Lessee
Lessee means any person to whom the United States, a Tribe, or individual Indian mineral owner issues a lease and any person who has been assigned an obligation to make royalty or other payments required by the lease. Lessee includes:
(1) Any person who has an interest in a lease (including operating rights owners).
(2) An operator, purchaser, or other person with no lease interest who reports and/or makes royalty payments to ONRR or the lessor on the lessee's behalf.