§ 1353. Federal purchase and disposition of oil and gas
(a)
Payment of royalties or net profit shares in oil and gas; purchase of oil and gas by United States; transfer of title to Federal agencies
(1)
Except as may be necessary to comply with the provisions of sections
1335 and
1336 of this title, all royalties or net profit shares, or both, accruing to the United States under any oil and gas lease issued or maintained in accordance with this subchapter, shall, on demand of the Secretary, be paid in oil or gas.
(2)
The United States shall have the right to purchase not to exceed 162/3 per centum by volume of the oil and gas produced pursuant to a lease issued or maintained in accordance with this subchapter, at the regulated price, or, if no regulated price applies, at the fair market value at the well head of the oil and gas saved, removed, or sold, except that any oil or gas obtained by the United States as royalty or net profit share shall be credited against the amount that may be purchased under this subsection.
(b)
Sale of oil by United States to public; disposition of oil to small refiners; application of other laws
(1)
The Secretary, except as provided in this subsection, may offer to the public and sell by competitive bidding for not more than its regulated price, or, if no regulated price applies, not less than its fair market value, any part of the oil
(2)
Whenever, after consultation with the Secretary of Energy, the Secretary determines that small refiners do not have access to adequate supplies of oil at equitable prices, the Secretary may dispose of any oil which is taken as a royalty or net profit share accruing or reserved to the United States pursuant to any lease issued or maintained under this subchapter, or purchased by the United States pursuant to subsection (a)(2) of this section, by conducting a lottery for the sale of such oil, or may equitably allocate such oil among the competitors for the purchase of such oil, at the regulated price, or if no regulated price applies, at its fair market value. The Secretary shall limit participation in any allocation or lottery sale to assure such access and shall publish notice of such allocation or sale, and the terms thereof, at least thirty days in advance. Such notice shall include qualifications for participation, the amount of oil to be sold, and any limitation in the amount of oil which any participant may be entitled to purchase.
(3)
The Secretary may only sell or otherwise dispose of oil described in paragraph (1) of this subsection in accordance with any provision of law, or regulations issued in accordance with such provisions, which provide for the Secretary of Energy to allocate, transfer, exchange, or sell oil in amounts or at prices determined by such provision of law or regulations.
(c)
Sale of gas by United States to public
(1)
Except as provided in paragraph (2) of this subsection, the Secretary, pursuant to such terms as he determines, many [1] offer to the public and sell by competitive bidding for not more than its regulated price, or, if no regulated price applies, not less than its fair market value any part of the gas
(2)
Whenever, after consultation with and advice from the Secretary of Energy, the Federal Energy Regulatory Commission determines that an emergency shortage of natural gas is threatening to cause severe economic or social dislocation in any region of the United States and that such region can be serviced in a practical, feasible, and efficient manner by royalty, net profit share, or purchased gas obtained pursuant to the provisions of this section, the Secretary of the Interior may allocate or conduct a lottery for the sale of such gas, and shall limit participation in any allocation or lottery sale of such gas to any person servicing such region, but he shall not sell any such gas for more than its regulated price, or, if no regulated price applies, less than its fair market value. Prior to selling or allocating any gas pursuant to this subsection, the Secretary shall consult with the Federal Energy Regulatory Commission.
(d)
Purchase by lessee of Federal oil or gas for which no bids received
The lessee shall take any Federal oil or gas for which no acceptable bids are received, as determined by the Secretary, and which is not transferred pursuant to subsection (a)(3) of this section, and shall pay to the United States a cash amount equal to the regulated price, or, if no regulated price applies, the fair market value of the oil or gas so obtained.
(e)
Definitions
As used in this section—
(1)
the term “regulated price” means the highest price—
(A)
at which oil many [1] be sold pursuant to the Emergency Petroleum Allocation Act of 1973 [2] [15 U.S.C. 751 et seq.] and any rule or order issued under such Act;
[1] So in original. Probably should be “may”.
[2] See References in Text note below.