(a) For leases issued on or after August 8, 2005 (other than leases issued in response to applications that were pending on that date for which no election is made under §3200.8(b)(1)), and for leases issued before August 8, 2005, for which an election is made under §3200.7(a)(2), you must always pay rental, whether you are in a unit or outside of a unit, whether your lease is in production or not, and whether royalties or direct use fees apply to your production.

(b) For leases issued before August 8, 2005, for which no election is made under §3200.7(a)(2), and for leases issued in response to applications pending on that date for which no election is made under §3200.8(b)(1), you must pay rent for all the lands in your lease until:

(1) Your lease achieves production in commercial quantities, at which time you pay royalties; or

(2) Lands in your lease are within the participating area of a unit agreement or cooperative plan, at which time you pay rent for lands outside the participating area and pay royalties for lands within the participating area.


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