Adjudicating Unit Agreements, Module 2

Description 

Students will learn how to adjudicate approvals for unit agreement maintenance actions which consist of Amendments, Designation of Agent, Successor of Operator, Participating Areas, Expansions, Contractions, and Terminations in compliance with regulations and guidance. 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 adjudicate approvals for unit agreement maintenance actions which consist of Amendments, Designation of Agent, Successor of Operator, Participating Areas, Expansions, Contractions, and Terminations. 

Course Objectives

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

• Understand the steps and processes for approvals associated with unit maintenance actions,
• Understand the Guidance, Regulations and Requirements, related to units, 
• Adjudicate some sample maintenance 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 Miscellaneous Unit Approvals 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 41, finish the exercise, then resume to hear the solution, pause on slide 64, finish the exercise, then resume to hear the solution, pause on slide 65, finish the exercise, then resume to hear the solution, pause on slide 102, 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
  • Amendment Preliminary Approval Worksheet
  • Amendment Final Approval Worksheet
  • Contraction-Automatic Worksheet
  • Contraction-Voluntary Preliminary Approval Worksheet
  • Contraction-Voluntary Final Approval Worksheet
  • Designation of Agent Worksheet
  • Designation of Sub-Operator Worksheet
  • Expansion Preliminary Approval Worksheet
  • Expansion Final Approval Worksheet
  • Participation Area Approval Worksheet
  • Participation Area Termination Worksheet
  • Successor of Operator Approval Worksheet
  • Termination-Automatic Worksheet
  • Termination-Voluntary Worksheet
• Unit Form Letters
  • Delegation of Authority Form
  • Designation of Agent Form
  • Expansion Certification-Determination-Page Form
  • Amendment Preliminary Approval Form Letter
  • Amendment Final Approval Form Letter
  • Contraction-Automatic Concurrence Approval Form Letter
  • Contraction-Voluntary Preliminary Approval Form Letter
  • Contraction-Voluntary Final Approval Form Letter
  • Expansion Preliminary Approval Form Letter
  • Expansion Final Approval Form Letter
  • Non-Paying Well Approval Form Letter
  • PA Initial Approval Form Letter
  • PA Revision Approval Form Letter
  • Prelim Federal Agreement Royalty Allocation Notice Letter
  • Sub-Operator Approval Form Letter
  • Successor Operator Approval Form Letter
  • Successor Operator Denied Form Letter
  • Termination Automatic Approval Form Letter
  • Termination Automatic for Cessation of Production Approval Form Letter
  • Termination Voluntary Approval Form Letter
• Verification of Eligibility Checklist
• Exploratory Commitment Spreadsheet

Exercises

• Preliminary Amendment Approval Exercise (On Slide 6)
  • Amendment Preliminary Worksheet
  • Proposed Amendment Application
  • Amendment Preliminary Approval Form Letter
• Final Amendment Approval Exercise (On slide 9)
  • Proposed Amendment Final Application 
  • Exhibit “B” 
  • Amendment Final Approval Worksheet
  • Amendment Final Approval Form Letter
• Class PA Approval Exercise (On slide 37)
  • PA Worksheet 
  • Application for Dakota PA “A”
  • Prelim Federal Agreement Royalty Allocation Notice Letter
  • PA Initial Approval Letter
• PA Exercise (On slide 41)
  • PA Worksheet
  • Application Almond PA “A”
  • OG Plat
  • Prelim Federal Agreement Royalty Allocation Notice Letter 
  • PA Initial Approval Letter
• Contraction Exercise (On slide 63)
  • Request for Contraction Application
  • 1^st Revision Almond PA “A”
  • Dakota PA “A”
  • Original Exhibits “A” & “B”
  • OG Plat
  • Contraction Worksheet
  • Contraction Approval Form Letter
• Successor of Operator Exercise (On slide 81)
  • Successor Operator Worksheet
  • Successor Operator Application
  • Successor Operator Approval Form Letter
• Preliminary Expansion Exercise (On slide 92)
  • Preliminary Expansion Application
  • Expanded Exhibits “A” & “B” 
  • OG Plat
  • WYW142003
  • WYW142005
  • WYW142011
  • Expansion Preliminary Approval Form Letter
  • Expansion Preliminary Worksheet
• Final Expansion Exercise (On slide 102)
  • Final Expansion Application
  • Expanded Exhibits “A” & “B”
  • Ratifications & Joinders
  • Expansion Certification-Determination Page
  • Expansion Final Approval Form Letter
  • Expansion Final Approval Worksheet
• Termination Voluntary Exercise (On slide 115)
  • Voluntary Termination Application
  • Exhibit “B”
  • Termination Voluntary Approval Letter
  • Termination Voluntary Worksheet   

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.