E9-21911. Major Portion Prices and Due Date for Additional Royalty Payments on Indian Gas Production in Designated Areas Not Associated With an Index Zone

AGENCY:

Minerals Management Service (MMS), Interior.

ACTION:

Notice of major portion prices for calendar year 2007.

SUMMARY:

Final regulations for valuing gas produced from Indian leases, published August 10, 1999, require MMS to determine major portion prices and notify industry by publishing the prices in the Federal Register. The regulations also require MMS to publish a due date for industry to pay additional royalty based on the major portion prices. This notice provides the major portion prices for the 12 months of 2007.

DATES:

The due date to pay additional royalties based on the major portion prices is November 10, 2009.

FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT:

John Barder, Indian Oil and Gas Compliance and Asset Management, MMS; telephone [phone]; FAX [phone]; e-mail to [e-mail]; or Mike Curry, Indian Oil and Gas Compliance and Asset Management, MMS; telephone [phone]; FAX [phone]; e-mail to [e-mail]. Mailing address: Minerals Management Service, Minerals Revenue Management, Compliance and Asset Management, Indian Oil and Gas Compliance and Asset Management, P.O. Box 25165, MS 396B2, Denver, Colorado 80225-0165.

SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION:

On August 10, 1999, MMS published a final rule titled “Amendments to Gas Valuation Regulations for Indian Leases,” (64 FR 43506) with the effective date January 1, 2000. The gas regulations apply to all gas production from Indian (tribal or allotted) oil and gas leases, except leases on the Osage Indian Reservation.

The rule requires that MMS publish major portion prices for each designated area not associated with an index zone for each production month beginning January 2000, along with a due date for additional royalty payments. See 30 CFR 206.174(a)(4)(ii) (2008). If additional royalties are due based on a published major portion price, the lessee must submit an amended Form MMS-2014, Report of Sales and Royalty Remittance, to MMS by the due date. If additional royalties are not paid by the due date, late payment interest, under 30 CFR 218.54, will accrue from the due date until payment is made and an amended Form MMS-2014 is received. The table below lists the major portion prices for all designated areas not associated with an index zone. The due date is 60 days after the publication date of this notice.

Gas Major Portion Prices ($/MMBtu) for Designated Areas Not Associated With an Index Zone

MMS-designated areas	Jan 2007	Feb 2007	Mar 2007	Apr 2007
Blackfeet Reservation	5.96	5.86	6.39	6.11
Fort Belknap	6.01	6.42	6.24	6.17
Fort Berthold	5.93	7.35	6.16	6.66
Fort Peck Reservation	6.64	8.92	9.47	9.19
Navajo Allotted Leases in the Navajo Reservation	5.87	6.84	6.77	6.20
Rocky Boys Reservation	4.87	5.38	5.30	5.22
Ute Allotted Leases in the Uintah and Ouray Reservation*	3.98	6.29	6.33	3.72
Ute Tribal Leases in the Uintah and Ouray Reservation	3.39	5.83	5.76	2.80

MMS-designated areas	May 2007	Jun 2007	Jul 2007	Aug 2007
Blackfeet Reservation	6.44	6.23	5.81	4.74
Fort Belknap	6.22	6.28	5.97	5.96
Fort Berthold	6.81	6.47	5.51	5.48
Fort Peck Reservation	7.28	7.12	6.48	7.12
Navajo Allotted Leases in the Navajo Reservation	6.69	6.81	6.03	5.49
Rocky Boys Reservation	5.35	4.92	4.12	3.76
Ute Tribal Leases in the Uintah and Ouray Reservation	4.32	2.63	2.89	2.62

MMS-designated Areas	Sep 2007	Oct 2007	Nov 2007	Dec 2007
Blackfeet Reservation	4.48	4.99	5.70	6.30
Fort Belknap	5.83	5.84	6.00	6.27
Fort Berthold	5.94	6.64	7.07	6.75
Fort Peck Reservation	6.74	7.69	8.80	9.85
Navajo Allotted Leases in the Navajo Reservation	4.88	5.59	6.18	6.79
Rocky Boys Reservation	3.89	4.90	5.22	5.13
Ute Tribal Leases in the Uintah and Ouray Reservation	1.87	1.17	3.43	5.59
*As stated in the Federal Register notice published March 8, 2007, effective May 1, 2007 (72 FR 10552), MMS will value the Indian allotted leases in the Uintah and Ouray Reservation based on the Central Rocky Mountain index zone price.

For information on how to report additional royalties due to major portion prices, please refer to our Dear Payor letter dated December 1, 1999, on the MMS Web site at http://www.mrm.mms.gov/​ReportingServices/​PDFDocs/​991201.pdf.

Dated: July 10, 2009.

Jennifer L. Goldblatt,

Acting Associate Director for Minerals Revenue Management.