(a) After you establish a participating area, if you do not meet a continuing development obligation and BLM has not granted you an extension of time to meet the obligation, the unit contracts. This means that—

(1) All areas within the unit that do not have participating areas established are eliminated from the unit. Any eliminated areas are subject to their original lease terms; and

(2) Only established participating areas, whether they are actually producing or not, remain in the unit.

(b) Units contract effective the first day of the month after the date on which the unit agreement required the continuing development obligations to begin.

(c) If you do not meet a continuing development obligation before you establish a participating area, the unit terminates (see § 3137.132 of this subpart).