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| THE GENERAL ASSEMBLY OF PENNSYLVANIA |
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| HOUSE BILL |
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| INTRODUCED BY GEORGE, CALTAGIRONE, CARROLL, D. COSTA, FABRIZIO, FREEMAN, GOODMAN, HESS, HORNAMAN, JOSEPHS, KIRKLAND, KORTZ, KULA, MAHONEY, MARSHALL, MUNDY, MURPHY, READSHAW, STURLA AND WAGNER, APRIL 28, 2011 |
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| REFERRED TO COMMITTEE ON ENVIRONMENTAL RESOURCES AND ENERGY, APRIL 28, 2011 |
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| AN ACT |
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1 | Amending the act of July 20, 1979 (P.L.183, No.60), entitled "An |
2 | act regulating the terms and conditions of certain leases |
3 | regarding natural gas and oil," further providing for |
4 | guarantee of minimum royalties and for escalation of |
5 | royalties. |
6 | The General Assembly of the Commonwealth of Pennsylvania |
7 | hereby enacts as follows: |
8 | Section 1. Sections 1 and 2 of the act of July 20, 1979 |
9 | (P.L.183, No.60), entitled "An act regulating the terms and |
10 | conditions of certain leases regarding natural gas and oil," are |
11 | amended to read: |
12 | Section 1. [A lease or other such agreement conveying the |
13 | right to remove or recover oil, natural gas or gas of any other |
14 | designation from lessor to lessee shall not be valid if such |
15 | lease does not guarantee the lessor at least one-eighth royalty |
16 | of all oil, natural gas or gas of other designations removed or |
17 | recovered from the subject real property.] (a) A lease or such |
18 | other agreement conveying the right to remove or recover oil, |
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1 | natural gas or gas of any other designation from lessor to |
2 | lessee shall not be valid if the lease or other agreement does |
3 | not guarantee the lessor at least a 15% royalty of all oil, |
4 | natural gas or gas of other designations removed or recovered |
5 | from the subject of real property. The lessee shall compute and |
6 | pay oil and gas royalties due under each lease on the gross |
7 | proceeds received by the seller based on the fair market value |
8 | at the point of sale, including amounts collected to reimburse |
9 | the seller for severance taxes and production-related costs. The |
10 | lessee shall not deduct from royalties any severance taxes or |
11 | applicable fees charged by any Commonwealth agency or |
12 | department, or any post-production costs. Post-production costs |
13 | are: |
14 | (1) All losses of produced volumes, whether by use as fuel, |
15 | line loss, flaring, venting or otherwise. |
16 | (2) All costs actually incurred by the lessee from and after |
17 | the wellhead to the point of sale, including, without |
18 | limitation, all gathering, dehydration, compression, treatment, |
19 | processing, marketing and transportation costs incurred in |
20 | connection with the sale of such production. |
21 | (b) For the purpose of computing and paying royalties, the |
22 | fair market value shall be presumed to be the gross proceeds |
23 | received pursuant to a bona fide contract entered into by |
24 | nonaffiliated parties of adverse economic interests. If a |
25 | contract is not negotiated at arm's length or was between |
26 | affiliated parties, the presumption that market value is equal |
27 | to gross proceeds shall not apply and the lessee shall have the |
28 | burden to establish that royalties paid are based on market |
29 | value. Parties are affiliated under this subsection if they are |
30 | related by blood, marriage or common business enterprise, are |
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1 | members of a corporate affiliated group or where one party owns |
2 | a 10% or greater interest in the other. |
3 | (c) Royalties are due and payable by the lessee on 100% of |
4 | each lease's gross production of oil and gas unless the lease |
5 | explicitly states otherwise. Royalties due must be paid within |
6 | 90 days after the end of the month for gas sales. A 10% monthly |
7 | interest shall accrue on the unpaid balance. If royalties are |
8 | not paid within the required period, the lease may become null |
9 | and void at the discretion of the lessor. |
10 | Section 2. An oil, natural gas or other designation gas well |
11 | or oil, natural gas or other designation gas lease [which does |
12 | not provide a one-eighth metered royalty shall be subject to |
13 | such an escalation] may be amended or modified when its original |
14 | state is altered by new drilling, deeper drilling, redrilling, |
15 | artificial well stimulation, hydraulic fracturing or any other |
16 | procedure for increased production. A lease shall not be |
17 | affected when the well is altered through routine maintenance or |
18 | cleaning. |
19 | Section 2. This act shall take effect in 60 days. |
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