Sec. 52.026.  LEASE TRANSFER.  (a)  A lessee of an area under this subchapter may transfer the lease at any time.  The liability of the transferor to properly discharge its obligations under the lease, including properly plugging abandoned wells, removing platforms or pipelines, or remediation of contamination at drill sites shall pass to the transferee upon prior written consent of the commissioner.  The commissioner may not withhold the consent unreasonably.  The commissioner may require the transferee to demonstrate that it has the financial responsibility to properly discharge its obligations under the lease and may require the transferee to post a bond or provide other security to secure those obligations if the transferee is unable to demonstrate such financial responsibility to the satisfaction of the commissioner.
(b)  The transfer of the lease shall be recorded in any county in which all or part of the leased area is located.
(c)  Within 90 days after the execution of the transfer, the recorded transfer or a certified copy of the recorded transfer accompanied by a filing fee set by the commissioner in an amount not less than $5 shall be filed in the land office.
(d)  Every transferee shall succeed to all rights and be subject to all obligations, liabilities, and penalties owed to the state by the original lessee or any prior transferee of the lease, including any liabilities to the state for unpaid royalties.
(e)  This section does not relieve a person from the duty to comply with a rule adopted or order issued by the Railroad Commission of Texas under another provision of this code.
Acts 1977, 65th Leg., p. 2448, ch. 871, art. I, Sec. 1, eff. Sept. 1, 1977.  Amended by Acts 1983, 68th Leg., p. 404, ch. 81, Sec. 21(i), eff. Sept. 1, 1983;  Acts 1987, 70th Leg., ch. 948, Sec. 19, eff. Sept. 1, 1987;  Acts 1999, 76th Leg., ch. 1125, Sec. 1, eff. Sept. 1, 1999;  Acts 1999, 76th Leg., ch. 1483, Sec. 2, eff. Aug. 30, 1999.