Sec. 61503b.

(1) A person who enters into a gas lease as a lessee after March 28, 2000 shall not deduct from the lessor's royalty any portion of postproduction costs unless the lease explicitly allows for the deduction of postproduction costs. If a lease explicitly provides for the deduction of postproduction costs, the lessee may only deduct postproduction costs for the following items, unless the lease explicitly and specifically provides for the deduction of other items:

(a) The reasonable costs of removal of carbon dioxide (CO2), hydrogen sulfide (H2S), molecular nitrogen (N2), or other constituents, except water, the removal of which will enhance the value of the gas for the benefit of the lessor and lessee.

(b) Transportation costs after the point of entry into any of the following:

(i) An independent, nonaffiliated, third-party-owned pipeline system.

(ii) A pipeline system owned by a gas distribution company or any subsidiary of the gas distribution company, which is regulated by the Michigan public service commission.

(iii) An affiliated pipeline system, if the rates charged by the pipeline system have been approved by the Michigan public service commission, or if the rates charged are reasonable, as compared to independent pipeline systems, based on the pipeline system's location, distance, cost of service, and other pertinent factors.

(2) A lessee shall not charge postproduction costs incurred on gas produced from 1 drilling unit, pooled or communitized area, or unit area against a lessor's royalty for gas produced from another drilling unit, pooled or communitized area, or unit area. As used in this subsection, “unit area” means the formation or formations that are unitized and surface acreage that is a part of the unitized lands, as described in either of the following:

(a) The plan for unit operations that is the subject of the supervisor's order as provided in section 61706.

(b) An applicable agreement providing for unit operations.

(3) If a person who has entered into a gas lease as a lessee prior to or after March 28, 2000 charges the lessor for any portion of postproduction costs, the lessee shall notify the lessor in writing of the availability of the following information and if the lessor requests in writing to receive this information, the lessee shall provide the lessor, in writing, a specific itemized explanation of all postproduction costs to be assessed.

(4) A division order or other document that includes provisions that stipulate how production proceeds are distributed, received by the lessor from the lessee, shall not alter or define the terms of a lease unless voluntarily and explicitly agreed to by both parties in a signed document or documents in which the parties expressly indicate their intention to amend the lease. A lessee shall not precondition the payment of royalties upon the lessor signing a division order or other document that stipulates how production proceeds are distributed, except as provided in this subsection. As a condition for the payment of royalties under a lease other than a lease granted by the state of Michigan, a lessee or other payor shall be entitled to receive a signed division order from the payee containing only the following provisions, unless other provisions have been voluntarily and explicitly agreed to by both parties in a signed document or documents in which the parties expressly indicate their intention to waive the provisions of this subsection:

(a) The effective date of the division order.

(b) A description of the property from which the oil or gas is being produced and the type of production.

(c) The fractional or decimal interest in production, or both, claimed by the payee, the type of interest, the certification of title to the share of production claimed, and, unless otherwise agreed to by the parties, an agreement to notify the payor at least 1 month in advance of the effective date of any change in the interest in production owned by the payee and an agreement to indemnify the payor and reimburse the payor for payments made if the payee does not have merchantable title to the production sold.

(d) The authorization to suspend payment to the payee for production until the resolution of any title dispute or adverse claim asserted regarding the interest in production claimed by the payee.

(e) The name, address, and taxpayer identification number of the payee.

(f) A statement that the division order does not amend any lease or operating agreement between the interest owner and the lessee or operator or any other contracts for the purchase of oil or gas.

History: Add. 1999, Act 246, Eff. Mar. 28, 2000 ;-- Am. 2000, Act 441, Imd. Eff. Jan. 9, 2001 Popular Name: Act 451Popular Name: NREPAPopular Name: Supervisor of Wells