§ 206.156 - Transportation allowances—general.

(a) Where the value of gas has been determined pursuant to § 206.152 or § 206.153 of this subpart at a point (e.g., sales point or point of value determination) off the lease, MMS shall allow a deduction for the reasonable actual costs incurred by the lessee to transport unprocessed gas, residue gas, and gas plant products from a lease to a point off the lease including, if appropriate, transportation from the lease to a gas processing plant off the lease and from the plant to a point away from the plant.

(b) Transportation costs must be allocated among all products produced and transported as provided in § 206.157.

(c)(1) Except as provided in paragraph (c)(3) of this section, for unprocessed gas valued in accordance with § 206.152 of this subpart, the transportation allowance deduction on the basis of a sales type code may not exceed 50 percent of the value of the unprocessed gas determined under § 206.152 of this subpart.

(2) Except as provided in paragraph (c)(3) of this section, for gas production valued in accordance with § 206.153 of this subpart, the transportation allowance deduction on the basis of a sales type code may not exceed 50 percent of the value of the residue gas or gas plant product determined under § 206.153 of this subpart. For purposes of this section, natural gas liquids will be considered one product.

(3) Upon request of a lessee, MMS may approve a transportation allowance deduction in excess of the limitations prescribed by paragraphs (c)(1) and (c)(2) of this section. The lessee must demonstrate that the transportation costs incurred in excess of the limitations prescribed in paragraphs (c)(1) and (c)(2) of this section were reasonable, actual, and necessary. An application for exception (using Form MMS-4393, Request to Exceed Regulatory Allowance Limitation) must contain all relevant and supporting documentation necessary for MMS to make a determination. Under no circumstances may the value for royalty purposes under any sales type code be reduced to zero.

(d) If, after a review or audit, MMS determines that a lessee has improperly determined a transportation allowance authorized by this subpart, then the lessee must pay any additional royalties, plus interest, determined in accordance with 30 CFR 218.54, or will be entitled to a credit, with interest. If the lessee takes a deduction for transportation on Form MMS-2014 by improperly netting the allowance against the sales value of the unprocessed gas, residue gas, and gas plant products instead of reporting the allowance as a separate entry, MMS may assess a civil penalty under 30 CFR part 241.