Oil and Gas Lease (Nationwide) Bond - BLM in All States
Table of Contents
Brief Summary
Before you order a nationwide oil and gas bond, know where the rule stands today. BLM stopped accepting new nationwide bonds in 2024 and has proposed bringing them back at $150,000. We track the rulemaking so the bond you file matches what BLM will accept on the day you file it.
BLM's 2024 leasing rule ended the federal oil and gas nationwide bond. Under 43 CFR 3104.90, BLM will not accept any new nationwide bonds, and nationwide bonds accepted before June 22, 2024 had to be replaced with individual lease or statewide bonds by June 22, 2025. A June 24, 2026 proposed rule would consider reinstating nationwide bonds at a $150,000 minimum, but that change is not final.
We can help with all All States bonds!
How to Apply for an Oil and Gas Lease (Nationwide) Bond:
- Check whether BLM has finalized the June 24, 2026 proposed rule before ordering a nationwide bond.
- Under the rules in force today, list the leases and states your operations cover.
- Have the names of the lessee, operating rights owners and operator the bond will cover.
- Complete the surety application with company financial statements and review the quoted premium.
- File the executed bond on the current BLM approved form with the BLM State Office having jurisdiction.
- Post the bond before any surface disturbing activity related to drilling begins.
Detailed Information About the All States Oil and Gas Lease (Nationwide) Bond:
Where the nationwide bond stands
For decades a single nationwide bond could cover an operator's federal oil and gas leases in every state. The 2024 Fluid Mineral Leases and Leasing Process rule changed that. Under 43 CFR 3104.90, unit operator and nationwide bonds accepted before June 22, 2024 had to be replaced with individual lease or statewide bonds by June 22, 2025, and BLM will not accept any new unit operator or nationwide bonds.
What BLM accepts today
The current minimums in 43 CFR 3104.1, effective June 22, 2024, are $150,000 for a lease bond and $500,000 for a statewide bond. Existing bonds below those amounts must be increased or replaced by June 22, 2027. That statewide deadline was pushed back from June 22, 2026 by a direct final rule published December 18, 2025. Missing it can lead to shut in wells, lease cancellation and referral for suspension or debarment.
The proposal to bring nationwide bonds back
On June 24, 2026 BLM published a proposed rule that would return minimum bond amounts to their pre-2024 levels, $10,000 for a lease bond and $25,000 for a statewide bond. BLM also said it is considering reinstating nationwide bonds, and if it does, it proposes a $150,000 minimum. The comment period closed August 24, 2026. Until a final rule is published, the 2024 rules above control.
What any federal oil and gas bond guarantees
Under 43 CFR 3104.10 the bond is conditioned on compliance with all lease terms, including complete and timely plugging of wells, reclamation of the lease area and restoration of lands or surface waters harmed by operations. Surety bonds must come from a company on Treasury Circular 570, and BLM can raise the amount for operators with past violations, unpaid royalties or plugging costs above the bond. Bonds go to the BLM State Office with jurisdiction over the leases. Check with that office before the bond is issued so the form and amount match the rule in force.
Eligibility and Requirements for an All States Oil and Gas Lease (Nationwide) Bond:
- Corporate surety listed in Treasury Circular 570.
- Bureau of Land Management, Department of the Interior, as obligee.
- Current minimums of $150,000 per lease bond or $500,000 per statewide bond under 43 CFR 3104.1.
- Existing underfunded bonds increased or replaced by June 22, 2027.
- Underwriting based on company financials, well count and plugging liability. Large amounts often call for collateral or audited statements.
All States Oil and Gas Lease (Nationwide) Bond FAQs:
Not under the current rule. 43 CFR 3104.90 says BLM will not accept any new nationwide bonds. A June 24, 2026 proposed rule would consider reinstating them at $150,000, but it is not final.
Nationwide bonds accepted before June 22, 2024 had to be replaced with individual lease or statewide bonds by June 22, 2025.
$150,000 for an individual lease bond and $500,000 for a statewide bond, effective June 22, 2024. Existing bonds below those amounts must be brought up by June 22, 2027.
No. Under 43 CFR 3104.40 BLM can require a separate surface owner protection bond of at least $1,000 when no agreement is reached with a split estate surface owner. It is not part of the lease or statewide bond.
The surety looks at the bond amount, the company's financial statements and the plugging and reclamation exposure of the wells covered. Larger bonds get more detailed underwriting.
