43 CFR § 3211.18 - What is the royalty rate on geothermal resources produced from or attributable to my lease that are used directly for purposes other than commercial generation of electricity?

(a) For leases issued on or after August 8, 2005 (other than leases issued in response to applications that were pending on that date for which the lessee does not make an election under § 3200.8(b)), and for leases issued before August 8, 2005, whose royalty terms are modified to the terms prescribed in the Energy Policy Act of 2005 under § 3212.25:

(1) If you or your affiliate use(s) the geothermal resources directly and do(es) not sell those resources at arm's length, no royalty rate applies. Instead, you must pay direct use fees according to a schedule published by MMS under MMS regulations at 30 CFR 206.356.

(2) If you or your affiliate sell(s) the geothermal resources at arm's length to a purchaser who uses the resources for purposes other than commercial generation of electricity, your royalty rate is 10 percent. You must apply that royalty rate to the gross proceeds derived from the arm's-length sale under applicable MMS regulations at 30 CFR part 206, subpart H.

(3) If you are a lessee and you are a state, tribal, or local government, no royalty rate applies. Instead you must pay a nominal fee established under MMS rules at 30 CFR 206.366.

(b) For leases issued before August 8, 2005, whose royalty terms are not modified to the terms prescribed in the Energy Policy Act of 2005 under § 3212.25, and for leases issued in response to applications pending on that date for which the lessee does not make an election under § 3200.8(b), the royalty rate is the rate prescribed in the lease instrument.

(c) For purposes of this section, direct use of geothermal resources includes generation of electricity that is not sold commercially and that is used solely for the operation of a facility unrelated to commercial electrical generation.