§ 3108.23 - Reinstatement at higher rental and royalty rates: Class II reinstatements.

§ 3108.23 Reinstatement at higher rental and royalty rates: Class II reinstatements.

(a) The authorized officer may, if the requirements of this section are met, reinstate a competitive oil and gas lease which was terminated by operation of law for failure to pay rental timely when the rental was not paid or tendered within 20 calendar days of the termination date, and it is shown to the satisfaction of the authorized officer that such failure was justified or not due to a lack of reasonable diligence, or no matter when the rental was paid, it is shown to the satisfaction of the authorized officer that such failure was inadvertent.

(b)

(1) Such leases may be reinstated if the required back rental and royalty at the increased rates accruing from the date of termination, together with a petition for reinstatement, are filed on or before the earlier of:

(i) Sixty calendar days after the last date that any lessee of record received Notice of Termination by certified mail; or

(ii) Twenty-four months after termination of the lease.

(2) After determining that the requirements for filing of the petition for reinstatement have been timely met, the authorized officer may reinstate the lease if:

(i) No valid lease has been issued prior to the filing of the petition for reinstatement affecting any of the lands covered by the terminated lease, whether such lease is still in effect or not;

(ii) The oil and gas interests of the United States in the lands have not been disposed of or have not otherwise become unavailable for leasing;

(iii) Payment of all back rentals and royalties at the rates established for the reinstated lease has been made;

(iv) An agreement has been signed by the lessee and attached to and made a part of the lease specifying future rentals at the applicable rates specified for reinstated leases in 43 CFR 3103.22 and future royalties at the rates set in 43 CFR 3103.31 for all production removed or sold from such lease or shared by such lease from production allocated to the lease by virtue of its participation in an oil and gas agreement;

(v) A notice of the proposed reinstatement of the terminated lease and the terms and conditions of reinstatement has been published in the Federal Register at least 30 days prior to the date of reinstatement for which the lessee must reimburse the BLM for the full costs incurred in the publishing of said notice; and

(vi) The lessee has paid the BLM a nonrefundable administrative fee of $500.

(c) The authorized officer will furnish to the Chairpersons of the Committee on Natural Resources of the House of Representatives and of the Committee on Energy and Natural Resources of the Senate, at least 30 days prior to the date of reinstatement, a copy of the notice, together with information concerning rental, royalty, volume of production, if any, and any other matter which the authorized officer considers significant in making the determination to reinstate.

(d) If the authorized officer reinstates the lease, the reinstatement will be effective as of the date of termination, for the unexpired portion of the original lease or any extension thereof remaining on the date of termination, and so long thereafter as oil or gas is produced in paying quantities. Where a lease is reinstated under this section and the authorized officer finds that the reinstatement of such lease either:

(1) Occurs after the expiration of the primary term or any extension thereof; or

(2) Will not afford the lessee a reasonable opportunity to continue operations under the lease, the authorized officer may extend the term of the reinstated lease for such period as determined reasonable, but in no event for more than 2 years from the date of the reinstatement and so long thereafter as oil or gas is produced in paying quantities.