OFFICE OF MINERAL RESOURCES (OMR)
SPECIAL NOTICES/ANNOUNCEMENTS
OMR ANNOUNCES ACREAGE RETURNED TO COMMERCE
July 17, 2017
The Office of Mineral Resources announces 3,846.344 acres has been released and returned back to commerce. This acreage is located in Assumption, Caddo, Caldwell, Evangeline, Iberia, Lafayette, Plaquemines, Rapides, Red River, St. Mary, Terrebonne and Vernon Parishes and is now available for leasing by the public.
Use the following link for more information:
Latest Release List
PROPOSED NEW LEASE FORM (REVISED)
May 15, 2017
An individual revision report including Staff’s proposed language for the Articles of the Proposed New Lease Form can be accessed by clicking on the list below:
The 1st group of articles were discussed at the May 10th, 2017 meeting of the State Mineral & Energy Board. The 2nd group of articles will be discussed at the June 14, 2017 meeting of the State Mineral & Energy Board. As you will note, reference has been made to both the Existing 2000 Lease Form Version, and the August 2016 Proposed Version for each article.
We sincerely thank all individuals who submitted comments and provided valuable input to Staff in developing the draft form in August 2016. Prior to final adoption of the Proposed New Lease Form, we are again seeking written comments from interested parties. We are asking that comments or questions regarding the groups of revisions be submitted at least one week prior to the State Mineral and Energy Board Meeting in which they will be discussed. For the 1st Group, the deadline for submission of comments or questions was May 3, 2017. For the 2nd Group, please submit comments or questions by June 7, 2017. Your comments/questions may be emailed to suzanne.hyatt@la.gov.
For specifics, please refer to the Lease Form Process schedule and the Timeline of Article Groups that will be published, opened for comment and discussed over the course of the next four months.
FORCE MAJEURE
May 1, 2017
Download: Force Majuere Memorandum - May 2017
How to Report Force Majeure Online
OMR ATTENDS NAPE EXPO IN HOUSTON
February 21, 2017
State of optimism at this year’s NAPE industry conference in Houston
Word from Houston - drilling is coming back. So it could be heard at last week’s North America Prospect Expo (NAPE) gathering in Houston where the Department of Natural Resources’ Office of Mineral Resources officials worked an exhibit booth, encouraging industry leaders to take a good look at Louisiana for mineral exploration and production in 2017.
Mineral Resources’ Assistant Secretary David Boulet said that oil and gas prices continue to rise from last year’s lows and the conference’s large turnout of some 11,000 attendees was a real good sign that companies are resurging. “We showed landmen, company executives, and hundreds of NAPE participants that there is productive acreage available across north and south Louisiana,” Boulet said.
Louisiana continues to be a world class destination to drill and produce. According to a state “Economic Outlook: 2016-2017 Report” by economists Loren Scott and James Richardson, projections indicate that oil prices will rebound to $60 a barrel this year, while natural gas prices should also climb because of an increase in industrial demand.
Read more –2/16/17 Houston Chronicle http://www.houstonchronicle.com/business/article/Gloom-lifts-from-industry-as-oil-deal-makers-come-10939204.php
UNREGISTERED LEASEHOLDERS AS OF MAY 18, 2016
La. R.S. 30:123.1(B) requires current leaseholders to register with the Office of Mineral Resources each year, no later than January 31st. Please use the links below to access information regarding registration.
List of Unregistered Leaseholders
List of Registered Prospective Leaseholders
NOTICE TO ROYALTY PAYORS
Resolution #15-08-012 was adopted by the State Mineral and Energy Board at its August 12, 2015 meeting. This Resolution affirms that upon satisfaction of all requirements under the Administrative Procedure Act, OMR Staff is directed to commence assessing to Payors a fee of Sixty-Five ($65.00) Dollars per hour to recoup the costs incurred by OMR for processing requests for reimbursement of overpayments of royalties. This Resolution is effective on all requests for a recoupment received after October 1, 2015.
Resolution #15-08-013 was adopted by the State Mineral and Energy Board at its August 12, 2015 meeting. This Resolution affirms that the OMR Assistant Secretary and Deputy Assistant Secretary be and are hereby authorized to evaluate and process penalty waiver requests for penalties assessed pursuant to La. R.S 30:136.B(2) and La. R.S 30:136.B(3) in amounts up to Twenty-Five Thousand ($25,000.00) Dollars. This Resolution is effective as of October 1, 2015.
Resolution #15-08-014 was adopted by the State Mineral and Energy Board at its August 12, 2015 meeting. This Resolution affirms that the OMR Assistant Secretary and Deputy Assistant Secretary process penalty waiver requests for penalties assessed pursuant to La. R.S 30:136.B(2) in accordance with the set protocol.This resolution is effective as of October 1, 2015.
NOTICES REGARDING ASSIGNMENTS
Proposed new Form A, entitled Acknowledgment and Estoppel Certification, recently noticed for public comment, is currently under revision and later will be posted for further comment.
Similarly, Form D, entitled Designation of Joint Account Lessee, implemented by the State Mineral and Energy Board at its meeting on September 9, 2015, is under revision based upon concerns raised by industry representatives. For this reason, this form need not currently be included in any request for approval of an assignment or other transfer of interest in a State Lease.
Form B (Statement of Conveyance) and Form C (Certification of Bankruptcy Status) still must be submitted for consideration by the Board with any request for approval of an assignment or other transfer.
Resolution #15-07-052 was adopted by the State Mineral and Energy Board at its July 8, 2015 meeting. This Resolution applies to the fee authorized by La. R.S. 30:128 in the amount of one hundred dollars ($100.00) for reviewing, researching, and processing requested transfers and assignments of Leases of minerals or mineral rights owned by the State. This fee will be applied to each Lease for which an interest is requested to be transferred or assigned. This Resolution is effective as of July 8, 2015.
This is a change from the fee assessment of $100.00 for each individual document of conveyance, regardless of the number of Leases to which the document may apply, to a fee of $100.00 for each Lease within an individual document of conveyance for which a transfer or assignment is requested.
NOTICE TO BIDDERS
Effective August 1, 2015, Act 362 of the 2015 Regular Legislative Session changed the oil and gas regulatory fund fee from $5.00 to $15.00. The $15 fee for the Wildlife and Fisheries Conservation Fund remains unchanged. Therefore, the $20 per acre fee will now be $30 per acre. A separate check in this amount made payable to the Office of Mineral Resources shall accompany the original bid (inside the sealed bid envelope).
LIGNITE LEASE FORM
The new Lignite or Coal Mining Lease Form was adopted by The State Mineral and Energy Board on September 9, 2015.
The State Mineral and Energy Board is considering a proposed new mineral lease form for lignite. A draft of the full text of the proposed lease form may be accessed by clicking here.
Important Information for Bidders
Criteria for Waiver of Liquidated Damages for the Late Release of a State Mineral Lease
Royalty Adjustments Resolution effective 7/14/2010