A. The holder of any lease may at any time relinquish all his rights under the lease by filing a written relinquishment of all rights under the lease with the commissioner. The relinquishment shall be effective as of the date of its filing, subject to the continued obligation of the person, in accordance with the terms of the lease and any regulations:
(1) to make payment of all accrued rentals and royalties;
(2) to place all wells on the lands to be relinquished in condition for suspension or abandonment; and
(3) to protect or restore the surface and surface resources.
B. Upon compliance with this section, the person holding the lease shall be released of all obligations thereafter accruing under the lease with respect to the lands relinquished, but no such relinquishment shall release such person from any liability for breach of any obligation of the lease, other than an obligation to drill, accrued at the date of relinquishment.
History: 1953 Comp., § 7-15-8, enacted by Laws 1967, ch. 158, § 8.
Cross references. — For relinquishment of lease of state lands, see 19-7-36 NMSA 1978.
For relinquishment of mineral lands lease, see 19-8-26 NMSA 1978.
Structure 2021 New Mexico Statutes
Article 13 - Lease of Geothermal Resources on State Lands
Section 19-13-1 - Short title.
Section 19-13-2 - Definitions.
Section 19-13-3 - Administration of act.
Section 19-13-4 - Geothermal resources of commercial value.
Section 19-13-5 - Leases; applications; limitations.
Section 19-13-6 - Known geothermal resources fields.
Section 19-13-7 - Leases; terms; rentals and royalties.
Section 19-13-8 - Leases; relinquishment.
Section 19-13-9 - Rent or royalties; waiver; suspension; reduction.
Section 19-13-10 - Suspension of operation and production.
Section 19-13-11 - Leases; duration.
Section 19-13-11.1 - Leases; stipulation; rental; royalty.
Section 19-13-11.2 - Validation of geothermal resource leases.
Section 19-13-12 - Combining geothermal resources.
Section 19-13-13 - Reinjecting geothermal resources.
Section 19-13-14 - Cooperative development or operation.
Section 19-13-15 - Posting of open acreage; simultaneous applications.
Section 19-13-16 - State land sales and leases; reservations.
Section 19-13-17 - Use of the surface.
Section 19-13-18 - Bonds; surface damage; performance.
Section 19-13-19 - State lands; jurisdictions.
Section 19-13-20 - General mining lease; lease preference.
Section 19-13-21 - Transferability.
Section 19-13-22 - Inspection of records; reports.
Section 19-13-23 - Violation of lease; notice; forfeiture.
Section 19-13-24 - Removing improvements upon termination of lease.
Section 19-13-25 - Regulations.
Section 19-13-26 - Withholding state lands from lease; lease by competitive bids.