The U.S. Minerals Management Service has scheduled a Central Gulf of Mexico lease sale for MaN, 13 in New Orleans.
It also proposed two 1993 sales in the gulf and issued a call for information and nominations for a St. George basin lease sale off Alaska.
The May sale, No. 139, will offer 5,213 gulf blocks totaling 28.1 million acres in waters of 4 m to more than 3,425 m 3-220 miles off Texas, Louisiana, Mississippi, and Alabama (OGJ, Feb. 10, p. 38).
MMS estimated the sale area's recoverable reserves at 160 million bbl of oil and 1.58 tcf of gas.
Blocks in less than 400 m of water--1,149 of them--will be offered for 5 year terms and a 1/8 royalty. Carrying a 1/8 royalty will be 204 blocks in 400-900 m of water offered for 8 year terms and 3,860 blocks in 900-3,060 m for 10 year terms.
MMS also unveiled plans to conduct a central gulf sale, No. 142, in March 1993 and a western gulf sale, No. 143, in August 1993.
Those sales will be the first MMS will hold under procedures of its new area and evaluation and decision process, announced as part of the 1992-97 lease sale plan.
The central gulf sale will offer about 5,194 blocks totaling 28 million acres of Texas, Louisiana, Mississippi, and Alabama.
They are 3-220 miles offshore in 43,425 in of water.
The western gulf sale will offer 4,715 blocks covering 25.8 million acres off Texas and Louisiana. The blocks are 9-222 miles offshore in 83,000 m of water.
The Alaskan sale, No. 153, is tentatively scheduled for December 1994. Two previous St. George basin sales were canceled due to lack of industry interest.
MMS plans to prepare an environmental impact statement for the sale. The area available for nominations consists of 2,149 blocks totaling 12 million acres.
Copyright 1992 Oil & Gas Journal. All Rights Reserved.
