For purchased digital documents, links will be sent via email within 24-48 hours.


The Foundation publishes the following model form contracts for use in the mining and oil and gas sectors. Most Forms are available in Word format.

Form 1: Rocky Mountain Unit Operating Agreement – Oil & Gas (Undivided Interest)
For federal lands
Working interest percentages remain fixed
Published May 1954 26 pages (PDF)

Form 2: Rocky Mountain Unit Operating Agreement – Oil & Gas (Divided Interest)
For federal lands
Published October 1995 58 pages (Word)

Form 3: Rocky Mountain Joint Operating Agreement – Oil & Gas
Designed for use in the Rocky Mountain area
For a joint venture without a field-wide federal unit
Published December 1968 15 pages (PDF)

Form 4: Rocky Mountain Mining Joint Operating Agreement
Covers metallic and nonmetallic minerals, but not oil & gas
Published October 1971 12 pages (Word)

Form 5A: Exploration, Development, and Mine Operating Agreement
Joint venture agreement
Designed for both the domestic and international mining industries
Published December 1996 171 pages (Word)

Form 5 LLC: Exploration, Development and Mining Limited Liability CompanyNew in 2015
Form Exploration, Development, and Mining LLC Agreement
Form Development and Mining LLC Company Agreement
Form Exploration and Development Agreement
Form LLC Contribution Agreement
Includes Exhibits, Checklist, Alternate Provisions, and Commentary
Available as a single-user license or a license for multiple locations
Published July 2015 – 259 pages (Word)

Form 5A LLC: Exploration, Development and Mining Limited Liability Company
Although superseded by Form 5 LLC (2015), Form 5A LLC remains available as a reference
Published July 1998 – 98 pages (Word)

Form 6: Gas Balancing Agreement
Facilitates negotiation of operating agreements
May be used as an Appendix to the AAPL Form 610
Published May 1990 – 3 pages (PDF)

Form 7: Confidentiality and Nondisclosure Agreement
For the mining and oil & gas industries
Published December 1996 – 8 pages (Word)