10 U.S.C. § 8722 Administration

• Library: United States Statutes
• Edition: 2023 Edition
• Currency: Current through P.L. 118-13 (published on www.congress.gov on 08/07/2023),Current through P.L. 118-19 (published on www.congress.gov on 10/06/2023)

(a) The Secretary, directly or by contract, lease, or otherwise, shall explore, prospect, conserve, develop, use, and operate the naval petroleum reserves in his discretion, subject to the provisions of subsection (c) and the other provisions of this chapter; except that no petroleum leases shall be granted at Naval Petroleum Reserves Numbered 1 and 3.

(b) Except as otherwise provided in this chapter, particularly subsection (c), the naval petroleum reserves shall be used and operated for-

(1) the protection, conservation, maintenance, and testing of those reserves; or

(2) the production of petroleum whenever and to the extent that the Secretary, with the approval of the President, finds that such production is needed for national defense purposes and the production is authorized by a joint resolution of Congress.

(c)

(1) In administering Naval Petroleum Reserves Numbered 1, 2, and 3, the Secretary is authorized and directed-

(A) to further explore, develop, and operate such reserves;

(B) to produce, during any extension of a period under paragraph (2), such reserves-

(i) at the maximum efficient rate consistent with sound engineering practices; or

(ii) at a lesser rate consistent with sound engineering practices and the protection, conservation, maintenance, and testing of such reserves if the Secretary determines that the minimum price described in section 8730(b)(2) of this title cannot be attained for the United States share of petroleum (other than natural gas liquids) produced from such Reserves;

(C) during such production period or any extension thereof to sell or otherwise dispose of the United States share of such petroleum produced from such reserves as provided in section 8730 of this title; and

(D) to construct, acquire, or contract for the use of storage and shipping facilities on and off the reserves and pipelines and associated facilities on and off the reserves for transporting petroleum from such reserves to the points where the production from such reserves will be refined or shipped.

Any pipeline in the vicinity of a naval petroleum reserve not otherwise operated as a common carrier may be acquired by the Secretary by condemnation, if necessary, if the owner thereof refuses to accept, convey, and transport without discrimination and at reasonable rates any petroleum produced at such reserve. With the approval of the Secretary, rights-of-way for new pipelines and associated facilities may be acquired by the exercise of the right of eminent domain in the appropriate United States district court. Such rights-of-way may be acquired in the manner set forth in sections 3114-3116 and 3118 of title 40, and the prospective holder of the right-of-way is "the authority empowered by law to acquire the land" within the meaning of those sections. Such new pipelines shall accept, convey, and transport without discrimination and at reasonable rates any petroleum produced at such reserves as a common carrier.