[Code of Federal Regulations]
[Title 30, Volume 2]
[Revised as of July 1, 2002]
From the U.S. Government Printing Office via GPO Access
[CITE: 30CFR203.2]

[Page 17]
 
                       TITLE 30--MINERAL RESOURCES
 
                       DEPARTMENT OF THE INTERIOR
 
PART 203--RELIEF OR REDUCTION IN ROYALTY RATES--Table of Contents
 
                      Subpart A--General Provisions
 
Sec. 203.2  How can I get royalty relief?

    We may reduce or suspend royalties for Outer Continental Shelf (OCS) 
leases or projects that meet the criteria in the following table.

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                                                       Then we may grant
    If you have a lease . . .      And if you . . .        you . . .
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(a) With earnings that cannot     Would abandon       A reduced royalty
 sustain production (i.e., End-    otherwise           rate on current
 of-life lease).                   potentially         monthly
                                   recoverable         production and a
                                   resources but       higher royalty
                                   seek to increase    rate on
                                   production by       additional
                                   operating beyond    monthly
                                   the point at        production. (See
                                   which the lease     Secs.  203.50
                                   is economic under   through 203.56.)
                                   the existing
                                   royalty rate.
(b) Located in a designated GOM   Are producing and   A royalty
 deep water area, and acquired     seek to increase    suspension for
 in a lease sale before November   ultimate resource   additional
 28, 1995, or after November 28,   recovery from one   production large
 2000, and you propose in a DOCD   or more             enough to make
 or supplement to expand           reservoirs not      the project
 production significantly.         previously or       economic. (See
                                   currently           Secs.  203.60
                                   producing on the    through 203.79.)
                                   field or lease,
                                   not simply extend
                                   recovery of
                                   reservoirs that
                                   already produced.
                                   (Expansion
                                   project).
(c) Located in a designated GOM   Are on a field      A royalty
 deep water area and acquired in   from which no       suspension for a
 a lease sale held before          current pre-Act     minimum
 November 28, 1995 (Pre-Act        lease produced      production volume
 lease).                           (other than test    plus any
                                   production)         additional volume
                                   before November     needed to make
                                   28, 1995            the field
                                   (Authorized         economic. (See
                                   field).             Secs.  203.60
                                                       through 203.79.)
(d) Located in a designated GOM   Have not produced   A royalty
 deep water area and acquired in   and can             suspension for a
 a lease sale held after           demonstrate that    minimum
 November 28, 2000.                the suspension      production volume
                                   volume, if any,     plus any
                                   in your lease is    additional volume
                                   not enough to       needed to make
                                   make development    your project
                                   economic            economic. (See
                                   (Development        Secs.  203.60
                                   project).           through 203.79.)
(e) Where royalty relief would    Are not eligible    A royalty
 recover significant additional    to apply for end-   modification in
 resources or, in certain areas    of-life or deep     size, duration,
 of the GOM, would enable          water royalty       or form that
 development.                      relief, but show    makes your lease
                                   us you meet         or project
                                   certain             economic. (See
                                   elligibility        Sec.  203.80.)
                                   conditions.
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[67 FR 1872, Jan. 15, 2002]