[Federal Register Volume 63, Number 171 (Thursday, September 3, 1998)]
[Notices]
[Pages 47038-47039]
From the Federal Register Online via the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]
[FR Doc No: 98-23807]


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DEPARTMENT OF THE INTERIOR

Minerals Management Service


Announcement of Minerals Management Service Meeting on Oil 
Royalty-In-Kind Pilot Program in Wyoming

AGENCY: Minerals Management Service, Interior.

ACTION: Notice of meeting.

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SUMMARY: The Minerals Management Service (MMS) will hold a half-day 
meeting with successful bidders under MMS's July 1, 1998, Invitation 
for Bids (IFB) on royalty-in-kind (RIK) oil produced from Federal 
leases in Wyoming and with the lessees and operators of properties 
successfully bid on. The purpose of the meeting is to discuss issues 
involved in implementing sales of Federal crude oil production to be 
taken as royalty-in-kind and sold under contracts resulting from the 
IFB.

DATES: The meeting will be held on September 14, 1998, from 1:00 p.m. 
until 5:00 p.m., Mountain time.

ADDRESSES: The meeting will be held at the Wyoming Oil and Gas 
Commission Building, 777 West First Street, Casper, Wyoming.

FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT: Mr. Bonn J. Macy, Minerals Management 
Service, 1849 C Street, NW, MS 4230, Washington, D.C. 20240; telephone 
number (202) 208-3827; fax (202) 208-3918; e-mail Bonn.M[email protected]; or 
Mr. Robert Kronebusch of MMS (the Contracting Officer's Technical 
Representative), P.O. Box 25165, MS 9200, Denver, CO 80225-0165, 
telephone number (303) 275-7113; fax (303) 275-7124; e-mail 
Robert.K[email protected].
COMMENTS: Written comments on the meetings or the issues discussed 
below should be addressed to Mr. Bonn J. Macy at the address given in 
the FOR FURTHER INFORMATION section.

SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION: The subject of this Notice is the 
continuation of MMS's planning process for the oil RIK pilot in 
Wyoming, one of three RIK pilot programs MMS is developing based on the 
recommendations in our 1997 RIK Feasibility Study. The objective of the 
Wyoming crude oil pilot program, as with all three pilots, is to test 
the effectiveness of the RIK concept for collecting Federal oil and gas 
royalties. MMS seeks to produce an RIK structure that reduces the 
administrative burden of royalty collection for both industry and 
government without creating a negative impact on Federal royalty 
revenues shared, in some cases, with States.
    Operators of Federal leases in Wyoming that were successfully bid 
on have been directed to deliver royalty volumes in-kind for affected 
leases and associated communitization/unit agreements. For all other 
leases or agreements, payors will continue paying royalties based on 
current requirements.
    Topics to be discussed at the meeting are:

1. Overall framework and phases of the Wyoming pilot.
2. Intent of the pilot.
3. Operator responsibilities:
     Reporting.
     Imbalance procedures.
     Communication with purchasers.
     Verification of royalty volumes.
     Special considerations regarding trucked volumes.
     Project termination and next phases of the pilot.
4. Purchaser responsibilities:
     100% takes of all royalty volumes delivered.
     Communication with operator.
     Reporting.
5. Question and Answer Period.

    MMS has notified operators of affected properties and successful 
bidders of this meeting. If you are the operator or lessee of an 
affected property, or are a successful bidder under the July 1, 1998, 
IFB on crude oil produced from Federal leases in

[[Page 47039]]

Wyoming, you are urged to attend or send representative(s) to the 
September 14, 1998, meeting to address these issues at the location 
provided under ADDRESSES in this Notice.

    Dated: August 31, 1998.
Walter D. Cruickshank,
Associate Director for Policy and Management Improvement.
[FR Doc. 98-23807 Filed 9-2-98; 8:45 am]
BILLING CODE 4310-MR-U