Revised Code of Washington - RCW Title 79 Public Lands - Chapter 79.14 Mineral, Coal, Oil, And Gas Leases

79.14.010 Definitions
As used in this chapter, "public lands" means lands and areas belonging to or held in trust by the state, including tide and submerged lands ...

79.14.020 Leases authorized -- Terms -- Duration
The department is authorized to lease public lands for the purpose of prospecting for, developing, and producing oil, gas, or other hydrocarbon substances. Each such ...

79.14.030 Rental fees -- Minimum royalties
The department shall require as a prerequisite to the issuing of any lease a rental as set by the board but not less than one ...

79.14.040 Compensation to owners of private rights and to state for surface damage
No lessee shall commence any operation upon lands covered by the lease until such lessee has provided for compensation to owners of private rights therein ...

79.14.050 Drilling operations beyond lease term -- Lease provisions
All leases shall provide that if oil, gas or other hydrocarbon substances are not encountered on or before the end of the initial term, the ...

79.14.060 Surrender of lease -- Liability
Every lessee shall have the option of surrendering his lease as to all or any portion or portions of the land covered thereby at any ...

79.14.070 Royalties
All oil and gas leases issued pursuant to this chapter shall be upon a royalty of not less than twelve and one-half percent of the ...

79.14.080 Leases of land within a geologic structure
Oil and gas leases shall not be issued on unleased lands which have been classified by the department as being within a known geologic structure ...

79.14.090 Cancellation or forfeiture of leases -- New leases
The department is authorized to cancel any lease issued as provided in this section for nonpayment of rentals or royalties or nonperformance by the lessee ...

79.14.100 Cooperative or unit plans -- Communization or drilling agreements
For the purpose of more properly conserving the natural resources of any oil or gas pool, field, or like area, lessees thereon and their representatives ...

79.14.110 Customary provisions in leases
The department is authorized to insert in any lease issued under the provisions of this chapter such terms as are customary and proper for the ...

79.14.120 Rules
The department is required to adopt and publish, for the information of the public, all reasonable rules necessary for carrying out the provisions of this ...

79.14.130 Wells to be located minimum distance from boundaries -- Exception
Each lease issued under this chapter shall provide that without the approval of the department, no well shall be drilled on the lands demised thereby ...

79.14.140 Rights-of-way over public lands -- Payment for timber
Any person granted a lease under the provisions of this chapter shall have a right-of-way over public lands, as provided by law, when necessary, for ...

79.14.150 Sales of timber -- Rules
All sales of timber, as prescribed in this chapter, shall be made subject to the right, power, and authority of the department to adopt rules ...

79.14.160 Development after discovery
After the discovery of oil, gas or other hydrocarbons in paying quantities, lessee shall proceed to develop the oil, gas or other hydrocarbons in the ...

79.14.170 Spacing and offsetting of wells
All leases shall contain such terms, conditions, and provisions as will protect the interests of the state with reference to spacing of wells for the ...

79.14.180 Lands may be withheld from leasing
Nothing contained in this chapter shall be construed as requiring the department to offer any tract or tracts of land for lease; but the department ...

79.14.190 Payment of royalty share -- Royalty in kind
The lessee shall pay to the department the market value at the well of the state's royalty share of oil and other hydrocarbons except gas ...

79.14.200 Prior permits validated -- Relinquishment for new leases
All exploration permits issued by the department prior to June 9, 1955, which have not expired or been legally canceled for nonperformance by the permittees, ...

79.14.210 Assignments and subleases of leases
Any oil or gas lease issued under the authority of this chapter may be assigned or subleased as to all or part of the acreage ...

79.14.220 Appeal from rulings of commissioner
Any applicant for a lease under this chapter, feeling aggrieved by any order, decision, or rule of the commissioner, concerning the same, may appeal therefrom ...

79.14.300 Prospecting and mining contracts -- Authority
The department may issue permits and leases for prospecting, and contracts for the mining of valuable minerals and specified materials, except rock, gravel, sand, silt, ...

79.14.310 Prospecting and mining -- Public auction of mining contracts
The department may offer nonrenewable placer mining contracts by public auction for the mining of gold under terms set by the department. In the case ...

79.14.315 Recreational prospecting permits
The department may issue permits for recreational mineral prospecting in designated areas containing noneconomic mineral deposits. The term of a permit shall not exceed one ...

79.14.320 Department may adopt rules
The department may adopt rules necessary for carrying out the mineral leasing, contracting, and permitting provisions of RCW 79.14.300 through 79.14.450. Such rules shall be ...

79.14.330 Prospecting lease -- Application fee
Any person desiring to obtain a lease for mineral prospecting purposes upon any lands in which the mineral rights are owned or administered by the ...

79.14.340 Compensation for loss or damage to surface rights
Where the surface rights are held by a third party, the lessee shall not exercise the rights reserved by the state upon lands covered by ...

79.14.350 Prospecting leases -- Term -- Rent -- Conditions
Leases for prospecting purposes may be for a term of up to seven years from the date of the lease. The lessee shall pay an ...

79.14.360 Conversion to mining contract
The holder of any prospecting lease shall have a preference right to a mining contract on the premises described in the lease if application therefor ...

79.14.370 Prospecting and mining -- Lessee's rights and duties
Where the surface rights have been sold and the minerals retained by the state, the state's right of entry to these lands is transferred and ...

79.14.380 Prospecting and mining -- Termination for default
The department shall terminate and cancel a prospecting lease or mining contract upon failure of the lessee to make payment of the annual rental or ...

79.14.390 Prospecting leases and mining contracts -- Form, terms, conditions
Prospecting leases or mining contracts referred to in chapter 79.14 RCW shall be as prescribed by, and in accordance with rules adopted by the department. ...

79.14.400 Prospecting and mining -- Reclamation of premises
At time of termination for any mineral prospecting lease, permit, mining contract, or placer mining contract, the premises shall be reclaimed in accordance with plans ...

79.14.410 Prospecting and mining -- Minimum royalty
Mining contracts entered into as provided in chapter 79.14 RCW shall provide for the payment to the state of production royalties as set by the ...

79.14.420 Mining contracts -- Renewal of contract
The lessee may apply for the renewal of a mining contract, except placer mining contracts issued pursuant to RCW 79.14.310, to the department within ninety ...

79.14.430 Prospecting and mining -- Consolidation
The holders of two or more mining contracts may consolidate the contracts under a common management to permit proper operation of large scale developments. Notification ...

79.14.440 Prospecting and mining -- Disclosure of information
Any person designated by the department shall have the right at any time to enter upon the lands and inspect and examine the structures, works, ...

79.14.450 Prospecting and mining -- Disposition of materials not covered by lease or contract
The state shall have the right to sell or otherwise dispose of any surface resource, timber, rock, gravel, sand, silt, coal, or hydrocarbons, except minerals ...

79.14.470 Leases and option contracts authorized
The department is authorized to execute option contracts and leases for the mining and extraction of coal from any public lands of the state, or ...

79.14.480 Application for option contract -- Fee
Any citizen of the United States believing coal to exist upon any of the lands described in RCW 79.14.470 may apply to the department for ...

79.14.490 Investigation and issue of option contract
(1) Upon the filing of any such application, the department shall forthwith investigate the character of the lands applied for, and if, from such investigation, ...

79.14.500 Damage to surface owner or lessee
In the case of lands which the state may have sold or leased and reserved the mineral rights therein, if the holder of any option ...

79.14.510 Lease -- Application, terms, royalties
At any time during the life of the option contract, the holder thereof may apply to the department for a coal mining lease of the ...

79.14.520 Lease without option contract
In the case of lands known to contain workable coal, the department may, in its discretion, issue coal mining leases under the provisions of RCW ...

79.14.530 Confidential information
The commissioner or any person designated by the commissioner has the right at any time to enter upon the lands and inspect and examine the ...

79.14.540 Use and sale of materials from land
The state shall have the right to sell or otherwise dispose of any timber, stone, or other valuable materials, except coal, found upon the land ...

79.14.550 Suspension of mining -- Termination of lease
Should the lessee for any reason, except strikes or inability to mine or dispose of output without loss, suspend mining operations upon the lands included ...

79.14.560 Condition of premises on termination
Upon the termination of any lease issued under the foregoing provisions, the lessee shall surrender the lands and premises and leave in good order and ...

79.14.570 Re-lease -- Procedure -- Preference rights
If at the expiration of any lease for the mining and extraction of coal or any renewal thereof the lessee desires to re-lease the lands ...

79.14.580 Waste prohibited
It shall be unlawful for the holder of any coal mining option contract, or any lessee, to commit any waste upon the lands embraced therein, ...

79.14.900 Severability -- 1955 c 131
If any provision or section of this chapter shall be adjudicated to be unconstitutional, such adjudication shall not affect the validity of this chapter as ...