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Title 30 — Mineral Lands and MiningRelease 119-73

§187b Oil or gas leases; written relinquishment of rights; release of obligations

Title 30 › Chapter CHAPTER 3A— - LEASES AND PROSPECTING PERMITS › Subchapter SUBCHAPTER I— - GENERAL PROVISIONS › § 187b

Last updated Apr 6, 2026|Official source

Summary

A leaseholder can give up all rights to an oil or gas lease, or part of it, at any time by filing a written surrender at the local land office. The surrender takes effect on the filing date, but the leaseholder and their bond must still pay any rent and royalties already due and put wells on the land into the required suspension or abandonment condition under the lease and rules. After those steps, the leaseholder is freed from future duties for the surrendered land. The leaseholder and their bond still remain responsible for any lease violations that happened before the surrender, except for failing to drill.

Full Legal Text

Title 30, §187b

Mineral Lands and Mining — Source: USLM XML via OLRC

Notwithstanding any provision to the contrary in section 187 of this title, a lessee may at any time make and file in the appropriate land office a written relinquishment of all rights under any oil or gas lease issued under the authority of this chapter or of any legal subdivision of the area included within any such lease. Such relinquishment shall be effective as of the date of its filing, subject to the continued obligation of the lessee and his surety to make payment of all accrued rentals and royalties and to place all wells on the lands to be relinquished in condition for suspension or abandonment in accordance with the applicable lease terms and regulations; thereupon the lessee shall be released of all obligations thereafter accruing under said lease with respect to the lands relinquished, but no such relinquishment shall release such lessee, or his bond, from any liability for breach of any obligation of the lease, other than an obligation to drill, accrued at the date of the relinquishment.

Legislative History

Notes & Related Subsidiaries

Statutory Notes and Related Subsidiaries

Savings Provision

See note set out under section 181 of this title.

Reference

Citations & Metadata

Citation

30 U.S.C. § 187b

Title 30 — Mineral Lands and Mining

Last Updated

Apr 6, 2026

Release point: 119-73