Section 5-333. Validity of oil, gas or mineral land leases  


Latest version.
  • 1. Any oil, gas
      or mineral land lease given on land situated  in  this  state  shall  be
      deemed to incorporate subdivisions two and three of this section and any
      provisions to the contrary shall be void and unenforceable.
        2.  Any oil, gas or mineral land lease which provides for delay rental
      payments, such payments being periodic payments to the  lessor  for  the
      right  to  delay  drilling or excavation upon the leased property, shall
      provide that the first such payment shall be due and  payable  no  later
      than  one hundred eighty days after the effective date of the lease. Any
      bonus or up front payment made by the lessee equal to  or  greater  than
      the  first  delayed rental payment shall constitute compliance with this
      subdivision.
        3. Any oil, gas or  mineral  land  lease  shall  contain  a  statement
      advising the lessor of the provisions of section 15-304 of this chapter.
      Such  statement  shall  be  printed  in at least ten point bold type and
      shall read as follows:
        IF THIS LEASE BECOMES FORFEITED, TERMINATED OR EXPIRES, THE LESSEE, OR
      IF THE LEASE HAS BEEN ASSIGNED, THE ASSIGNEE IS REQUIRED  TO  PROVIDE  A
      DOCUMENT  CANCELLING  THE  LEASE AS OF RECORD, AT NO COST TO THE CURRENT
      LANDOWNER. IF THE LESSEE OR ASSIGNEE FAILS  TO  CANCEL  THE  LEASE,  THE
      CURRENT  LANDOWNER  MAY COMPEL A CANCELLATION PURSUANT TO SECTION 15-304
      OF THE GENERAL OBLIGATIONS LAW.
        4. For the purposes of this section,  the  term  "mineral"  shall  not
      include  salt,  as defined by subdivision eighteen of section 23-0101 of
      the environmental conservation law.
        5. On or after January first, two thousand six, any oil or  gas  lease
      shall contain the following statement printed in at least ten point bold
      type:
        THIS  IS  A  LEASE OF OIL AND GAS RIGHTS, NOT A SALE, CONTAINING TERMS
      THAT MAY BE NEGOTIATED BY YOU. YOU HAVE THE RIGHT TO CANCEL  THIS  LEASE
      WITHIN THREE BUSINESS DAYS AFTER EXECUTION OF THE LEASE BY NOTIFYING THE
      LESSEE  THAT  YOU  HAVE  CANCELED THIS CONTRACT. IN ORDER TO CANCEL THIS
      LEASE, YOU MUST EXECUTE A NOTICE OF CANCELLATION IN  THE  FORM  PROVIDED
      BELOW,  MAIL  IT TO THE LESSEE AND REFUND ALL AMOUNTS PAID TO YOU BY THE
      LESSEE WITHIN THE THREE-DAY CANCELLATION PERIOD.  THE  MAILING  MUST  BE
      POSTMARKED WITHIN THE THREE-DAY CANCELLATION PERIOD TO BE EFFECTIVE.
                         NOTICE OF CANCELLATION
               I/WE HEREBY CANCEL THIS LEASE.
        DATED:
        SIGNATURE(S):
        THE PERSON PRESENTING THIS LEASE TO YOU IS [ ] NOT [ ] A MEMBER OF
        (name  of organization)        AND THEREFORE IS [ ] IS NOT [ ] SUBJECT
      TO A CODE OF CONDUCT. IF THE PERSON PRESENTING  THIS  LEASE  TO  YOU  IS
      SUBJECT  TO  A  CODE  OF  CONDUCT, A COPY OF THE CODE OF CONDUCT MUST BE
      PRESENTED TO YOU WITH THIS LEASE. IF APPLICABLE,  THE  CODE  OF  CONDUCT
      PROVIDES  A  DISPUTE  RESOLUTION  MECHANISM FOR ANY DISPUTE THAT YOU MAY
      HAVE REGARDING THE MANNER BY WHICH THIS LEASE WAS PRESENTED TO  YOU.  IF
      YOU  HAVE  ANY  SUCH  DISPUTE,  YOU  MAY  INVOKE  THE DISPUTE RESOLUTION
      MECHANISM OF THE CODE OF CONDUCT BY CONTACTING  THE  PERSON  OR  PERSONS
      DESIGNATED  IN THE CODE OF CONDUCT. THE FAILURE OF THE LESSEE TO PAY ANY
      ROYALTIES TO YOU AS REQUIRED UNDER THE TERMS OF THE LEASE FOR  A  PERIOD
      OF  FOUR  CONSECUTIVE MONTHS OR MORE SHALL BE A DEFAULT UNLESS OTHERWISE
      PROVIDED BY LAW, AND WILL RESULT IN CANCELLATION OF THE LEASE APPLICABLE
      TO THE TARGET FORMATION OF THE WELL WITHIN THE SPACING  UNIT,  FOLLOWING
      WRITTEN  NOTIFICATION  TO  THE LESSEE OF YOUR INTENT TO CANCEL AND SIXTY
      DAYS FOR THE LESSEE TO CURE THE DEFAULT. IF THE LESSEE HAS A  BONA  FIDE
      DISPUTE  REGARDING  THE  GROUNDS  FOR CANCELLATION, SUCH DISPUTE AND THE
      REASONS THEREFOR MUST BE PROVIDED TO YOU IN WRITING OR THE DEFAULT  MUST
    
      BE  CURED  WITHIN  SUCH  SIXTY  DAY PERIOD, OTHERWISE THE LEASE SHALL BE
      CANCELLED.
        6.  The  provisions  of  subdivisions one, two, three and four of this
      section shall apply to leases entered into on or  after  January  first,
      nineteen  hundred  eighty-five and the provisions of subdivision five of
      this section shall apply to leases entered  into  on  or  after  January
      first, two thousand six.