Before issuance of a lease for lands within an approved unit, the lease offeror shall file evidence with the proper BLM office of having joined in the unit agreement and unit operating agreement or a statement giving satisfactory reasons for the failure to enter into such agreement. If such statement is acceptable to the authorized officer the operator shall be permitted to operate independently but shall be required to conform to the terms and provisions of the unit agreement with respect to such operations.

[48 FR 33662, July 22, 1983, as amended at 53 FR 17353, May 16, 1988]