A bill to streamline the oil and gas permitting process and to recognize fee ownership for certain oil and gas drilling or spacing units, and for other purposes.

Bill: 115-s-2151
Sponsor: full_name: Sen. Hoeven, John [R-ND]
Introduced: 2017-11-16
Policy area: Energy
Subjects: Licensing and registrations

Oil and gas
Latest action: action_date: 2017-11-16
text: Read twice and referred to the Committee on Energy and Natural Resources.

Summaries:
action_date: 2017-11-16
action_desc: Introduced in Senate
text: <p>This bill states that a Bureau of Land Management (BLM) drilling permit shall not be required under either the Federal Oil and Gas Royalty Management Act of 1982 or the Code of Federal Regulations for an action occurring within an oil and gas drilling or spacing unit, if: (1) less than 50% of the minerals within the oil and gas drilling or spacing unit are federally owned, and (2) the federal government neither owns nor leases the surface estate within the unit's boundaries. </p> <p>The bill retains the right of the federal government to receive royalties from the production of federal minerals within the unit. </p>

tv_txt: II 115th CONGRESS 1st Session S. 2151 IN THE SENATE OF THE UNITED STATES November 16, 2017 Mr. Hoeven introduced the following bill; which was read twice and referred to the Committee on Energy and Natural Resources A BILL To streamline the oil and gas permitting process and to recognize fee ownership for certain oil and gas drilling or spacing units, and for other purposes.

1. Compliance with BLM permitting (a) In general Notwithstanding any other provision of law but subject to any State requirements, a Bureau of Land Management drilling permit shall not be required under the Federal Oil and Gas Royalty Management Act of 1982 ( 30 U.S.C. 1701 et seq.) or section 3164.1 of title 43, Code of Federal Regulations (or a successor regulation), for an action occurring within an oil and gas drilling or spacing unit if— (1) less than 50 percent of the minerals within the oil and gas drilling or spacing unit are minerals owned by the Federal Government; and (2) the Federal Government does not own or lease the surface estate within the boundaries of the oil and gas drilling or spacing unit. (b) Effect Nothing in this Act affects the right of the Federal Government to receive royalties due to the Federal Government from the production of the Federal minerals within the oil and gas drilling or spacing unit.