A court-appointed keeper has broad power to administer and operate the mortgaged mineral property, must account when the court directs, and may be denied or have compensation reduced in some cases.
§5133. Powers, duties and compensation A keeper appointed under the provisions of R.S. 9:5131 through 9:5135 shall have full powers of administration and may operate the mineral right and all wells or facilities located thereon covered by the mortgage in the ordinary course of business and produce and dispose of minerals accruing to such interest without further or express authority. All revenues or other amounts received by the keeper during the course of his administration shall be first applied to the costs and expenses incurred by him in the administration or preservation of the property and the balance, if any, shall be applied to the debt secured by the mortgage. The keeper shall render an accounting of his administration at such time or times as the court before whom the proceedings are pending may direct and all costs and expenses necessarily incurred by him in the course of his administration shall be taxed as a part of the costs of the proceedings to the extent they have not been satisfied out of revenues previously received by the keeper. Costs and expenses of administration shall not include any compensation to a keeper appointed under the provisions of R.S. 9:5131 through 9:5135 for his services unless he was particularly identified by the parties in the act of mortgage and the manner of determining such compensation is therein agreed to. The mortgagee or any employee of the mortgagee shall not be entitled to compensation as keeper, even if he is expressly designated in the mortgage to act as keeper. The court may reduce the amount of compensation of the keeper as fixed by the terms of the mortgage if the court determines the amount to be unreasonable in light of the services actually rendered by him. Added by Acts 1974, No. 546, §1, eff. Jan. 1, 1975.