Tex. Nat. Resources Code Section 91.402
Time for Payment of Proceeds


(a)

The proceeds derived from the sale of oil or gas production from an oil or gas well located in this state must be paid to each payee by payor on or before 120 days after the end of the month of first sale of production from the well. After that time, payments must be made to each payee on a timely basis according to the frequency of payment specified in a lease or other written agreement between payee and payor. If the lease or other agreement does not specify the time for payment, subsequent proceeds must be paid no later than:

(1)

60 days after the end of the calendar month in which subsequent oil production is sold; or

(2)

90 days after the end of the calendar month in which subsequent gas production is sold.

(b)

Payments may be withheld without interest beyond the time limits set out in Subsection (a) if:

(1)

there is:

(A)

a dispute concerning title that would affect distribution of payments;

(B)

a reasonable doubt that the payee:
(i)
has sold or authorized the sale of its share of the oil or gas to the purchaser of such production; or
(ii)
has clear title to the interest in the proceeds of production; or

(C)

a requirement in a title opinion that places in issue the title, identity, or whereabouts of the payee and that has not been satisfied by the payee after a reasonable request for curative information has been made by the payor; or

(2)

the payments are subject to a child support lien under Chapter 157 (Enforcement), Family Code, or an order or writ of withholding issued under Chapter 158 (Withholding from Earnings for Child Support), Family Code.

(b-1)

A payee does not have a common law cause of action for breach of contract against a payor for withholding payments under Subsection (b) unless, for a dispute concerning the title, the contract requiring payment specifies otherwise.

(c)

(1) As a condition for the payment of proceeds from the sale of oil and gas production to payee, a payor shall be entitled to receive a signed division order from payee containing only the following provisions:

(A)

the effective date of the division order, transfer order, or other instrument;

(B)

a description of the property from which the oil or gas is being produced and the type of production;

(C)

the fractional and/or decimal interest in production claimed by payee, the type of interest, the certification of title to the share of production claimed, and, unless otherwise agreed to by the parties, an agreement to notify payor at least one month in advance of the effective date of any change in the interest in production owned by payee and an agreement to indemnify the payor and reimburse the payor for payments made if the payee does not have merchantable title to the production sold;

(D)

the authorization to suspend payment to payee for production until the resolution of any title dispute or adverse claim asserted regarding the interest in production claimed by payee;

(E)

the name, address, and taxpayer identification number of payee;

(F)

provisions for the valuation and timing of settlements of oil and gas production to the payee; and

(G)

a notification to the payee that other statutory rights may be available to a payee with regard to payments.

(2)

Such a division order does not amend any lease or operating agreement between the interest owner and the lessee or operator or any other contracts for the purchase of oil or gas.

(d)

In the alternative, the provisions of Subsection (c) of this section may be satisfied by a division order for oil payments in substantially the following form and content:
The undersigned severally and not jointly certifies it is the legal owner of the interest set out below of all the oil and related liquid hydrocarbons produced from the property described below:
Property name:
Legal Description:
DIVISION OF INTEREST
THIS AGREEMENT DOES NOT AMEND ANY LEASE OR OPERATING AGREEMENT BETWEEN THE INTEREST OWNERS AND THE LESSEE OR OPERATOR OR ANY OTHER CONTRACTS FOR THE PURCHASE OF OIL OR GAS.
The following provisions apply to each interest owner (“owner”) who executes this agreement:
TERMS OF SALE: The undersigned will be paid in accordance with the division of interests set out above. The payor shall pay all parties at the price agreed to by the operator for oil to be sold pursuant to this division order. Purchaser shall compute quantity and make corrections for gravity and temperature and make deductions for impurities.
PAYMENT: From the effective date, payment is to be made monthly by payor’s check, based on this division of interest, for oil run during the preceding calendar month from the property listed above, less taxes required by law to be deducted and remitted by payor as purchaser. Payments of less than $100 may be accrued before disbursement until the total amount equals $100 or more, or until 12 months’ proceeds accumulate, whichever occurs first. However, the payor may hold accumulated proceeds of less than $10 until production ceases or the payor’s responsibility for making payment for production ceases, whichever occurs first. Payee agrees to refund to payor any amounts attributable to an interest or part of an interest that payee does not own.
INDEMNITY: The owner agrees to indemnify and hold payor harmless from all liability resulting from payments made to the owner in accordance with such division of interest, including but not limited to attorney fees or judgments in connection with any suit that affects the owner’s interest to which payor is made a party.
DISPUTE; WITHHOLDING OF FUNDS: If a suit is filed that affects the interest of the owner, written notice shall be given to payor by the owner together with a copy of the complaint or petition filed.
In the event of a claim or dispute that affects title to the division of interest credited herein, payor is authorized to withhold payments accruing to such interest, without interest unless otherwise required by applicable statute, until the claim or dispute is settled.
TERMINATION: Termination of this agreement is effective on the first day of the month that begins after the 30th day after the date written notice of termination is received by either party.
NOTICES: The owner agrees to notify payor in writing of any change in the division of interest, including changes of interest contingent on payment of money or expiration of time.
No change of interest is binding on payor until the recorded copy of the instrument of change or documents satisfactorily evidencing such change are furnished to payor at the time the change occurs.
Any change of interest shall be made effective on the first day of the month following receipt of such notice by payor.
Any correspondence regarding this agreement shall be furnished to the addresses listed unless otherwise advised by either party.
In addition to the legal rights provided by the terms and provisions of this division order, an owner may have certain statutory rights under the laws of this state.
Failure to furnish your Social Security/Tax I.D. number will result in withholding tax in accordance with federal law, and any tax withheld will not be refundable by payor.

(e)

If an owner in a producing property will not sign a division order because it contains provisions in addition to those provisions provided for in this section, payor shall not withhold payment solely because of such refusal. If an owner in a producing property refuses to sign a division order which includes only the provisions specified in Subsection (c) of this section, payor may withhold payment without interest until such division order is signed.

(f)

Payment may be remitted to a payee annually for the aggregate of up to 12 months’ accumulation of proceeds if the payor owes the payee a total amount of $100 or less for production from all oil or gas wells for which the payor must pay the payee. However, the payor may hold accumulated proceeds of less than $10 until production ceases or the payor’s responsibility for making payment for production ceases, whichever occurs first. On the written request of the payee, the payor shall remit payment of accumulated proceeds to the payee annually if the payor owes the payee less than $10. On the written request of the payee, the payor shall remit payment of proceeds to the payee monthly if the payor owes the payee more than $25 but less than $100.

(g)

Division orders are binding for the time and to the extent that they have been acted on and made the basis of settlements and payments, and, from the time that notice is given that settlements will not be made on the basis provided in them, they cease to be binding. Division orders are terminable by either party on 30 days written notice.

(h)

The execution of a division order between a royalty owner and lessee or between a royalty owner and a party other than lessee shall not change or relieve the lessee’s specific, expressed or implied obligations under an oil and gas lease, including any obligation to market production as a reasonably prudent lessee. Any provision of a division order between payee and its lessee which is in contradiction with any provision of an oil and gas lease is invalid to the extent of the contradiction.

(i)

A division order may be used to clarify royalty settlement terms in the oil and gas lease. With respect to oil and/or gas sold in the field where produced or at a gathering point in the immediate vicinity, the terms “market value,” “market price,” “prevailing price in the field,” or other such language, when used as a basis of valuation in the oil and gas lease, shall be defined as the amount realized at the mouth of the well by the seller of such production in an arm’s-length transaction.
Added by Acts 1983, 68th Leg., p. 966, ch. 228, Sec. 1, eff. Sept. 1, 1983. Amended by Acts 1991, 72nd Leg., ch. 650, Sec. 2, eff. Aug. 26, 1991; Acts 1995, 74th Leg., ch. 681, Sec. 1, eff. June 15, 1995.
Amended by:
Acts 2017, 85th Leg., R.S., Ch. 961 (S.B. 1965), Sec. 4, eff. September 1, 2017.
Acts 2021, 87th Leg., R.S., Ch. 101 (S.B. 1259), Sec. 1, eff. May 24, 2021.

Source: Section 91.402 — Time for Payment of Proceeds, https://statutes.­capitol.­texas.­gov/Docs/NR/htm/NR.­91.­htm#91.­402 (accessed Mar. 23, 2024).

91.001
Definitions
91.002
Criminal Penalty
91.003
Additional Enforcement Authority
91.011
Casing
91.012
Water in Wells
91.013
Plugging and Shutting in Wells by Others
91.014
Petition to Restrain Waste
91.015
Prevention of Waste
91.016
Confining Gas to Original Stratum
91.017
Using Gas in the Open Air
91.018
Illumination
91.019
Standards for Construction, Operation, and Maintenance of Electrical Power Lines
91.020
Electronic Geologic Data
91.051
Title
91.052
Definition
91.053
Commission Determination
91.054
Notice and Hearing
91.055
Findings and Rules
91.056
Use of Findings and Field Rules
91.057
Method of Reporting
91.058
Sale, Purchase, Delivery, and Receipt of Gas
91.059
Constitutionality
91.061
Civil Suit
91.062
Applicability of Certain Provisions
91.101
Rules and Orders
91.102
Additional Personnel
91.103
Persons Required to Execute Bond, Letter of Credit, or Cash Deposit
91.104
Bonds, Letters of Credit, Cash Deposits, and Well-specific Plugging Insurance Policies
91.105
Bond Conditions
91.106
Execution of Bond
91.107
New Bond, Letter of Credit, or Cash Deposit
91.108
Deposit and Use of Funds
91.109
Financial Security for Persons Involved in Activities Other than Operation of Wells
91.110
Oil and Gas Waste Reduction and Minimization
91.113
Investigation, Assessment, or Cleanup by Commission
91.114
Acceptance of Organization Report or Application for Permit
91.0115
Casing
91.115
First Lien on Equipment and Stored Hydrocarbons or Drill Cuttings
91.116
Notice of Commercial Surface Disposal Facility Permit Application
91.117
Public Information Hearing on Application for Commercial Surface Disposal Facility Permit
91.141
Books and Records
91.142
Report to Commission
91.143
False Applications, Reports, and Documents and Tampering with Gauges
91.171
Short Title
91.172
Declaration of Policy
91.173
Definitions
91.174
Findings of Commission
91.175
Commission Jurisdiction
91.176
Withdrawal of Native Gas
91.177
Storage Operations Must Be Bona Fide
91.178
Relocation of Facilities
91.179
Appropriation of Storage Facilities
91.180
Institution of Condemnation Proceedings
91.181
Exercise of Right of Eminent Domain
91.182
Ownership of Stored Gas
91.183
Rights of Purchasers of Native Gas
91.184
Abandonment
91.201
Definitions
91.202
Policy
91.203
Authority
91.204
Permits
91.205
Authority to Enter Property
91.206
Authority to Examine Records
91.207
Notice of Noncompliance
91.251
Definitions
91.252
Commission Jurisdiction
91.253
Commission Enforcement
91.254
Inspection
91.255
Safety Standards and Practices
91.256
Limitation on Powers of Municipalities and Counties
91.257
Safety Procedure Manual
91.258
Records
91.259
Damage to Storage Facility
91.260
Injunction
91.261
Administrative Penalty
91.262
Administrative Penalty Assessment Procedure
91.263
Payment of Administrative Penalty
91.264
Judicial Review of Administrative Penalty
91.401
Definitions
91.402
Time for Payment of Proceeds
91.403
Payment of Interest on Late Payments
91.404
Nonpayment of Oil and Gas Proceeds or Interest
91.405
Exemptions
91.406
Attorney’s Fees and Minimum Award
91.407
Notice of Change of Payor
91.408
Information for Payees of Proceeds of Production from Certain Gas Wells
91.451
Definition
91.452
Prohibited Activity
91.453
Commission Authorized
91.454
Removal of Authorized Pits
91.455
Rules, Standards, and Specifications
91.456
Injunctive Relief
91.457
Removal of Unauthorized Pit
91.458
Criminal Penalty
91.459
Civil Penalty
91.501
Information Required
91.502
Types of Information Provided
91.503
Lease, Property, or Well Description
91.504
Providing Information About Payment Deductions and Adjustments, Heating Value, or Lease Identification
91.505
Providing Other Information
91.506
Exemption
91.507
Enforcement
91.551
Definitions
91.552
Electric Logs Required to Be Filed
91.553
Availability of Electric Logs
91.554
Availability of Confidential Electric Logs
91.555
Management and Storage of Electric Logs
91.556
Enforcement
91.601
Definitions
91.602
Rules
91.603
Access to Property and Records
91.604
Criminal Penalty
91.605
Hazardous Oil and Gas Waste Generation Fee
91.651
Definitions
91.652
Purpose
91.653
Eligibility for Voluntary Cleanup Program
91.654
Application to Participate in Voluntary Cleanup Program
91.655
Rejection of Application
91.656
Voluntary Cleanup Agreement
91.657
Termination of Agreement
91.658
Voluntary Cleanup Work Plans and Reports
91.659
Certificate of Completion
91.660
Persons Released from Liability
91.661
Permit Not Required
91.701
Well Owners and Operators Certificates
91.702
Prohibited Connection
91.703
Temporary Connection
91.704
Cancellation of Certificate
91.705
Effect of Cancellation on Operator of Pipeline or Other Carrier
91.706
Effect of Cancellation on Owner or Operator of Well
91.707
Fee for Reissued Certificate
91.751
Definition
91.752
Applicability
91.753
Notice Required
91.754
Address for Notice
91.755
Commission Permits and Rights of Owner of Mineral Estate Not Affected
91.801
Rules Authorizing Multiple or Alternative Uses of Wells
91.802
Law Applicable to Geologic Storage Facilities and Associated Injection Wells
91.851
Disclosure of Composition of Hydraulic Fracturing Fluids
91.901
Definitions
91.902
Pipeline on Public Road
91.903
Relocation of Saltwater Pipeline Facility for Certain Purposes
91.904
Construction of Subchapter
91.905
Application of Other Law
91.1011
Oil and Gas Waste
91.1012
Access to Property and Records
91.1013
Application Fees
91.1015
Groundwater Protection Requirements
91.1017
Location of Certain Pits
91.1041
Individual Bond
91.1042
Blanket Bond
91.1091
Refund
91.1131
Risk Assessment Standards
91.1132
Prioritization of High-risk Wells
91.5001
Definition

Accessed:
Mar. 23, 2024

§ 91.402’s source at texas​.gov