Sara Tays is awarded the MMS Corporate Leadership Award for her outstanding efforts to assist MMS in implementing its offshore Royalty-in-Kind (RIK) Pilot Programs. Ms. Tays, acting on her own initiative, established work relationships with several key MMS RIK managers to discuss and resolve many outstanding issues regarding the responsibilities, rights, and obligations of operators, lessees, and the MMS. Before Ms. Tays' involvement, these issues were not clearly conceived or developed.

In July 1999, Exxon received a "Dear Operator" letter from MMS in which a framework of responsibilities for delivery of royalty gas was outlined for specific Exxon-operated properties. Ms. Tays coordinated a series of meetings to improve this framework and make it more consistent with standard industry practice. Ms. Tays recognized that, because there are no regulations covering RIK issues, these improvements should be standardized to apply to all MMS RIK programs so that industry and MMS could enjoy a mutual understanding of rights and obligations under RIK situations.

Acting on her own initiative, Ms. Tays coordinated a series of meetings within industry to adopt mutually agreeable RIK agreements and acted as liaison with MMS to obtain the concurrence of both parties. Notable among her accomplishments was the coordination of a high level meeting of MMS and operators of Gulf of Mexico leases involved in the initial large RIK pilot phase. This meeting and subsequent editing of documentation of the consensus agreement formed the basis of our current agreements with operators concerning operational aspects of RIK deliveries.

Ms. Tays' efforts contributed greatly to the successful implementation of the first phase of MMS’ large offshore RIK pilot project. Her initiative has ensured that industry and MMS are undertaking RIK programs in a partnership relationship – a key to successful programs and more positive business relationships.