43 C.F.R. Subpart 3280—Geothermal Resources Unit Agreements: General
Title 43 - Public Lands: Interior
The regulations in this part prescribe the procedure to be followed and the requirements to be met by holders of Federal geothermal leases and their representatives who wish to unite with each other, or jointly or separately with others, in collectively adopting and operating under a cooperative or unit plan for the development of any geothermal resources pool, field or like area, or any part thereof. [48 FR 44792, Sept. 30, 1983] Cooperative or unit agreements for the development of any geothermal resources pool, field or like area, or any part thereof, may be initiated by lessees, or where such agreements are deemed necessary in the interest of conserving natural resources, they may be required by the Director. [48 FR 44792, Sept. 30, 1983] These regulations are issued under the authority of the Geothermal Steam Act of 1970, as amended (30 U.S.C. 1001–1025) and Order Number 3087, dated December 3, 1982, as amended February 7, 1983 (48 FR 8983), under which the Secretary consolidated and transferred the onshore minerals management functions of the Department, except mineral revenue functions and the leasing of restricted Indian lands, to the Bureau of Land Management. [48 FR 44792, Sept. 30, 1983] The following terms, as used in this part or in any agreement approved under the regulations in this part, shall have the meanings here indicated unless otherwise defined in such agreement: (a) Unit agreement. An agreement or plan of development and operation for the production and utilization of separately owned interests in the geothermal resources made subject thereto as a single consolidated unit without regard to separate ownerships and which provides for the allocation of costs and benefits on a basis defined in the agreement or plan. (b) Cooperative agreement. An agreement or plan of development and operations for the production and utilization of geothermal resources made subject thereto in which separate ownership units are independently operated without allocation of production. (c) Agreement. For convenience, the term “agreement” as used in the regulations in this part refers to either a unit or a cooperative agreement as defined in paragraphs (a) and (b) of this section unless otherwise indicated. (d) Unit area. The area described in a unit agreement as constituting the land logically subject to development under such agreement. (e) Unitized land. The part of a unit area committed to a unit agreement. (f) Unitized substances. Deposits of geothermal resources recovered from unitized land by operation under and pursuant to a unit agreement. (g) Unit operator. The person, association, partnership, corporation, or other business entity designated under a unit agreement to conduct operations on unitized land as specified in such agreement. (h) Participating area. That part of the Unit Area which is deemed to be productive from a horizon or deposit and to which production would be allocated in the manner described in the unit agreement assuming that all lands are committed to the unit agreement. (i) Working interest. The interest held in geothermal resources or in lands containing the same by virtue of a lease, operating agreement, fee title, or otherwise, under which, except as otherwise provided in a unit or cooperative agreement, the owner of such interest is vested with the right to explore for, develop, produce, and utilize such resources. The right delegated to the unit operator as such by the unit agreement is not to be regarded as a working interest. [38 FR 35073, Dec. 21, 1973. Redesignated and amended at 48 FR 44792, Sept. 30, 1983]
Title 43: Public Lands: Interior
PART 3280—GEOTHERMAL RESOURCES UNIT AGREEMENTS: UNPROVEN AREAS
Subpart 3280—Geothermal Resources Unit Agreements: General
§ 3280.0-1 Purpose.
§ 3280.0-2 Policy.
§ 3280.0-3 Authority.
§ 3280.0-5 Definitions.
