Adjudicating Unit Agreements, Module 1

Description 

Students will understand the purpose of a unit agreement, and will learn to adjudicate unit designations, final unit approvals, the canceling or withdrawal of a unit designation, unit validations and invalidations, late and subsequent joinders, and when to issue a new lease without a unit joinder in compliance with regulations and guidance in accordance with 43 CFR 3180, H-3180-1, Unitization.

Target Audience

Fluid mineral adjudicators or anyone performing their duties including but not limited to Land Law Examiners and Legal Instruments Examiners.

Course Goal

Upon completion of this course, participants will be able to adjudicate the designation and final approval of unit agreements, and the subsequent types of approvals (Canceling or withdrawal of a unit designation, unit validations and invalidations, late and subsequent joinders, and when to issue a new lease without a unit joinder) associated with the unit agreements. 

Course Objectives

To reach the course goal, students will be given knowledge to:

• Understand the concepts, benefits and purpose of Unit Agreements, 
• Understand the Guidance, Regulations, and Requirements for unit agreements, 
• Understand some of the different types of approvals that occur with Unit Agreements,
• Adjudicate some sample applications and approvals for Unit Agreements, in accordance with 43 CFR 3180, H-3180-1, Unitization and H-3105-1 Cooperative Conservation Provisions, and MLRS Knowledge Articles. 

Note

To receive course credit, enroll in the course on the DOI Talent (DOIT) course page, take the pre-test, follow the KRC directions below, self-certify course completion, and complete the post-test with 70 percent or more.

Directions 

Before starting, it is recommended students print the Unit Agreement Approval Presentation Slides in 3 Slide Handout format and the exercise materials (found within the Toolbox below).  While completing the course it is also recommended students refer to the current version of the 3105, Cooperative Conservation Provisions, and 3180-1, Unitization, handbooks for sample letters and decisions (see the Reference Docs attachment, in the Toolbox, for a link on where to find). 

View the Course PowerPoint and either listen to the recording or read the script (located under "Course Materials"), stopping as appropriate, to complete the following exercises: Exercise (pause on slide 43, finish the exercise, then resume to hear the solution, pause on slide 83, finish the exercise, then resume to hear the solution).

Special Requirements

This is a self-paced course, and the transcript is available therefore, interpreters are not provided. 

Training Course Materials

• Link to Presentation (3 hours)
• Script (written account of what is heard, for each slide, in the course PowerPoint)

Toolbox

• Reference Docs - Includes a link to the Adjudicator SharePoint site which contains adjudication handbooks, Data Entry Standards, and links to popular websites in the Shared Documents.
• Presentation Slides in Adobe Format - this is the best format for a presentation view without audio.
• Presentation Slides with Presenter Notes.
• Presentation Slides in 3 Slide Handout format – with Fillable form fields.
• Unit References & MLRS Knowledge Article References - Includes links to the MLRS Knowledge Article References in MLRS which contains step by step directions for data entry.
• Unit Worksheets
  • API Unit Approval Worksheet
  • Secondary Subsequent Joinder Worksheet
  • Secondary Unit Designation Worksheet
  • Secondary Unit Final Approval Worksheet
  • Cancel-Withdrawal Worksheet
  • Designation Worksheet
  • Final Approval Worksheet
  • Invalidation Worksheet
  • Late Joinder Worksheet
  • Lease Issuance without Joinder Worksheet
  • Subsequent Joinder – Non-WI Worksheet
  • Subsequent Joinder – ORRI Worksheet
  • Subsequent Joinder – WI Worksheet
• Unit Form Letters
  • API Certification-Determination Page Form
  • Certification-Determination Page Form
  • Designation Cancel – Withdrawal Decision Form Letter
  • Designation Decision Approval Form Letter
  • Final Approval Decision Form Letter
  • Late Joinder Decision Form Letter
  • Secondary Certification-Determination Page Form
  • Secondary Designation Decision Approval Form Letter
  • Secondary Final Approval Decision Form Letter
  • Subsequent Joinder Decision Form Letter
  • Unit Validation Decision Form Letter
• Verification of Eligibility Checklist.
• Exploratory Commitment Spreadsheet
• Secondary Commitment Spreadsheet

Exercises

• Class Designation Approval Exercise (On Slide 34)
  • Unit Designation Worksheet
  • Proposed Big Mac Unit Designation Request
  • O&G Plat
  • UTU75756
  • UTU75761
  • UTU75762
  • UTU76510
  • UTU82583
  • UTU82584
  • Designation Approval Form Letter
• Designation Approval Exercise (On slide 43)
  • Unit Designation Worksheet
  • Proposed Buffalo Robe Unit Designation Request
  • O&G Plat
  • WYW106976
  • WYW107234
  • WYW107966
  • WYW107972
  • WYW108809
  • WYW121117
  • WYW132995
  • WYW141323
  • Designation Approval Form Letter
• Class Final Approval Exercise (On slide 65)
  • Final Approval Worksheet 
  • Big Mac Request for Approval
  • Big Mac Exhibits “A” & “B”
  • Big Mac Ratification & Joinders
  • Big Mac Unit Agreement pages 1-5
  • Big Mac Certification – Determination Page
  • Final Approval Letter
  • Big Mac Unit Agreement
  • Big Mac Operating Agreement
• Final Approval Exercise (On slide 83)
  • Final Approval Checklist 
  • Buffalo Robe Request for Approval
  • Buffalo Robe Exhibits “A” & “B”
  • Buffalo Robe Ratification & Joinders
  • Buffalo Robe Unit Agreement pages 1-5
  • Buffalo Robe Certification – Determination Page
  • Final Approval Letter
  • Buffalo Robe Unit Agreement
  • Buffalo Robe Operating Agreement
• Late Joinder Class Exercise (On slide 96)
  • Late Joinder Application
• Subsequent Joinder Class Exercise (On slide 102)
  • Unit Subsequent Joinder – WI Worksheet
  • Subsequent Joinder Application
  • Subsequent Joinder Approval Form Letter
• Secondary Recovery Class Exercise (On slide 121)
  • Secondary Spreadsheet
  • Exhibits “C” & “D”          

To view your Adobe documents in a presentation (full screen) format using Chrome,

1. Select the Open in Acrobat button. This button is only available in Chrome.
2. Select the Enable All Features button. The Full Screen view will not be an option while in Protected View.
3. Select the View option on the Menu bar.
4. Select the Full Screen Mode option from the View menu.

To view your Adobe documents in a presentation (full screen) format using Edge,

1. Right click the link.
2. Select the copy link option from the shortcut list.
3. Open Acrobat.
4. Select the File option from the menu bar.
5. Select the Open option from the File menu.
6. Paste the address in the File name box.
7. Select the Open button.
8. Select the Enable All Features button. The Full Screen view will not be an option while in Protected View.
9. Select the View option on the Menu bar.
10. Select the Full Screen Mode option from the View menu.

For answers to questions relating to the course content (communitization agreements approval), please contact your State Office’s lead or Supervisory Adjudicator. 

If you have questions regarding the course requirements and credit, please contact the course training coordinator, Hillary Conner, at hconner@blm.gov or 602-905-5533.