Page:United States Statutes at Large Volume 106 Part 4.djvu/256

 106 STAT. 2992 PUBLIC LAW 102-486—OCT. 24, 1992 (1) The unit operator of such well has notified, or has made a reasonable and diligent eiTort to notify, all entities claiming ownership of coalbed methane to be drained by such well and provided an opportunity to object in accordance with requirements established b^ the Secretary of the Interior. (2) Where conflicting mterests exist, an order under subsection (g) establishing pooling requirements has been issued. The notification requirements of tms subsection shall be additional to the notification referred to in subsection (k). The Secretary of the Interior shall establish the conditions under which entities claiming ownership of coalbed methane may object to the drilling of a coalbed methane well. (n) VENTING FOR SAFETY. —Nothing in this section shall be construed to prevent or inhibit the entity which has the right to develop and mine coal in any mine from venting coalbed methane gas to ensure safe mine operations. (o) OTHER LAWS. —The Secretary of the Interior shall comply with all applicable Federal and State coal mine safety laws and regulations. (p) DEFINITIONS.— As used in this section— (1) The term "Affected State" means a State Usted by the Secretary of the Interior, with the participation of the Secretary of Energy, under subsection (b). (2) The term "coalbed methane gas" means occluded natural gas produced (or which may be produced) from coalbeds and rock strata associated therewith. (3) The term "unit operator" means the entity designated in a pooling order to develop a spacing unit by the drilling of one or more wells on the unit. (4) The term "nonparticipating working interest owner" means a gas or oil owner of a tract included in a spacing unit which elects to share in the operation of the well on a carried basis by agreeing to have its proportionate share of the costs allocable to its interest charged against its share of production of the well in accordance with subsection (f)(3). (5) The term "participating working interest owner" means a gas or oil owner which elects to bear a share of the risks and costs of drilling, completing, equipping, gathering, operating (inclu(Ung any and ail disposal costs) plugging, and abandoning a well on a spacing unit and to receive a share of production from the well equal to the proportion which the acreage in the spacing unit it owns or holds under lease bears to the total acreage of the spacing imit. (6) The term "coal seam" means any stratum of coal 20 inches or more in thickness, unless a stratum of less thickness is being commercially worked, or can in the judgment of the Secret£uy of the Interior forseeably be commercially worked and will require protection if wells are being drilled through it. 42 USC 13369. SEC. 1340. ESTABLISHMENT OF DATA BASE AND STUDY OF TRANSPOR> TATION RATES. (a) DATA BASE.— The Secretary shall review the information currently collected by the Federal Government and shall determine whether information on transportation rates for rail and pipeline transport of domestic coal, oil, and gas during the period of Janua^ 1, 1988, through December 31, 1997, is reasonably available. If

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