(a) The failure to make timely or proper payments of any monies due pursuant to leases, permits, and contracts subject to these regulations will result in the collection by the ONRR of the full amount past due plus a late payment charge. Exceptions to this late payment charge may be granted when estimated payments on minerals production have already been made timely and otherwise in accordance with instructions provided by ONRR to the payor. However, late payment charges assessed with respect to any Indian lease, permit, or contract shall be collected and paid to the Indian or tribe to which the amount overdue is owed.

(b) Late payment charges will be assessed on any late payment or underpayment from the date that the payment was due until the date that the payment was received at the ONRR addresses specified in § 1218.51. Payments received at the specified ONRR addresses after 4 p.m. mountain time are considered received the following business day.

(c) Late payment charges apply to all underpayments and payments received after the date due. The charges include production and minimum royalties; assessments for liquidated damages; administrative fees and payments by purchasers of royalty taken-in-kind; or any other payments, fees, or assessments that a lessee/operator/permittee/payor/royalty taken-in-kind purchaser is required to pay by a specified date. The failure to pay past due amounts, including late-payment charges, will result in the initiation of other enforcement proceedings.

(d) An overpayment on a lease or leases may be offset against an underpayment on a different lease or leases to determine a net underpayment on which interest is due pursuant to conditions specified in § 1218.42.