§ 985.57 Reserve pool requirements.

(a) On November 1, or such other date as the Committee, with the approval of the Secretary may establish, the Committee shall pool identified excess oil as reserve oil in such manner as to accurately account for its receipt, storage, and disposition. The Committee shall store reserve oil for the account of the producer and maintain the identity of the reserve oil by producer's name, the year produced, the class of oil, and such other identification as may be used in normal commercial trade practices. The Committee shall designate a Committee employee as reserve pool manager. (b) Disposition. (1) When, in any marketing year, a producer has produced less than the annual allotment of a class of oil, the producer may, upon notification of the Committee, fill the deficiency with the same class of reserve oil from the producer's prior production. (2) Prior to March 15 of any year, or such other date as recommended by the Committee and approved by the Secretary, a producer may notify the Committee of a possible deficiency in the producer's ensuing year's production of oil and wishes to use reserve oil from own production to fill the ensuing year's annual allotment. The Committee shall approve the producer's request if the oil is still available at the time of the request. (3) Under supervision of the Committee, a producer may exchange salable oil for the same class and quantity of reserve oil from own production so long as the oil is properly identified. (4) When the Committee finds that additional oil is needed to fill the normal market demand, it shall offer all or a portion of the reserve oil for sale to handlers. Offers to sell, extension of offers and withdrawal of offers shall be subject to disapproval by the Secretary. The Committee may establish rules and regulations governing the offers and sale to handlers. (5) The Committee may use reserve oil for market development projects approved by the Secretary. Such projects may be conducted by the Committee or in conjunction with or through handlers. (c) Pool expenses and proceeds. Expenses incurred by the Committee in handling and storing reserve oil shall be paid by the equity holders. The proceeds from the disposition of reserve oil shall be distributed, after deduction of any expenses incurred by the Committee in receiving, handling, storing, and disposing thereof, to the equity holders or their successors in interest, on the basis of the number of pounds, class of oil and quality credited to each equity holder's account in the pool. A full accounting to each equity holder, or successor in interest, in each reserve pool shall be made by the Committee annually.