(a) Once the minimum initial unit obligation is met, lease extensions approved under §3207.17 of this chapter based upon unit commitment will remain in effect until the unit is relinquished, expires, terminates, or the lease on which the initial unit obligation was met is eliminated from the unit.

(b) As long as there are commercial operations within the unit or there exists a unit well that BLM has determined is producing or utilizing geothermal resources in commercial quantities, lease extensions for any leases or portions of leases within the participating area will remain in effect as long as operations meet the requirements of §3207.15 of this chapter.