BOEM gives final notice on central, eastern gulf lease sales

The US Bureau of Ocean Energy Management (BOEM) has given final notice to prospective bidders on the more than 40 million acres made available for oil and gas exploration and development in the Gulf of Mexico.

Central Lease Sale 231 and eastern Lease Sale 225 will be held consecutively in New Orleans on Mar. 19 (OGJ Online, Oct. 25, 2013; Dec. 3, 2013).

The sales will be the fourth and fifth offshore auctions under the Outer Continental Shelf Oil and Gas Leasing Program for 2012-17.

The lease sales build on the first three sales in the 5-year program that offered more than 79 million acres for development and received $1.4 billion in apparent high bids.

BOEM also will open any pending bids submitted in Western Planning Area Lease Sale 233 for blocks lying partially within 3 statute miles of the maritime and continental shelf boundary with Mexico.