Civil Service Commission
/ Position Code
1. PROPALTEA59N
Capitol Commons Center, P.O. Box 30002
Lansing, MI 48909
POSITION DESCRIPTION
This position description serves as the official classification document of record for this position. Please complete the information as accurately as you can as the position description is used to determine the proper classification of the position.
2. Employee's Name (Last, First, M.I.) / 8. Department/Agency
Vacant / DNR-NATURAL RESOURCES
3. Employee Identification Number / 9. Bureau (Institution, Board, or Commission)
4. Civil Service Position Code Description / 10. Division
Property Analyst-E / OFFICE OF MINERALS MANAGEMENT
5. Working Title (What the agency calls the position) / 11. Section
Property Analyst, Revenue Verification
6. Name and Position Code Description of Direct Supervisor / 12. Unit
CHRYSLER, JULIE A; DEPARTMENTAL MANAGER 14 / Revenue Verification
7. Name and Position Code Description of Second Level Supervisor / 13. Work Location (City and Address)/Hours of Work
SWEATMAN, MARK, STATE ADMIN MGR-2, 16 / Constitution Hall 525 W. Allegan, Lansing, MI / Monday-Friday, 8:00 a.m. to 5:00 p.m.
14. General Summary of Function/Purpose of Position
This entry level property analyst position is responsible for reviewing parcels of land under mineral lease (oil and gas, metallic, nonmetallic, and underground gas storage) and determining if Division Orders (DO) include the correct acres in the Decimal Interest, which is the basis for the royalty calculation. This position also analyzes production levels from the acres under mineral lease on a monthly and annual basis, and monitors compliance with lease terms related to production. Information for analysis is obtained from other State agencies, lessees, well and mining operators, purchasers and other related entities, and is used to account, monitor, and verify that all mineral related information for the designated leasing programs are accurate and timely. The position also enters and maintains the integrity of related records in the Department of Natural Resources (DNR) Land Ownership Tracking System (LOTS), and corresponds regularly with the mineral industry to obtain and verify information. This position will also provide support to the compliance specialist.
15. Please describe the assigned duties, percent of time spent performing each duty, and what is done to complete each duty.
List the duties from most important to least important. The total percentage of all duties performed must equal 100 percent.
Duty 1
General Summary: / Percentage: / 20
Perform analysis of production levels and product values from State lands under State metallic, nonmetallic, and oil and gas leases. Determine that production is properly reported to the State on monthly non-metallic and metallic Remittance and Annual Production reports.
Individual tasks related to the duty:
Develop and implement methodologies to compare and evaluate production information from parcels under lease as submitted by industry to other available sources including the Department of Environmental Quality (DEQ) database RDBMS, Michigan Public Service Commission website, DTE and Consumers Energy reports, aerial photography, and other related reporting records.
Communicate with Lessees by various means to ensure the timely reporting of production levels, and to obtain information required for records and files.
Perform review and analysis of Annual Production reports provided by the companies with State records. Revise annual reporting requirements, as needed, to ensure each company’s compliance and reporting of necessary information
Pursue noncompliance actions with Lessees for continued nonconformance with the terms of the lease related to production reporting. Provide reports and background data to uphold compliance action when necessary.
Verify CPI/PPI adjustments calculated by Non-metallic, Metallic, Gas Storage Unit staff.
Duty 2
General Summary: / Percentage: / 15
Maintain, review, and compile information from various documents and records associated with leasing programs to accurately preserve the integrity of the DNR LOTS database.
Individual tasks related to the duty:
Review and interpret leases, lease assignments, DEQ - well permit reports, unitization agreements, division orders, and production sales reports to accumulate, verify, and enter data into LOTS.
Ensure that the update of shut-in royalty information is accurately reported in LOTS according to production status.
Back up for entering the Min Par Fund Association in LOTS for the auction parcels, identify parcels needing correction, and research State records including deeds and acquisition records to determine appropriate acquisition fund coding for the parcel. Back up the updating of rental information in LOTS.
Provide assistance and recommendations to improve and update the LOTS database system including design, testing, and implementation of the system as it relates to tracking mineral production levels; recording and monitoring decimal interest records; abating lease rentals payments for leases under production; and identifying shut-in wells or other areas as assigned.
Duty 3
General Summary: / Percentage: / 10
Maintain records which govern the handling and disposition of Division Orders (DO). The DO are legal instruments that specify the decimal interest percentage of revenue from a well or unit that is due to the State of Michigan, and impacts all revenue procedures and operations based upon the acreage under lease within the producing unit (mine, pit, drilling unit, pooling or unitized area). The decimal interest is used in the calculation upon which royalty payments are made.
Individual tasks related to the duty:
Adhere to processes and procedures for the reviewing and processing of DO which includes verifying the acres under lease within the production unit (drilling unit, unitized area or pooling); the total acres within the production unit; terms of applicable leases; and calculating the State’s decimal interest.
Verify all elements of the DO with research into leases, unit agreements, information in LOTS (including parcel and acreage information), deeds, DEQ RBDMS database, specialty maps, company records, and applicable statues and policies. Knowledge of real estate and mineral law, and the conventions of the mineral industry, is required.
Maintain the LOTS Revenue Reporting Unit (RRU) system by verifying and updating the decimal interest and remitter profiles, while preserving historical information.
Interact with companies to determine responsibility for payment, decimal interest to be paid, additional or changed revenue streams, and percent of royalty burden to be assumed.
Make changes or coordinate with other Minerals Management staff to resolve any issues in the State’s records that were identified during the DO review including rental abatements, releases, and lease amendments.
Duty 4
General Summary: / Percentage: / 10
Prepare correspondence, schedules, reports, studies, analysis, and additional duties as assigned by the Unit Manager and/or Office Director.
Individual tasks related to the duty:
Prepare various correspondence, schedules, reports, studies, and analysis or other written documents as assigned by the Unit Supervisor and/or Section Manager.
Prepare various reports for public, staff, and management inquiries.
Participate in the Lease Auctions conducted by the Oil and Gas Lease Management Unit. Duties at the auction could include registration and check out of bidders, recording bids for parcels to be leased, entering parcel bids into the Auction System, running bid sheets, etc.
Assist in the review and analysis of production levels for audits conducted on companies operating under State of Michigan mineral leases.
Provide assistance to DNR and Office of Attorney General staff on specialized litigation by becoming knowledgeable in land ownership issues involving mineral rights.
Other duties as assigned.
Duty 5
General Summary: / Percentage: / 15
Conduct analysis of records to determine if wells are shut-in (not producing) and royalties are due to the State of Michigan from companies not paying production royalties.
Individual tasks related to the duty:
Adhere to procedures for the review of shut-in royalties and propose modifications to the procedures if needed.
Compile and integrate data from files, records, and databases of the DNR and other agencies, to determine if shut-in royalty is due and the reason for the well not producing, and refer to Accountant for collection.
Investigate the status of shut-in wells that have not paid shut-in royalties. Follow up as appropriate with company and refer to Acountant for collection if needed.
Consult with companies on the proper procedures to be followed for shut-in wells, based on the appropriate lease language.
Make corrections in LOTS or coordinate efforts with other RVU staff, if a review identifies corrections needed in rentals or potential releases.
Duty 6
General Summary: / Percentage: / 5
•Assist Property Specialist in establishing, reviewing, updating and approving rental abatements, drilling units, poolings, and unitization agreements.
Individual tasks related to the duty:
Provide assistance to the Property Specialist on various tasks including those identified below:
- Review legal documents, including unitization agreements and poolings, for approval. This may include researching parcel information, maps, and leases.
- Review permit applications, and drilling and production records for rental abatements.
- Update records in LOTS to reflect changes to drilling units, unitization areas, poolings or rental abatements.
Duty 7
General Summary: / Percentage: / 25
Provide support to compliance staff.
Individual tasks related to the duty:
- Identify, monitor and report on critical temporary abandoned, non-productive, and shut-in wells throughout the fiscal year and present findings to the OMM Director to prepare for annual meeting with DEQ-OGMD management and field staff.
- Research appropriate databases to follow production volumes from the well head to the processing facility to the sales line and/or purchaser to determine and verify which wells are reporting production under which Revenue Reporting Units (RRUs) to identify non-productive wells for referral to OMM compliance specialist for potential enforcement action.
- Create, update and maintain a compliance and enforcement spreadsheet to track current sites alleged to be in non-compliance.
- Research, identify and consolidate known land use permissions authorized by DNR field staff and land use specialists associated with a potentially non-compliant well site.
- Assist with the gathering of all correspondence, field inspections notes and photos, and upload all to the shared drive specifically by location descriptions, as directed by the OMM compliance specialist.
- Participate in field meetings and site visits at the direction of the OMM compliance specialist.
- Other compliance and enforcement duties and research as assigned by the OMM compliance specialist.
16. Describe the types of decisions made independently in this position and tell who or what is affected by those decisions.
Review and research DO, any approved changes in the decimal interest are recorded in DNR LOTS. Review production levels for all mineral programs (oil and gas - including shut-in wells, nonmetallic, metallic, and underground gas storage) monthly and/or annually; communicate with industry if there are any reporting issues; and initiate noncompliance action if needed. Accuracy of the decimal interest and production levels directly affect the revenue deposited into the State Park Endowment Fund or Game and Fish Protection Trust Fund and may be impacted by the decisions made; decisions can also impact mineral industry members, especially if noncompliance is determined.
17. Describe the types of decisions that require the supervisor's review.
Interpretation of more complex document terms. Decisions which are likely to cause controversial issues between the DNR and private mineral owners or lease operators.
18. What kind of physical effort is used to perform this job? What environmental conditions in this position physically exposed to on the job? Indicate the amount of time and intensity of each activity and condition. Refer to instructions.
Stooping, bending, sitting, and using computers on a regular basis. Environmental conditions as are present in Constitution Hall. Occasional travel to industry offices to obtain and verify information. Field site visits may occur which would require ability to handle multiple types of terrain, such as uneven ground and walking to access the site.
19. List the names and position code descriptions of each classified employee whom this position immediately supervises or oversees on a full-time, on-going basis.
20. This position's responsibilities for the above-listed employees includes the following (check as many as apply):
N
/ Complete and sign service ratings.
/ N
/ Assign work.
N
/ Provide formal written counseling.
/ N
/ Approve work.
N
N
/ Approve leave requests.
/ Review work.
N
/ Approve time and attendance.
/ N
/ Provide guidance on work methods.
N
/ Orally reprimand.
/ N
/ Train employees in the work.
22. Do you agree with the responses for items 1 through 20? If not, which items do you disagree with and why?
Yes
23. What are the essential functions of this position?
Review of property descriptions and acreage under State leases for verification of the Decimal Interest used in royalty calculations (DO). Track and review production levels from all mineral programs and determine that all lessees are reporting according to the terms of their lease. Review and update files, permit records, unitization agreements and DEQ/MPSC records to DNR records which are used to determine that the State of Michigan is getting paid for correct amounts of rents and royalties due on a timely basis. Frequent telephone and written inquiries from and to industry representatives and other DNR Divisions. Occasional in-person inquiries from industry personnel, the general public and other DNR Divisions. All contacts are to obtain or give information pertaining to lease files, mining/well and production information, agreement interpretation, or other information. Administrative support to compliance staff.
24. Indicate specifically how the position's duties and responsibilities have changed since the position was last reviewed.
Support duties related to compliance activities have been added to the position. (Duty 7)
25. What is the function of the work area and how does this position fit into that function?
Minerals Management administers statutes, rules, regulations, policies, procedures, and leases relating to oil and gas, metallic, nonmetallic, and underground gas storage leasing programs. This includes the sale of minerals and allied rights in State-owned lands, and verification of all revenues due to the State through mineral leasing activities. As a Property Analyst within the Revenue Verification Unit (RVU), this position is primarily responsible for reviewing Division Orders and determining the decimal interest for calculating royalty payments is based on the correct acreage. It is also primarily responsible for monitoring the mineral production from the State leases is being reported correctly and within the terms of the lease. These two functions are critical in ensuring that the DNR is receiving the correct revenue payments from the mineral leasing programs. The compliance work is critical to ensuring lessees incur the costs to repair/reclaim and not the State of Michigan.
26. What are the minimum education and experience qualifications needed to perform the essential functions of this position?
EDUCATION:
Possession of Bachelor’s degree in any major
EXPERIENCE:
Property Analyst 9 - No specific type or amount is required. Property Analyst 10 - One year of professional experience in real estate equivalent to a Property Analyst 9. Property Analyst P11 - Two years of professional experience in real estate equivalent to a Property Analyst, including one year equivalent to a Property Analyst 10.
KNOWLEDGE, SKILLS, AND ABILITIES:
Knowledge of Federal and state laws, rules, practices, methods, and procedures related to real estate and the mineral industry. Knowledge of mineral leases and lease terms. Knowledge of landowner rights. Knowledge of the application of data processing and terminology. Ability to use routine office equipment, including strong personal computer skills with an emphasis on Microsoft products including Word, Excel, Access, and PowerPoint preferred. Ability to collect and organize data, interpret its significance, and prepare accurate reports. Ability to comprehend and carry out oral and written directions and procedures. Ability to read plat maps and property descriptions. Ability to communicate effectively with others. Ability to maintain favorable relations within the work unit, department and the public. Ability to present data in a clear and understandable manner to both technical and non-technical users. Ability to organize work. Ability to maintain records and prepare reports and correspondence. Good organizational skills with the ability to maintain records and prepare reports and correspondence related to the work. Strong math skills required.
CERTIFICATES, LICENSES, REGISTRATIONS:
None
NOTE: Civil Service approval does not constitute agreement with or acceptance of the desired qualifications of this position.