If you fail to comply with the requirements listed at § 3200.4, we may collect money from the bond to correct your noncompliance. This amount can be as large as the face amount of the bond. Some examples of when we will collect against your bond are when you do not properly or in a timely manner:

(a) Plug and abandon a well;

(b) Reclaim the lease area;

(c) Pay outstanding royalties; or

(d) Pay assessed royalties to compensate for drainage.

If BLM collects against your bond, before you conduct any further operations you must either:

(a) Post a new bond equal to the value of the original bond; or

(b) Restore your existing bond to the original face amount.

If we collect against your bond and you do not restore it to the original face amount, we may shut in any well(s) or utilization facilities covered by that bond and may terminate affected leases.

(a) BLM does not cancel or terminate bonds. We may inform you that your existing bond is insufficient.

(b) The bond provider may terminate your bond provided it gives you and BLM 30-days notice. The bond provider remains responsible for obligations that accrued during the period of liability while the bond was in effect.

(c) BLM will release a bond, terminating all liability under that bond, if:

(1) The new bond that you file covers all existing liabilities and we accept it; or

(2) After a reasonable period of time, we determine that you paid all royalties, rents, penalties, and assessments, and satisfied all permit and lease obligations.

(d) If an adequate bond is not in place, do not conduct any operations until you provide a new bond that meets our requirements.

When BLM releases your bond, we relinquish the security but we continue to hold the lessee or operator responsible for noncompliance with applicable requirements under the lease. Specifically, we do not waive any legal claim we may have against any person under the Comprehensive Environmental Response, Compensation, and Liability Act of 1980 (42 U.S.C. 9601 et seq.), or other laws and regulations.