Appendix A: Using Multiple Agents
Filing Oil and Gas Reports Using Electronic Media
Appendix A: Using Multiple Agents
An operator may have multiple agents to satisfy signature requirements for forms filed electronically. An operator may wish to use multiple agents for convenience or to help facilitate regional offices to file forms electronically directly to the Commission.
MEFC and Company Contacts
Each agent who signs the Master Electronic Filing Certification (MEFC) must list a primary contact on the contact worksheet. The person listed as the primary contact can be the same person that signed the MEFC. When the operator is authorized to file a form electronically, the MEFC, the primary contact and the data processing contact (if provided) are linked together and assigned an agent number. This agent number is provided to the operator in the authorization letter. Because an operator can have many agents, it is very important that the operator specify the agent number when notifying the Commission of any changes to the agent or contacts for the agent. Failure to supply the agent number in any EDI correspondence with the Commission could result in significant delays.
How Multiple Agents are Processed
Each agent that an operator has is logically treated as a separate company for the purpose of editing the information sent and for sending status listings back to the operator. After the edit process, the information is updated to the Commission's databases as one company.
When information is received at the Commission electronically, a process is performed that automatically attaches the correct agent number for a company on the information received. The Agent Record plays a major role in this process and it is important that this record is the first record in the file sent to the Commission. See Section IV File Organization starting on page IV-1 for details about the Agent Record. If the agent in the Agent Record for the operator is found in the Commission's databases, the agent number is attached to all the records until another Agent Record or a different operator number is encountered. This automatic process is why the operator does not need to supply the agent number with its electronically filed information. After attaching the agent number to the records, the information is edited for validity and status and error reports are generated. The status and error reports are mailed back to the primary contact for the agent. The valid information that the agent filed for the company is then updated onto the Commission's databases as information filed by the company.
Example:
Operator "ABC" whose RRC number is 123456 wants to file W-10 forms electronically out of three regional offices. Each regional office obtains this manual and each mails an MEFC and contact worksheet to the Commission. After a regional office has mailed the required paperwork, the office sends the Commission test W-10 information. During this testing process, the Commission works with each office to work out any problems found during testing. Once all problems are worked out, the Commission gives authorization to the regional office and assigns an agent number of 0001 for operator 123456 which is noted on the authorization letter. The authorization letter is mailed to the primary contact for agent 0001. As the other regional offices are authorized, agent numbers 0002 and 0003 are assigned. The next month all three regional offices send actual W-10 information to the Commission electronically. Information sent in from each regional office is edited and the error and status listings for each of the offices is mailed back to the appropriate regional office. In other words, the primary contact person for agent 0001 receives the listings pertaining to the information that was filed out of that office only. The primary contact person for agent 0002 receives the listings pertaining to the information that was filed out of that office only and the same for agent 0003. The information filed by all three offices updates the Commission's databases as operator "ABC" RRC number 123456.
