(a) Records. Each lessee, operator, revenue payor, or other person shall make and retain accurate and complete records necessary to demonstrate that payments of royalties, rentals, and other amounts due under Federal geothermal leases are in compliance with laws, lease terms, regulations, and orders. Records covered by this section include those specified by lease terms, notices, and orders, and those identified in paragraph (c) of this section. Records also include computer programs, automated files, and supporting systems documentation used to produce automated reports or magnetic tapes submitted to ONRR.
(b) Period for keeping records. All records pertaining to Federal geothermal leases shall be maintained by a lessee, operator, revenue payor, or other person for 6 years after the records are generated unless the recordholder is notified, in writing, before the expiration of that 6-year period that records must be maintained for a longer period for purposes of audit or investigation. When an audit or investigation is underway, records shall be maintained until the recordholder is released by written notice of the obligation to maintain records.
(c) Access to records. The Director for Office of Natural Resources Revenue shall have access to all records in the possession of the lessee, operator, revenue payor, or other person pertaining to compliance with royalty obligations under Federal geothermal leases (regardless of whether such records were generated more than 6 years before a request or order to produce them and they otherwise were not disposed of), including, but not limited to:
(1) Qualities and quantities of all products extracted, processed, sold, delivered, or used by the operator/lessee;
(2) Prices received for products, prices paid for like or similar products, and internal transfer prices; and
(3) Costs of extraction, power generation, electrical transmission, and byproduct transportation.
(d) Inspection of Records. The lessee, operator, revenue payor, or other person required to keep records shall be responsible for making the records available for inspection. Records shall be made available at a business location of the lessee, operator, revenue payor, or other person during normal business hours upon the request of any officer, employee, or other party authorized by the Secretary. Lessees, operators, revenue payors, and other persons will be given a reasonable period of time to produce records.
