Applications for the issuance of any lease authorized by this act [19-10-1, 19-10-12 to 19-10-25 NMSA 1978] shall be executed under oath by the applicant or by his agent or attorney duly authorized in writing, or by any officer or attorney in fact of the corporation if the application be made by a corporation. The application shall be accompanied by the amount offered by the applicant as the bonus, if any, and rental for the first year. The form of the application shall be prescribed by the commissioner and all applications shall contain a description of the lands by legal subdivisions upon which the lease is desired, together with such data and information concerning development on and in the vicinity of the lands as may reasonably be required by the commissioner. The commissioner may also require any applicant for a lease to file in the office of the commissioner an appraisement in such form as the commissioner may require, showing the value of the lands for oil and gas purposes, such appraisement to be made under oath by one or more disinterested persons having personal knowledge of the facts set forth in the appraisement. The commissioner shall not be bound by the statements contained in any such application or appraisement. No lease shall be issued without the filing of an application therefor as prescribed herein, and no lease shall be issued for less than the amount offered by the applicant as a bonus, if any, and rental for the first year, and if an appraisement of the land for oil and gas purposes be required as provided herein, then no lease shall issue for less than the value of same as shown by such appraisement.

History: Laws 1929, ch. 125, § 5; C.S. 1929, § 132-405; 1941 Comp., § 8-1107; 1953 Comp., § 7-11-8.

Bracketed material. — The bracketed material was inserted by the compiler and is not part of the law.

Cross references. — For appraisement of state lands by applicant seeking to lease or purchase same, see 19-7-1 NMSA 1978.

For false swearing in appraisement of state lands, see 19-7-7 NMSA 1978.