Review a joint operating agreement or farmout against a federal lease
Key facts
- Human involvement
- YellowClose supervision
- How AI is used
- Compare the draft to the issues list the lawyer supplies and flag any transfer of record title or operating rights. Do not state that the BLM will approve the transfer.
- What the lawyer must review
- 43 C.F.R. § 3106 provides that leases may be transferred by assignment or sublease. An assignment of record title conveys record title and operating rights unless operating rights have already been severed by an approved transfer. An assignment of a separate zone, deposit, depth, formation or specific well is denied. The transferee's rights are not recognized until the authorized officer approves the transfer. Each transfer of record title or operating rights is filed on the current form the Director has approved. The operating agreement does not replace that form. The lawyer reads every operative clause before the agreement is signed.
- Written for / version
- United States versionUS
Who does what
| Role | What they do |
|---|---|
| Assistance | Potential support includes preparing preliminary structure or wording and identifying points for review. Confirm the tool’s capability and permitted scope. |
| Lawyer | Set the scope, supervise the work closely, verify every part relied on, resolve omissions and exceptions, and approve the exact output. |
Checklist
- Check the current court or regulator requirements, prescribed form and attachments for the intended document and filing.
- Review operative clauses in the complete document, including definitions, cross-references, schedules and inconsistencies with the instructions.
- Verify the applicable jurisdiction and the version of each relevant law, rule or instrument in force at the material time.
- Confirm the output against the client’s instructions and the complete relevant source material, including omissions or contradictions.
- Resolve exceptions and record the responsible lawyer’s approval of the exact output and intended use.