The Secretary, directly or by contract, lease, or otherwise, shall explore, prospect, conserve, develop, use, and operate the naval petroleum reserves in his discretion, subject to the provisions of subsection (c) and the other provisions of this chapter; except that no petroleum leases shall be granted at Naval Petroleum Reserves Numbered 1 and 3.

Except as otherwise provided in this chapter, particularly subsection (c), the naval petroleum reserves shall be used and operated for—

(1) the protection, conservation, maintenance, and testing of those reserves; or

(2) the production of petroleum whenever and to the extent that the Secretary, with the approval of the President, finds that such production is needed for national defense purposes and the production is authorized by a joint resolution of Congress.

In administering Naval Petroleum Reserves Numbered 1, 2, and 3, the Secretary is authorized and directed—

In administering Naval Petroleum Reserves Numbered 1, 2, and 3, the Secretary is authorized and directed—

(A) to further explore, develop, and operate such reserves;

(B) to produce, during any extension of a period under paragraph (2), such reserves— (i) at the maximum efficient rate consistent with sound engineering practices; or (ii) at a lesser rate consistent with sound engineering practices and the protection, conservation, maintenance, and testing of such reserves if the Secretary determines that the minimum price described in section 8730(b)(2) of this title cannot be attained for the United States share of petroleum (other than natural gas liquids) produced from such Reserves;

(C) during such production period or any extension thereof to sell or otherwise dispose of the United States share of such petroleum produced from such reserves as provided in section 8730 of this title; and

(D) to construct, acquire, or contract for the use of storage and shipping facilities on and off the reserves and pipelines and associated facilities on and off the reserves for transporting petroleum from such reserves to the points where the production from such reserves will be refined or shipped.

After April 5, 1982, the President may extend the period of production in the case of any naval petroleum reserve for additional periods of not to exceed three years each—

(A) after the President requires an investigation to be made, in the case of each extension, to determine the necessity for continued production from such naval petroleum reserve;

(B) after the President submits to the Congress, at least 180 days before the expiration of the current production period prescribed by this section, or any extension thereof, a copy of the report made to him on such investigation together with a certification by him that continued production from such naval petroleum reserve is in the national interest; and

(C) if neither House of Congress within ninety days after receipt of such report and certification adopts a resolution disapproving further production from such naval petroleum reserve.

(Aug. 10, 1956, ch. 1041, 70A Stat. 458, § 7422; Pub. L. 87–599, § 1, Aug. 24, 1962, 76 Stat. 401; Pub. L. 87–796, § 1(2), Oct. 11, 1962, 76 Stat. 904; Pub. L. 94–258, title II, § 201(3), Apr. 5, 1976, 90 Stat. 307; Pub. L. 96–137, § 3(a), Dec. 12, 1979, 93 Stat. 1061; Pub. L. 96–513, title V, § 513(31), Dec. 12, 1980, 94 Stat. 2933; Pub. L. 98–525, title XIV, § 1405(51), Oct. 19, 1984, 98 Stat. 2625; Pub. L. 99–413, § 1(a), Aug. 29, 1986, 100 Stat. 944; Pub. L. 100–202, § 101(g) [title II, § 201], Dec. 22, 1987, 101 Stat. 1329–213, 1329–242; Pub. L. 101–189, div. A, title XVI, § 1622(f)(2), Nov. 29, 1989, 103 Stat. 1605; Pub. L. 107–217, § 3(b)(30), Aug. 21, 2002, 116 Stat. 1297; Pub. L. 108–178, § 4(b)(6), Dec. 15, 2003, 117 Stat. 2641; renumbered § 8722 and amended Pub. L. 115–232, div. A, title VIII, §§ 807(d)(5), 809(a), Aug. 13, 2018, 132 Stat. 1836, 1840.)