Section 70-2-22 - Rules and regulations to effectuate prohibitions against purchase or handling of excess oil or natural gas; penalties. - New Mexico Statutes

70-2-22. Rules and regulations to effectuate prohibitions against purchase or handling of excess oil or natural gas; penalties.

A.     The division is specifically authorized and directed to make such rules, regulations and orders, and may provide for such certificates of clearance or tenders, as may be necessary to make effective the prohibitions contained in Section 70-2-21 NMSA 1978.   

B.     Unless and until the division provides for certificates of clearance or tenders, or some other method, so that any person may have an opportunity to determine whether any contemplated transaction of sale or purchase or acquisition, or of transportation, refining, processing or handling in any other way, involves illegal oil or illegal oil product, or illegal gas or illegal gas product, no penalty shall be imposed for the sale or purchase or acquisition, or the transportation, refining, processing or handling in any other way, of illegal oil or illegal oil product, or illegal gas or illegal gas product, except under circumstances stated in the succeeding provisions of this paragraph. Penalties shall be imposed for the commission of each transaction prohibited in Section 70-2-21 NMSA 1978 when the person committing the same knows that illegal oil or illegal oil product, or illegal gas or illegal gas product, is involved in such transaction, or when such person could have known or determined such fact by the exercise of reasonable diligence or from facts within his knowledge. However, regardless of lack of actual notice or knowledge, penalties as provided in this act shall apply to any sale or purchase or acquisition, and to the transportation, refining, processing or handling in any other way, of illegal oil or illegal oil product, or illegal gas or illegal gas product where administrative provision is made for identifying the character of the commodity as to its legality. It shall likewise be a violation for which penalties shall be imposed for any person to sell or purchase or acquire, or to transport, refine, process or handle in any way any crude petroleum oil or natural gas or any product thereof without complying with the rule, regulation or order of the commission or division relating thereto.