The Bureau of Indian Affairs has proposed revisions for energy growth for the Osage Mineral Estate on the Osage Reservation, which has headquarters in Pawhuska, Okla.

The Office of the Assistant Secretary for Indian Affairs announced the proposed revisions to federal regulations governing leasing of the Osage Mineral Estate for oil and gas mining, a Jan. 12 news release said. The changes would address modern technology and industry standards.

“The federal government has a trust responsibility to administer the Osage Mineral Estate,” Assistant Secretary for Indian Affairs Bryan Newland said in the release. “These proposed revisions secure this special trust asset of the Osage Nation for generations to come through accountability and best industry practices. We look forward to consulting with the Osage Nation and Osage Minerals Council on how we can best fulfill that obligation through this regulation.”

The Osage Mineral Estate is the sub-surface oil, gas and minerals on approximately 1.47 million acres of land at Osage Reservation. The Osage Nation is the estate’s beneficial owner, the Osage Nation website said. The Bureau of Indian Affairs’ Osage Agency manages the estate.

Among several points, the proposed revisions would require the submission of royalty and production reports to the Office of Natural Resources Revenue, the release said. The proposed regulations also would better protect the Osage Nation when operators default; update settlement values of oil and gas royalties; and ensure detailed requirements for oil and gas measurement, among revisions.

Changes are available online at the Federal Register. The deadline is March 17 for submission of comments.

According to the Federal Register, the proposed changes to regulation are the first since 1974.