The costs and credits specified in paragraphs (a) through (p) of this section may be charged direct, or allocated to NPSL operations, as appropriate, in accordance with § 1220.014.

(a) Lease rental. The rent paid by the lessee for the NPSL tract is allowable.

(b) Labor. (1)(i) Salaries and wages of lessee's field employees, first level supervisors and technical employees employed in the NPSL project area in NPSL operations are allowable if such costs are not charged under paragraph (g) of this section.

(ii) Salaries and wages of technical employees within technical branches of the lessee's organization who are either temporarily or permanently assigned to, and directly employed in NPSL operations are allowable provided that such employees work “full time” on some particular aspect of NPSL operations or some specific technical problem. Excluded from this category are employees assigned a role in NPSL operations as a duty collateral with other duties that do not directly benefit NPSL operations.

(iii) Salaries and wages of technical employees within technical branches of the lessee's organization who are assigned technical tasks directly related to NPSL operations may be allowable. Costs may be charged to the NPSL if supported by adequate time records showing the nature of the task and the hours spent on that task.

(2) Lessee's cost of allowed employee absence paid to employees whose salaries and wages are chargeable to NPSL operations under paragraphs (b)(1) (i) and (ii) of this section are allowable.

(3) Expenditures or contributions made pursuant to assessments imposed by governmental authority that are applicable to lessee's costs chargeable to NPSL operations under paragraphs (b)(1) (i) and (ii) and (b)(2) of this section are allowable.

(4) Reasonable personal expenses, including allowable relocation costs of employees whose salaries and wages are chargeable to NPSL operations under paragraphs (b)(1) (i) and (ii) of this section and that are paid by the lessee or for which the employees are reimbursed under the lessee's normal practice are allowable except as limited by § 1220.013(g).

(i) Allowable relocation costs include:

(A) Travel expenses, including transportation, lodging, subsistence, and reasonable incidental expenses of the employee and members of his immediate family and transportation of his household and personal effects to the new location.

(B) Other necessary and reasonable expenses normally incident to relocation, such as costs of cancelling an unexpired lease, disconnecting and reinstalling household appliances, and purchases of insurance against damages to or loss of personal property are allowable. Costs of cancelling an unexpired lease shall not exceed three times the monthly rental.

(C) Closing costs (i.e., brokerage fees, legal fees, appraisal fees, etc.) for the sale of the employee's actual residence when notified of the transfer are allowable; and

(D) Continuing costs of ownership of the vacant former actual residence being sold, such as continuing mortgage principal and interest payments, maintenance of building and grounds (exclusive of fixing-up expenses), utilities, taxes, property insurance, etc., after settlement date of lease or date of new permanent residence are allowable.

(ii) The combined total of costs listed in paragraphs (b)(4)(i) (C) through (D) of this section shall not exceed 8 percent of the sales price of the property sold.

(iii) Section 1220.013(g) specifies employee relocation expenses that are not allowable as a charge to NPSL operations.

(5) Lessee's current costs of established plans for employee's group life insurance, hospitalization, pension, retirement, stock purchase, thrift, bonds, and other benefit plans of a like nature that are made available to all of lessee's employees on an equitable basis, applicable to lessee's labor cost chargeable to NPSL operations under paragraphs (b)(1) (i) and (ii) and (b)(2) of this section, are allowable. The amount of these charges shall be lessee's actual cost not to exceed 23 percent of the total charges under paragraphs (b)(1) (i) and (ii) and (b)(2) except that the Director may from time to time establish a different maximum percentage.

(6) Charges for expenses incurred under paragraphs (b)(2) through (b)(5) of this section may be made to NPSL accounts on a “when and as paid” basis or by a percentage assessment method. If the percentage assessment method is used, it shall be based upon the lessee's actual cost experience expressed as a percentage of costs chargeable under paragraphs (b)(1) (i) and (ii) and (b)(2) of this section. Under either method the lessee's own cost of administering the plans and paying the salaries and benefits defined in this paragraph shall be excluded. In determining actual cost experience of an employee benefit plan, any dividend or refunds received that are applicable to insurance or annuity policies shall be used to reduce the cost of such policies.

(c) Materiel. (1) Materiel purchased or furnished by a lessee as NPSL property shall be charged or credited at amounts specified in § 1220.015. The purchase and inventorying of materiel is subject to the conditions and provisions in § 1220.032.

(2) Charges to an NPSL account shall be made only for such materiel purchased or furnished as NPSL property as is reasonably practical and consistent with efficient and economical operations. The accumulation of surplus stocks shall be avoided.

(3) Credit for salvaged or returned materiel shall be made to the NPSL capital account. When the amount originally charged qualifies for the allowance for capital recovery in § 1220.020, the credit shall be calculated pursuant to § 1220.021(a)(3).

(d) Transportation. Transportation of employees and materiel necessary for NPSL operations to, from, and within the NPSL project area, are allowable, but subject to the following limitations:

(1) If materiel is moved to the NPSL project area, no charge shall be made to NPSL operations for a distance greater than the distance from the nearest reliable supply store, recognized barge terminal, or railway receiving point where like materiel is normally available, unless agreed to by the Office of Natural Resources Revenue (ONRR) Director.

(2) If surplus materiel is moved from the NPSL project area, no charge shall be made to NPSL operations for a distance greater than the distance to the nearest reliable supply store, recognized barge terminal, or railway receiving point unless agreed to by the ONRR Director. No charge shall be made to NPSL operations for moving materiel to other properties owned by or under the control of a lessee, unless agreed to by the ONRR Director.

(3) In the application of paragraphs (d)(1) and (d)(2) of this section, there shall be no equalization of actual gross trucking costs of $200 or less, excluding accessorial charges.

(e) Contract services. Except when excluded by paragraph (f) of this section and/or § 1220.013(c), the cost of services and utilities provided under contract by outside parties to the lessee and which constitute proper and necessary NPSL operations or support for NPSL operations, and rental charges paid to outside parties for the use of equipment used in the NPSL project area in support of NPSL operations, may be charged to NPSL operations subject to the following conditions and limitations:

(1) Contract services (including professional consulting services and contract services of technical personnel) that are entirely performed in the NPSL project area and benefit exclusively NPSL operations may be charged at the rates specified in the contract.

(2) Contract services (including professional consulting services and contract services of technical personnel) that are entirely performed in the NPSL project area and benefit the NPSL operations and operations on other tracts must be allocated among all tracts benefited and only that portion representing services benefiting the NPSL tract charged to NPSL operations.

(3) Contract services (including professional consulting services and contract services of technical personnel) that are performed at sites outside the NPSL project area may be charged to NPSL operations only if:

(i) The contracted services charged to the NPSL operations benefit only the NPSL tract or support NPSL operations;

(ii) The contract under which such services are provided deals exclusively with services benefiting the NPSL tract or NPSL operations, or the costs of the contract services which are applicable to the NPSL tract or NPSL operations are separately and specifically identified in the contract; and

(iii) Services specified in the contract relate to the resolution of specific technical problems confronting NPSL operations, or specific engineering design problems related to equipment or facilities required for NPSL operations.

(4) The cost of any contract service related to research and development is specifically excluded, as are contract services calling for feasibility studies not directly related to specific engineering design problems or alternatives for equipment and facilities required by NPSL operations.

(f) Legal expenses. Expense of handling, investigating and settling litigation or claims, discharging of liens, payments of judgments and amounts paid for settlement of claims incurred in or resulting from NPSL operations, or necessary to protect or recover the NPSL property are allowable, except those costs listed in § 1220.013(f) as unallowable. This includes the salaries and wages of lessee's legal staff and the expense of outside attorneys who are assigned to matters described in this paragraph if supported by adequate time records showing the nature of the matter, its direct relationship to NPSL operations, and the hours spent on the matter.

(g) Rental of equipment and facilities furnished by lessee. (1)(i) The NPSL capital account shall be charged for the use of equipment and facilities owned by a lessee that are proper and necessary for NPSL operations, including shore base and offshore facilities and pipelines from the tract to shore base production facilities, and that are not NPSL property. Rental charges shall be made at rates based upon actual costs of acquisition, construction, and operation. Such rates may include labor, the cost of setting up and dismantling equipment, maintenance, repairs, other operating expenses, insurance, taxes, depreciation (calculated using a method consistent with generally accepted accounting principles, consistently applied) and a return on the remaining undepreciated basis not to exceed 8 percent per year, except that the ONRR Director may from time to time establish a different maximum percentage. Any cost of acquiring real property in excess of that reasonably required to support the facilities furnished for NPSL operations shall not be included in the costs used to establish these rates. Rates charged shall not exceed average commercial rates for equipment and facilities of similar nature and capability currently prevailing in the vicinity of the NPSL project area.

(ii) The term “equipment and facilities” is used in the broad sense to include equipment that may be mobile or semimobile and also installations that may be semipermanent or permanent in nature. Such equipment and facilities listed below shall be charged on the basis indicated.

Equipment and facilities that are not listed shall be charged on a basis consistent with the nature of the use.

(2) In lieu of charges in paragraph (g)(1) of this section, the lessee may elect to use average commercial rates prevailing in the vicinity of the NPSL project area less 20 percent. For automotive equipment, the lessee may elect to use rates established by the ONRR Director. For other equipment for which no commercial rate exists, the lessee shall submit the basis for determining such costs to the ONRR Director for approval.

(h) Damages and losses to NPSL property. All costs necessary for the repair or replacement of NPSL property made necessary because of damages or losses incurred by fire, flood, storm, theft, accident, or other causes not covered by insurance, except those resulting from lessee's negligence or willful misconduct may be charged to the NPSL capital account. Any settlement received from an insurance carrier should be credited to NPSL operations when received.

(i) Taxes. All taxes, except income taxes, profit share payments, and taxes based upon income, that are assessed or levied upon or in connection with NPSL operations and which have been paid by the lessee are allowable. Allowed taxes shall include, but not be limited to, production, severance, excise, ad valorem, and mineral taxes.

(j) Insurance. (1) Net premiums paid for insurance required to be carried for NPSL operations are allowable. For NPSL operations in which the lessee may act as self-insurer for Workmen's Compensation and Employer's Liability, the lessee may include the risk under its self-insurance program in providing coverage under State and Federal laws and charge NPSL operations at lessee's cost not to exceed manual rates.

(2) NPSL operations shall be credited for all reimbursements for costs of damage to NPSL property or personal injury. Reimbursements for damaged NPSL property shall be credited as follows:

(i) If the damaged NPSL property is replaced or repaired, to the NPSL capital account charged for the cost of replacement or repair; or

(ii) If the damaged NPSL property is not replaced or repaired, to the NPSL capital account except that if the cost of the property originally qualified for the allowance for capital recovery in § 1220.020, the credit shall be calculated pursuant to § 1220.021(a)(3).

(k) Communications. Costs of leasing, acquiring, installing, operating, repairing and maintaining communication systems, including radio, microwave facilities, and computer production controls for the NPSL operations are allowable. If communication facilities systems serving the NPSL tract serve operations and/or facilities outside the NPSL project area, charges to NPSL operations shall be made as provided in paragraph (g) of this section or shall be allocated to NPSL operations in accordance with § 1220.014.

(l) Ecological and environmental. Costs incurred in the NPSL project area as a result of statutory regulations for archeological and geophysical surveys relative to identification and protection of cultural resources and other environmental or ecological surveys required by the Bureau of Land Management or other regulatory authority, may be charged to the NPSL capital account. Also, the costs to provide or have available pollution containment and removal equipment, including payments to organizations and/or funds which provide equipment and/or assistance in the event of oil spills or other environmental damage are allowable. The costs of actual control and cleanup of oil spills and resulting responsibilities required by applicable laws and regulations are allowable, except that a charge shall not be allowed for any such costs attributable to the lessee's negligence or willful misconduct.

(m) Dry or bottom hole contributions. The costs of dry or bottom hole contributions made to obtain information about the structure or other characteristics of the geology underlying the NPSL tract are allowable.

(n) Abandonment costs. Actual costs incurred in the plugging of wells, dismantling of platforms and other facilities and in the restoration of the NPSL project area shall be charged to the NPSL capital account only when incurred (i.e., not on an accrual basis), except that costs incurred after the cessation of production shall not be charged to the NPSL capital account. Abandonment costs in excess of offsetting revenues shall not form the basis of any claim against the United States.

(o) Other costs. Any other costs not covered in paragraphs (a)-(n) of this section and not disallowed by § 1220.013 that are incurred by the lessee in the necessary and proper conduct of NPSL operation and are approved by the ONRR Director, are allowable. Approval of a plan of development and production for the NPSL tract by the BOEM Director shall be considered sufficient approval for these other costs provided they are separately identified in said plan of development and production. Such separate identification shall note the nature of these other costs and may include an estimate of their magnitude. Any cost approvals under this paragraph for which the specific amounts have not been itemized are presumed to be approved provided they fall within the limits for a prudent operator. Approval of costs under this paragraph shall be approval solely for the purposes of determining allowable costs and shall not preclude a subsequent adjustment at audit of the amount of such costs.

(p) Other credits. Credit shall be given to the NPSL capital account, depending on when it is incurred, for NPSL property leased or used in non-NPSL operations, for the sale of information derived from test wells and G & G, and for any and all amounts earned or otherwise due lessee as a result of NPSL operations.

[45 FR 36800, May 30, 1980. Redesignated at 48 FR 1182, Jan. 11, 1983, and at 48 FR 35642, Aug. 5, 1983, as amended at 67 FR 19112, Apr. 18, 2002; 75 FR 61087, Oct. 4, 2010]