delay rental

delay rental. Oil & gas. A payment from the lessee to the lessor made to maintain the mineral lease from period to period during the primary term without an obligation to drill. See DRILLING-DELAY RENTAL CLAUSE; “or”lease, “unless”lease under LEASE; PAID-UP LEASE.

Oil & gas. A periodic payment made by an oil-and-gas lessee to postpone exploration during the primary lease term. See DRILLING-DELAY RENTAL CLAUSE. [Cases: Mines and Minerals 78.1(3). C.J.S. Mines and Minerals §§ 269–270.]