(a) Availability of geophysical data and information collected under a permit.

(1) You must notify the Regional Director, in writing, when you complete the initial processing and interpretation of any geophysical data and information. Initial processing is the stage of processing where the data and information become available for in-house interpretation by the permittee, or become available commercially to third parties via sale, trade, license agreement, or other means.

(2) The Regional Director may ask if you have further processed or interpreted any geophysical data and information. When so asked, you must respond to BOEM in writing within 30 days.

(b) Submission, inspection and selection of geophysical data and information collected under a permit. The Regional Director may request that the permittee or third party submit geophysical data and information before making a final selection for retention. BOEM representatives may inspect and select the data and information on your premises, or the Regional Director can request delivery of the data and information to the appropriate BOEM regional office for review.

(1) You must submit the geophysical data and information within 30 days of receiving the request, unless the Regional Director extends the delivery time.

(2) At any time before final selection, the Regional Director may return any or all geophysical data and information following review. You will be notified in writing of all or portions of those data the Regional Director decides to retain.

(c) Requirements for submission of geophysical data and information collected under a permit. Unless the Regional Director specifies otherwise, you must include:

(1) An accurate and complete record of each geophysical survey conducted under the permit, including digital navigational data and final location maps;

(2) All seismic data collected under a permit presented in a format and of a quality suitable for processing;

(3) Processed geophysical information derived from seismic data with extraneous signals and interference removed, presented in a quality format suitable for interpretive evaluation, reflecting state-of-the-art processing techniques; and

(4) Other geophysical data, processed geophysical information, and interpreted geophysical information including, but not limited to, shallow and deep subbottom profiles, bathymetry, sidescan sonar, gravity and magnetic surveys, and special studies such as refraction and velocity surveys.

(d) Obligations when geophysical data and information collected under a permit are obtained by a third party. A third party may obtain geophysical data, processed geophysical information, or interpreted geophysical information from a permittee, or from another third party, by sale, trade, license agreement, or other means. If this happens:

(1) The third party recipient of the data and information assumes the obligations under this section, except for the notification provisions of paragraph (a)(1), and is subject to the penalty provisions of 30 CFR part 550, subpart N; and

(2) A permittee or third party that sells, trades, licenses, or otherwise provides data and information to a third party must advise the recipient, in writing, that accepting these obligations is a condition precedent of the sale, trade, license, or other agreement; and

(3) Except for license agreements, a permittee or third party that sells, trades, or otherwise provides data and information to a third party must advise the Regional Director, in writing and within 30 days, of the sale, trade, or other agreement, including the identity of the recipient of the data and information; or

(4) For license agreements, a permittee or third party that licenses data and information to a third party must, within 30 days of a request by the Regional Director, advise the Regional Director, in writing, of the license agreement, including the identity of the recipient of the data and information.