Title 30, Mineral Lands and MiningRelease 119-110

§1713 Required Recordkeeping

Title 30 › CHAPTER 29 — OIL AND GAS ROYALTY MANAGEMENT › SUBCHAPTER I — FEDERAL ROYALTY MANAGEMENT AND ENFORCEMENT › § 1713

Last updated Sep 22, 2026|Official source

Summary

People who develop, produce, transport, buy, or sell oil or gas up to the first sale or the point where royalties are figured must keep the records, reports, and information the Secretary reasonably requires by rule to carry out this law or check compliance. A Secretary‑designated official, a State, or an Indian tribe doing an audit or investigation may inspect and copy those records when they ask. For leases on Federal or Indian lands or the Outer Continental Shelf, required records must be kept for 6 years after they are created unless the Secretary tells the person who has them to keep them longer. If an audit or investigation is underway, keep the records until the Secretary says you can stop.

Full Legal Text

Title 30, §1713

Mineral Lands and Mining, Source: USLM XML via OLRC

(a)Maintenance and availability of records, reports, and information for inspection and duplication

A lessee, operator, or other person directly involved in developing, producing, transporting, purchasing, or selling oil or gas subject to this chapter through the point of first sale or the point of royalty computation, whichever is later, shall establish and maintain any records, make any reports, and provide any information that the Secretary may, by rule, reasonably require for the purposes of implementing this chapter or determining compliance with rules or orders under this chapter. Upon the request of any officer or employee duly designated by the Secretary or any State or Indian tribe conducting an audit or investigation pursuant to this chapter, the appropriate records, reports, or information which may be required by this section shall be made available for inspection and duplication by such officer or employee, State, or Indian tribe.

(b)Length of time maintenance required

Records required by the Secretary with respect to oil and gas leases from Federal or Indian lands or the Outer Continental Shelf shall be maintained for 6 years after the records are generated unless the Secretary notifies the record holder that he has initiated an audit or investigation involving such records and that such records must be maintained for a longer period. In any case when an audit or investigation is underway, records shall be maintained until the Secretary releases the record holder of the obligation to maintain such records.

Reference

Citations & Metadata

Citation

30 U.S.C. § 1713

Title 30, Mineral Lands and Mining

Last Updated

Sep 22, 2026

Release point: 119-110