§103.1.  Operators and producers to report to owners of unleased oil and gas interests

A.  Whenever there is included within a drilling unit, as authorized by the commissioner of conservation, lands producing oil or gas, or both, upon which the operator or producer has no valid oil, gas, or mineral lease, said operator or producer shall issue the following reports to the owners of said interests by a sworn, detailed, itemized statement:

(1)  Within ninety calendar days from completion of the well, an initial report which shall contain the costs of drilling, completing, and equipping the unit well.

(2)  After establishment of production from the unit well, quarterly reports which shall contain the following:

(a)  The total amount of oil, gas, or other hydrocarbons produced from the lands during the previous quarter.

(b)  The price received from any purchaser of unit production.

(c)  Quarterly operating costs and expenses.

(d)  Any additional funds expended to enhance or restore the production of the unit well.

B.  No operator or producer shall be required under the provisions of this Section to report any information which is not known by such operator or producer at the time of a report.  However, the operator or producer shall report the required information to the owner of the unleased interest within thirty days after such information is obtained by the operator or producer, or in the next quarterly report, whichever due date is later.

C.  Reports shall be sent by certified mail to each owner of an unleased oil or gas interest who has requested such reports in writing, by certified mail addressed to the operator or producer.  The written request shall contain the unleased interest owner's name and address.  Initial reports shall be sent no later than ninety calendar days after the completion of the well.  The operator or producer shall begin sending quarterly reports within ninety calendar days after receiving the written request, whichever is later, and shall continue sending quarterly reports until cessation of production.

D.  Notwithstanding any other provision of this Section to the contrary, at the time a report is due pursuant to this Section, if the share of the total costs of drilling, completing, and equipping the unit well and all other unit costs allocable to an owner of an unleased interest is less than one thousand dollars, no report shall be required.  However, during January of the next calendar year, the operator or producer shall report such costs to the owner.

Added by Acts 1950, No. 387, §1; Acts 2001, No. 973, §1.

RS 30:103.2

§103.2.  Failure to report; penalty

Whenever the operator or producer permits ninety calendar days to elapse from completion of the well and thirty additional calendar days to elapse from date of receipt of written notice by certified mail from the owner or owners of unleased oil and gas interests calling attention to failure to comply with the provisions of R.S. 30:103.1, such operator or producer shall forfeit his right to demand contribution from the owner or owners of the unleased oil and gas interests for the costs of the drilling operations of the well.

Added by Acts 1950, No. 387, §2; Acts 2001, No. 973, §1.

RS 30:104

§104.  Failure to report punishable; fine

Whoever fails to make the reports, required of him by R.S. 30:103 shall be fined not less than twenty-five dollars, nor more than one hundred dollars for each failure to report to any individual royalty or mineral owner.