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MMS issues final notice for western gulf lease sale

Aug. 3, 1998

The U.S. Minerals Management Service has issued a final notice for an Aug. 26 Western Gulf of Mexico lease sale in New Orleans. Sale 171 will offer 20.64 million acres off Texas and Louisiana. The 3,778 available blocks are 9-200 miles offshore in water depths from 8 m to more than 3,000 m. There are 2,329 blocks in more than 200 m of water that will be eligible for reduced royalties. The last western gulf sale drew high bids totaling $616 million for 804 tracts (OGJ, Sept. 1, 1997, p. 30).

The U.S. Minerals Management Service has issued a final notice for an Aug. 26 Western Gulf of Mexico lease sale in New Orleans.

Sale 171 will offer 20.64 million acres off Texas and Louisiana.

The 3,778 available blocks are 9-200 miles offshore in water depths from 8 m to more than 3,000 m.

There are 2,329 blocks in more than 200 m of water that will be eligible for reduced royalties.

The last western gulf sale drew high bids totaling $616 million for 804 tracts (OGJ, Sept. 1, 1997, p. 30).

The upcoming sale will not offer blocks within the Flower Garden Banks National Marine Sanctuary, pursuant to President Bill Clinton's June 12, 1998, order banning leasing in existing national marine sanctuaries.

It also will not offer tracts in an offshore area where the U.S. and Mexico have competing claims.