TITLE 30. MINERALS, OIL, AND GAS AND ENVIRONMENTAL QUALITY

SUBTITLE I. MINERALS, OIL, AND GAS

CHAPTER 2. LEASES AND CONTRACTS

PART II. LEASES BY STATE OR POLITICAL SUBDIVISIONS

SUBPART A. STATE MINERAL AND ENERGY BOARD

30:128     Transfers; approval by board; fees; penalties

A. No transfer or assignment in relation to any lease of minerals or mineral rights owned by the state shall be valid unless approved by the State Mineral and Energy Board.  The mineral board may charge a fee of one hundred dollars to cover the cost of preparing and docketing transfers or assignments of leases of mineral or mineral rights.  All parties to transfers or assignments in relation to any lease of mineral or mineral rights from the state shall be registered prospective leaseholders with the office of mineral resources.  Transfers or assignments shall not be granted to prospective leaseholders that are not currently registered with the office of mineral resources.

B. (1) Failure to obtain approval of the board of any transfer or assignment of a lease within sixty days of execution of the transfer or assignment shall subject the transferor or assignor to a civil penalty of one hundred dollars per day beginning on the sixty-first day following the execution of the transfer or assignment.  The penalty shall continue to accrue on a daily basis until the date on which the transfer or assignment is received by the office of mineral resources for submission to the board for approval or to a maximum amount of one thousand dollars.

(2) The penalties shall be paid into the Mineral and Energy Operation Fund on behalf of the board.  The board may waive all or any part of the penalties provided in this Section.

C. A transfer for purposes of this Section shall not be deemed to occur by the granting of a mortgage in, collateral assignment of production from, or other security interest in a mineral lease or sublease or the transfer of an overriding royalty interest, production, payment, net profits interest, or similar interest in a mineral lease or sublease.

Amended by Acts 1993, No. 114, § 1, eff. May 26, 1993;  Acts 1995, No. 1087, § 4;  Acts 1999, No. 169, § 1;  Acts 2002, 1st Ex.Sess., No. 106, § 1, eff. April 18, 2002;  Acts 2005, No. 449, § 1, eff. July 11, 2005;  Acts 2009, No. 196, § 2, eff. July 1, 2009.