Code of Federal Regulations Title 30. Mineral Resources § 30.250.180 What am I required to do to keep my lease term in effect?

(a) If your lease is in its primary term:

(b) If you stop conducting operations during the last year of your primary lease term, your lease will expire unless you either resume operations or receive an SOO or an SOP from the Regional Supervisor under § 250.172, § 250.173, § 250.174, or § 250.175 before the end of the year after you stop operations.

(c) If you extend your lease term under paragraph (b) of this section, you must pay rental or minimum royalty, as appropriate, for each year or part of the year during which your lease continues in force beyond the end of the primary lease term.

(d) If you stop conducting operations on a lease that has continued beyond its primary term, your lease will expire unless you resume operations or receive an SOO or an SOP from the Regional Supervisor under § 250.172, § 250.173, § 250.174, or § 250.175 before the end of the year after you stop operations.

(e) You may ask the Regional Supervisor to allow you more than a year to resume operations on a lease continued beyond its primary term when operating conditions warrant. The request must be in writing and explain the operating conditions that warrant a longer period. In allowing additional time, the Regional Supervisor must determine that the longer period is in the National interest, and it conserves resources, prevents waste, or protects correlative rights.

(f) When you begin conducting operations on a lease that has continued beyond its primary term, you must immediately notify the District Manager either orally or by fax or e-mail and follow up with a written report according to paragraph (g) of this section.

(g) If your lease is continued beyond its primary term, you must submit a report to the District Manager under paragraphs (h) and (i) of this section whenever production begins initially, whenever production ceases, whenever production resumes before the end of the 1–year period after having ceased, or whenever drilling or well-reworking operations begin before the end of the 1–year period.

(h) The reports required by paragraphs (a) and (g) of this section must contain:

(i) You must submit the reports required by paragraphs (a) and (g) of this section within the following timeframes:

(j) For leases continued beyond the primary term, you must immediately report to the District Manager if operations do not begin before the end of the 1–year period.