(a) A combined hydrocarbon lease shall be for no more than 5,760 acres. Acreage held under a combined hydrocarbon lease in a Special Tar Sand Area is not chargeable to State oil and gas limitations allowable in §3101.2 of this title.

(b) The rental rate for a combined hydrocarbon lease shall be $2 per acre per year and shall be payable annually in advance.

(c)

(1) The royalty rate for a combined hydrocarbon lease converted from an oil and gas lease shall be that provided for in the original oil and gas lease.

(2) The royalty rate for a combined hydrocarbon lease converted from a valid claim based on a mineral location shall be 121⁄2 percent.

(3) A reduction of royalties may be granted either as provided in §3103.4 of this title or, at the request of the lessee and upon a review of information provided by the lessee, prior to commencement of commercial operations if the purpose of the request is to promote development and the maximum production of tar sand.

(d)

(1) Existing oil and gas leases and valid claims based on mineral locations may be unitized prior to or after the lease or claim has been converted to a combined hydrocarbon lease. The requirements of 43 CFR part 3180 shall provide the procedures and general guidelines for unitization of combined hydrocarbon leases. For leases within units of the National Park System, unitization requires the consent of the Regional Director of the National Park Service in accordance with §3140.4-1(b) of this title.

(2) If the plan of operations submitted for conversion is designed to cover a unit, a fully executed unit agreement shall be approved before the plan of operations applicable to the unit may be approved under §3140.2 of this title. The proposed plan of operations and the proposed unit agreement may be reviewed concurrently. The approved unit agreement shall be effective after the leases or claims subject to it are converted to combined hydrocarbon leases. The plan of operations shall explain how and when each lease included in the unit operation will be developed.

(e) Except as provided for in this subpart, the regulations set out in part 3100 of this title are applicable, as appropriate, to all combined hydrocarbon leases issued under this subpart.

[47 FR 22478, May 24, 1982, as amended at 48 FR 33682, July 22, 1983; 55 FR 12351, Apr. 3, 1990; 61 FR 4752, Feb. 8, 1996; 70 FR 58614, Oct. 7, 2005]