(a) The owner of an oil and gas lease, or the owner of a valid claim based on a mineral location shall have such lease or claim converted to a combined hydrocarbon lease when the plan of operations, filed under §3140.2 of this title, is deemed acceptable and is approved by the authorized officer.

(b) The conversion of a lease within a unit of the National Park System shall be approved only with the consent of the Regional Director of the National Park Service in accordance with §3140.7 of this title.

(c) A plan of operations may not be approved in part but may be approved where it contains an appropriately staged plan of exploration and development operations.

[47 FR 22478, May 24, 1982, as amended at 55 FR 12351, Apr. 3, 1990]