States' Decisions on Participating in Accounting and Auditing Relief for Federal Oil and Gas Marginal Properties
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Abstract
In accordance with Office of Natural Resources Revenue (ONRR) regulations, ONRR provides two types of accounting and auditing relief for Federal oil and gas production from marginal properties: the cumulative royalty reports and payments relief option, which allows a lessee or designee to submit one royalty report and payment for the calendar year's production; and other requested relief, which allows a lessee or designee to request any type of accounting and auditing relief that is appropriate for production from the marginal property and meets certain requirements. By October 1 of each calendar year, ONRR provides a list of qualifying marginal Federal oil and gas properties to the States receiving a portion of Federal royalties from those properties. Each State then decides whether to participate in neither, one, or both relief options. This notice provides the public each State's decision on whether to participate in marginal property relief.
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<title>Federal Register, Volume 89 Issue 237 (Tuesday, December 10, 2024)</title>
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[Federal Register Volume 89, Number 237 (Tuesday, December 10, 2024)]
[Notices]
[Pages 99275-99276]
From the Federal Register Online via the Government Publishing Office [<a href="http://www.gpo.gov">www.gpo.gov</a>]
[FR Doc No: 2024-28876]
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DEPARTMENT OF THE INTERIOR
Office of Natural Resources Revenue
[Docket No. ONRR-2011-0002; DS63636400 DRT000000.CH7000 256D1113RT]
States' Decisions on Participating in Accounting and Auditing
Relief for Federal Oil and Gas Marginal Properties
AGENCY: Office of Natural Resources Revenue, Interior.
ACTION: Notice.
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SUMMARY: In accordance with Office of Natural Resources Revenue (ONRR)
regulations, ONRR provides two types of accounting and auditing relief
for Federal oil and gas production from marginal properties: the
cumulative royalty reports and payments relief option, which allows a
lessee or designee to submit one royalty report and payment for the
calendar year's production; and other requested relief, which allows a
lessee or designee to request any type of accounting and auditing
relief that is appropriate for production from the marginal property
and meets certain requirements. By October 1 of each calendar year,
ONRR provides a list of qualifying marginal Federal oil and gas
properties to the States receiving a portion of Federal royalties from
those properties. Each State then decides whether to participate in
neither, one, or both relief options. This notice provides the public
each State's decision on whether to participate in marginal property
relief.
DATES: Applicable January 1, 2025.
FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT: Mr. Robert Sudar, Market & Spatial
Analytics, Research, Enforcement, Guidance, and Appeals, ONRR, at (303)
231-3511; or by email to <a href="/cdn-cgi/l/email-protection#77251815120503592402131605371819050559101801"><span class="__cf_email__" data-cfemail="194b767b7c6b6d374a6c7d786b5976776b6b377e766f">[email protected]</span></a>.
SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION: Pursuant to the Federal Oil and Gas Royalty
Simplification and Fairness Act of 1996 (30 U.S.C. 1726) and 30 CFR
part 1204, subpart C, ONRR and States can relieve the lessee of a
marginal Federal oil and gas property from certain reporting,
accounting, and auditing requirements. ONRR's rules under 30 CFR
1204.202 and 1204.203 authorize two relief options: (1) cumulative
royalty reports and payments relief option, which allows a lessee or
designee to submit one royalty report and payment during a calendar
year; and (2) other requested relief, which allows a lessee or designee
to request any type of appropriate marginal property accounting and
auditing relief that meets the requirements under Sec. 1204.5 and is
not prohibited under Sec. 1204.204.
To qualify for the first relief option, cumulative royalty reports
and payments relief option, properties must produce less than 1,000
barrels-of-oil-equivalent (BOE) per year for the base period (July 1,
2023, through June 30, 2024). Annual reporting relief will begin
January 1, 2025, with the annual report and payment due February 28,
2026. If a lessee has an estimated payment on file, the payment due
date is March 31, 2026. To qualify for the second relief option, other
requested relief, the combined equivalent production of the marginal
properties during the base period must equal an average daily well
production of less than 15 BOE per well per day, as calculated under 30
CFR 1204.4(c).
Each State makes an annual determination as to whether it will
participate in neither, one, or both relief options. This notice
fulfills the requirement in ONRR's rules to publish a notice of each
State's ``intent to allow or not allow certain relief options . . . in
the Federal Register no later than 30 days before the beginning of the
applicable calendar year.'' See 30 CFR 1204.208(f).
The following table shows the States with qualifying marginal
properties and those States' decisions on whether to participate in
neither, one, or both relief options for calendar year 2025. An ``N/A''
means that no properties within the State met that condition for that
type of relief:
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Cumulative royalty report and Other accounting and auditing
State payment relief (less than 1,000 BOE relief (less than 15 BOE per well
per year) per day)
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Alabama............................... No................................. No.
Arkansas.............................. N/A................................ Yes.
[[Page 99276]]
California............................ No................................. No.
Colorado.............................. No................................. No.
Kansas................................ No................................. No.
Louisiana............................. Yes................................ Yes.
Montana............................... No................................. No.
Nebraska.............................. Yes................................ Yes.
Nevada................................ Yes................................ Yes.
New Mexico............................ No................................. Yes.
North Dakota.......................... Yes................................ Yes.
Oklahoma.............................. Yes................................ Yes.
South Dakota.......................... Yes................................ Yes.
Utah.................................. No................................. No.
Wyoming............................... Yes................................ No.
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Pursuant to 30 U.S.C. 1726(c), a Federal oil and gas property
located in a State where ONRR does not share a portion of Federal
royalties with that State (that is, for 2025, a State not listed in the
table above) is eligible for relief if it qualifies as a marginal
property. For more information on how to obtain relief, please refer to
30 CFR 1204.205.
Unless the information that ONRR receives is proprietary data, all
correspondence, records, or information received in response to this
notice may be subject to disclosure under the Freedom of Information
Act (FOIA, 5 U.S.C. 552 et seq.). If applicable, please highlight the
proprietary portions, including any supporting documentation, or mark
the page(s) containing proprietary data. ONRR protects proprietary
information under the Trade Secrets Act (18 U.S.C. 1905), FOIA
Exemption 4 (5 U.S.C. 552(b)(4)), and the Department of the Interior's
FOIA regulations (43 CFR part 2).
Authority: Federal Oil and Gas Royalty Management Act of 1982, 30
U.S.C. 1701 et seq., as amended by Federal Oil and Gas Royalty
Simplification and Fairness Act of 1996 (RSFA, Pub. L. 104-185--Aug.
13, 1996, as corrected by Pub. L. 104-200--Sept. 22, 1996).
Howard M. Cantor,
Director, Office of Natural Resources Revenue.
[FR Doc. 2024-28876 Filed 12-9-24; 8:45 am]
BILLING CODE 4335-30-P
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</html>This is legal information, not legal advice. Laws vary by jurisdiction and change frequently. Always verify current law with official sources and consult a licensed attorney in your jurisdiction for advice on your specific situation.