19, 2017, § 3163.2, paragraphs (a), (g)(1), and (g)(2)(ii) were amended; however, the amendments could not be incorporated due to inaccurate amendatory instructions.