Outer Continental Shelf (OCS) Western Planning Area (WPA) Gulf of Mexico (GOM) Oil and Gas Lease Sale 218, 70473-70478 [2011-29340]
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Federal Register / Vol. 76, No. 219 / Monday, November 14, 2011 / Notices
Total Estimated Burden Hours: 688.
Status: Extension without change of a
currently approved collection.
Authority: Section 3507 of the Paperwork
Reduction Act of 1995, 44 U.S.C. 35, as
amended.
Dated: November 4, 2011.
Colette Pollard,
Departmental Reports Management Officer,
Office of the Chief Information Officer.
[FR Doc. 2011–29360 Filed 11–10–11; 8:45 am]
BILLING CODE 4210–67–P
Public bid reading for the WPA
Oil and Gas Lease Sale 218 will begin
at 9 a.m., Wednesday, December 14,
2011, at the Louisiana Superdome, 1500
Sugarbowl Drive, New Orleans,
Louisiana 70112. All times referred to in
this document are local New Orleans
times, unless otherwise specified.
DATES:
DEPARTMENT OF THE INTERIOR
Bureau of Ocean Energy Management
(BOEM)
Outer Continental Shelf (OCS) Western
Planning Area (WPA) Gulf of Mexico
(GOM) Oil and Gas Lease Sale 218
Interested parties can obtain
a Package by contacting BOEM at: Gulf
of Mexico Region Public Information
Unit, Bureau of Ocean Energy
Management, 1201 Elmwood Park
Boulevard, New Orleans, Louisiana
70123–2394, (504) 736–2519 or (800)
200–GULF, https://www.gomr.boem.gov.
Filing of Bids: Bidders must submit
sealed bids to the Regional Director
(RD), BOEM Gulf of Mexico Region,
1201 Elmwood Park Boulevard, New
Orleans, Louisiana, 70123–2394,
between 8 a.m. and 4 p.m. on normal
working days, and from 8 a.m. to the
Bid Submission Deadline of 10 a.m. on
Tuesday, December 13, 2011, the day
before the lease sale. If bids are mailed,
please address the envelope containing
all of the sealed bids as follows:
ADDRESSES:
Bureau of Ocean Energy
Management, Interior.
ACTION: Final notice of sale.
AGENCY:
On Wednesday, December 14,
2011, BOEM will open and publicly
announce bids received for the blocks
offered in WPA Oil and Gas Lease Sale
218, in accordance with provisions of
the OCS Lands Act (OSCLA) (43 U.S.C.
1331–1356, as amended) and the
regulations issued thereunder (30 CFR
Part 556). The Final NOS 218 Package
(Package) contains information essential
to potential bidders, and bidders are
charged with the knowledge of the
documents contained in the Package.
Sale 218 includes five changes from
WPA Sale 210 in August 2009: (1)
BOEM revised the initial period of the
SUMMARY:
lease term for blocks in water depths of
400 meters to less than 1,600 meters, (2)
the minimum bonus bid has increased
for blocks in water depths of 400 meters
or deeper, (3) no deepwater royalty
suspension provisions will be offered
for leases issued from this sale, (4) bids
submitted for blocks within the U.S.Mexico ‘‘Boundary Area’’ will be held
unopened until on or before 30 days
following a Transboundary Agreement
is executed or June 14, 2012, as
explained below, and (5) the lease form
has been revised.
Attention: Chief, Leasing and
Financial Responsibility Section,
BOEM, Gulf of Mexico Region, 1201
Elmwood Park Boulevard, New Orleans,
Louisiana 70123–2394, Contains Sealed
Bids for WPA Oil and Gas Lease Sale
218, Please Deliver to Ms. Nancy
Kornrumpf, 6th Floor, Immediately.
Please Note: 1. Bidders mailing bid(s) are
advised to call Ms. Nancy Kornrumpf at (504)
736–2726 or Ms. Cindy Thibodeaux at (504)
736–2809 immediately after putting their
bid(s) in the mail. If the RD receives bids
later than the time and date specified above,
he will return those bids unopened to
bidders. Should an unexpected event such as
flooding or travel restrictions be significantly
disruptive to bid submission, BOEM may
extend the Bid Submission Deadline. Bidders
may call (504) 736–0557 or access our BOEM
Gulf of Mexico Internet Web site at: https://
www.gomr.boem.gov for information about
the possible extension of the Bid Submission
Deadline due to such an event.
2. Blocks or portions of blocks beyond the
United States (U.S.) Exclusive Economic
Zone are offered based upon provisions of
the 1982 Law of the Sea Convention, and
could be subject to a continental shelf
delimitation agreement between the United
States and Mexico. Bidders are advised to
refer to the Bids on Blocks Near U.S.-Mexico
Maritime and Continental Shelf Boundary
portion of this document for detailed
information pertaining to the opening of bids
affecting blocks in this area.
Areas Offered for Leasing: In WPA Oil
and Gas Lease Sale 218, BOEM is
offering to lease all blocks and partial
blocks listed in the document ‘‘List of
Blocks Available for Leasing’’ included
in the Final NOS 218 Package. All of
these blocks are shown on the following
leasing maps and Official Protraction
Diagrams (OPD’s):
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Outer Continental Shelf Leasing Maps—Texas Map Numbers 1 Through 8
(These 16 maps sell for $2.00 each.)
TX1 ...............................
TX1A .............................
TX2 ...............................
TX2A .............................
TX3 ...............................
TX3A .............................
TX4 ...............................
TX5 ...............................
TX5B .............................
TX6 ...............................
TX6A .............................
TX7 ...............................
TX7A .............................
TX7B .............................
TX7C .............................
TX8 ...............................
South Padre Island Area (revised November 1, 2000).
South Padre Island Area, East Addition (revised November 1, 2000).
North Padre Island Area (revised November 1, 2000).
North Padre Island Area, East Addition (revised November 1, 2000).
Mustang Island Area (revised November 1, 2000).
Mustang Island Area, East Addition (revised September 3, 2002).
Matagorda Island Area (revised November 1, 2000).
Brazos Area (revised November 1, 2000).
Brazos Area, South Addition (revised November 1, 2000).
Galveston Area (revised November 1, 2000).
Galveston Area, South Addition (revised November 1, 2000).
High Island Area (revised November 1, 2000).
High Island Area, East Addition (revised November 1, 2000).
High Island Area, South Addition (revised November 1, 2000).
High Island Area, East Addition, South Extension (revised November 1, 2000).
Sabine Pass Area (revised July 1, 2011).
Outer Continental Shelf Leasing Maps—Louisiana Map Numbers 1A, 1B, and 12
(These 3 maps sell for $2.00 each.)
LA1A .............................
LA1B .............................
LA12 .............................
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West Cameron Area, West Addition (revised February 28, 2007).
West Cameron Area, South Addition (revised February 28, 2007).
Sabine Pass Area (revised February 28, 2007).
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Outer Continental Shelf Official Protraction Diagrams
(These 7 diagrams sell for $2.00 each.)
NG14–03
NG14–06
NG15–01
NG15–02
NG15–04
NG15–05
NG15–08
......................
......................
......................
......................
......................
......................
......................
Corpus Christi (revised November 1, 2000).
Port Isabel (revised November 1, 2000).
East Breaks (revised November 1, 2000).
Garden Banks (revised February 28, 2007).
Alaminos Canyon (revised November 1, 2000).
Keathley Canyon (revised February 28, 2007).
Sigsbee Escarpment (revised February 28, 2007).
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Please note: A CD–ROM (in ARC/INFO and
Acrobat (.pdf) format) containing all of the
GOM leasing maps and OPD’s, except for
those not yet converted to digital format, is
available from BOEM Gulf of Mexico Region
Public Information Unit for a price of $15.
These GOM leasing maps and OPD’s are also
available for free online in .pdf and .gra
format at https://www.gomr.boem.gov/
homepg/lsesale/map_arc.html.
For the current status of all GOM
WPA leasing maps and OPD’s, please
refer to 66 FR 28002 (published May 21,
2001), 67 FR 60701 (published
September 26, 2002), and 72 FR 27590
(published May 16, 2007). In addition,
Supplemental Official OCS Block
Diagrams (SOBD’s) for these blocks are
available which contain the U.S. 200
Nautical Mile Limit line and the U.S.Mexico Maritime and Continental Shelf
Boundary line. These SOBD’s are also
available from BOEM Gulf of Mexico
Region Public Information Unit. For
additional information, please call the
Mapping and Automation Section at
(504) 736–5768.
All blocks are shown on these leasing
maps and OPD’s. The available Federal
acreage of all whole and partial blocks
in this lease sale is shown in the
document ‘‘List of Blocks Available for
Leasing’’ included in the Final NOS 218
Package. Some of these blocks may be
partially leased or deferred, or
transected by administrative lines such
as the Federal/state jurisdictional line.
A bid on a block must include all of the
available Federal acreage of that block.
Also, information on the unleased
portions of such blocks is found in the
document ‘‘Western Planning Area,
Lease Sale 218, December 14, 2011—
Unleased Split Blocks and Available
Unleased Acreage of Blocks with
Aliquots and Irregular Portions Under
Lease or Deferred’’ included in the Final
NOS 218 Package.
Areas Not Available for Leasing: The
following whole and partial blocks are
not offered for lease in this sale:
Whole blocks and portions of blocks
that lie within the boundaries of the
Flower Garden Banks National Marine
Sanctuary at the East and West Flower
Garden Banks and Stetson Bank (the
following list includes all blocks
affected by the Sanctuary boundaries):
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High Island, East Addition, South
Extension (Leasing Map TX7C)
Whole Block: A–398
Portions of Blocks: A–366*, A–367*, A–
374*, A–375, A–383*, A–384*, A–
385*,
A–388, A–389, A–397*, A–399, A–401
*Leased
High Island, South Addition (Leasing
Map TX7B)
Portions of Blocks: A–502, A–513
Garden Banks (OPD NG15–02)
Portions of Blocks: 134, 135
Whole blocks and portions of blocks
that lie within the former Western Gap
and lie within the 1.4 nautical mile
north of the continental shelf boundary
between the United States and Mexico:
Keathley Canyon (OPD NG15–05)
Portions of Blocks: 978 through 980
Sigsbee Escarpment (OPD NG15–08)
Whole Blocks: 11, 57, 103, 148, 149, 194
Portions of Blocks: 12 through 14, 58
through 60, 104 through 106, 150
Blocks currently under appeal
(although currently unleased, the
following blocks are under appeal and
bids will not be accepted):
Garden Banks (NG15–02)
Blocks 623 and 624
Note: Bids on Blocks Near the U.S.-Mexico
Maritime and Continental Shelf Boundary.
Due to ongoing negotiations with the
Government of Mexico on a Transboundary
Agreement, bids submitted on any block in
the ‘‘Boundary Area’’ as defined below will
be segregated from bids submitted on blocks
outside the Boundary Area. Bids submitted
on blocks outside the Boundary Area will be
opened on the date scheduled for sale, as is
normally the practice. Bids submitted on
blocks in the Boundary Area will not be
opened on the date scheduled for the sale,
but may be opened at a later date. On or
before 30 days following execution of a
Transboundary Agreement or June 14, 2012,
whichever occurs first, the Secretary of the
Interior will determine whether it is in the
best interest of the United States either to
open bids for Boundary Area blocks or to
return the bids unopened.
BOEM will notify bidders at least 30
days prior to bid opening. Bidders on
these blocks may withdraw their bids at
any time after such notice and prior to
10 a.m. (New Orleans local time) of the
day before bid opening. If BOEM does
not give notice by 30 days after
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execution of a Transboundary
Agreement or by June 14, 2012,
whichever occurs first, BOEM will
return the bids unopened. This will
provide time for companies to make
decisions regarding the next annual
Western Gulf of Mexico Planning Area
lease sale proposed for 2012, which may
also offer blocks in this area. BOEM
reserves the right to return these bids at
any time. BOEM will not disclose which
blocks received bids or the names of
bidders in this area unless and until the
bids are opened.
In the event the Secretary decides to
open bids on blocks in the Boundary
Area, BOEM will notify such bidders of
the agreement and will describe the
terms under which leases in the
Boundary Area will be issued. The
bidders will have 20 days from the date
of the notice to inform BOEM whether
they will withdraw their bids on blocks
in the Boundary Area or to reaffirm their
interest in such a lease subject to the
new terms that are necessary to
implement the United States’
obligations under the Transboundary
Agreement.
BOEM currently anticipates that
blocks in the Boundary Area that are not
awarded as a result of Lease Sale 218
would be reoffered in the following
lease sale for the Western Planning
Area, tentatively scheduled for later in
2012.
‘‘Transboundary Agreement,’’ refers to
a possible agreement between the
United Mexican States and the United
States of America that may be approved
by both governments after October 21,
2011 and before June 15, 2012, and that
addresses identification and unitization
of transboundary hydrocarbon
reservoirs, allocation of production,
inspections, safety, and environmental
protection.
‘‘Boundary Area,’’ means an area
comprised of the entirety of any and all
blocks in the Western Planning Area,
that are located or partially located
within three nautical miles of the
maritime and continental shelf
boundary with Mexico, as that maritime
boundary is delimited in the November
24, 1970 Treaty to Resolve Pending
Boundary Differences and Maintain the
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Rio Grande and Colorado River as the
International Boundary, the May 4, 1978
Treaty on Maritime Boundaries between
the United Mexican States and the
United States of America, and the June
9, 2000 Treaty on the Continental Shelf
between the Government of the United
Mexican States and the Government of
the United States of America. The
following blocks comprise the Boundary
Area:
Port Isabel Blocks—914, 915, 916, 917,
918, 919, 920, 921, 922, 923, 924, 945,
946, 947, 948, 958, 959, 960, 961, 962,
963, 964, 965, 965, 966, 967, 968, 989,
990, 991, and 992
Alaminos Canyon Blocks—881, 882,
883*, 884*, 885, 886, 887, 888, 889*,
890*, 891, 892, 893*, 894*, 895, 896,
897, 898, 899*, 900*, 901*, 902*,
903*, 904*, 905, 906, 907, 908, 909,
910, 911, 912, 925, 926, 927*, 928*,
929, 930, 931, 932, 933, 934, 935, 936,
937, 938, 939*, 940*, 941, 942*, 943*,
944*, 945*, 946, 947*, 948, 949, 950,
951, 952, 953, 954, 955, 956, 957, 958,
959, 960, 961, 962, 963, 964, 965, 992,
993, 994, 995, 996, 997, 998, 999,
1000, 1001, 1002, 1003, 1004, 1005,
1006, 1007, 1008, and 1009
Keathley Canyon Blocks—925, 926, 927,
928, 929, 930, 931, 932, 933, 934, 935,
969, 970, 971, 972, 973, 974, 975, 976,
977, 978, 979, 980, and 981
Sigsbee Escarpment Blocks—11, 12, 13,
14, 15, 57, 58, 59, 60, 61, 103, 104,
105, 106, 148, 149, 150, and 194
South Padre Island Blocks—1154, 1163,
1164, 1165, and 1166*
South Padre Island, East Addition
Blocks—1155, 1156, 1157, 1158, 1159,
1160, 1161, 1162, A 78, A 79, A 80,
A 81, A 82, A 83, A 84, A 85, A 86,
A 87, A 89, and A 90
*Leased
Statutes and Regulations: Each lease
is issued pursuant to the OCS Lands Act
(OCSLA) of August 7, 1953; 43 U.S.C.
1331 et seq., as amended, (hereinafter
called ‘‘the Act’’) and is subject to the
Act, regulations promulgated pursuant
thereto, and other statutes and
regulations in existence upon the
Effective Date of the lease, and those
statutes enacted (including amendments
to the Act or other statutes) and
regulations promulgated thereafter,
except to the extent they explicitly
conflict with an express provision of
this lease. It is expressly understood
that subsequent amendments to the Act,
other statutes, and regulations which do
not explicitly conflict with an express
provision of the lease may be made and
70475
that the Lessee bears the risk that such
amendments may increase or decrease
the Lessee’s obligations under the lease.
BOEM will use a new lease form (BOEM
Form 2005 (October 2011)) to convey
leases offered in this sale. The new lease
form may be viewed on the BOEM Web
site at: https://www.gomr.boem.gov/
homepg/boemforms/FormBOEM–
2005.pdf. The lease form will be
amended to conform with the specific
terms, conditions and stipulations
applicable to the individual lease.
Addressed below are the terms,
conditions, and stipulations applicable
to this sale.
Lease Terms and Conditions: Initial
periods, extensions of initial periods,
minimum bonus bid amounts, rental
rates, escalating rental rates for leases
with an approved extension of the
initial 5-year period, royalty rate,
minimum royalty, and royalty
suspension provisions, if any,
applicable to this sale are noted below.
Related areas are depicted on the map
‘‘Final, Western Planning Area, Lease
Sale 218, December 14, 2011, Lease
Terms and Economic Conditions,’’ for
leases resulting from this lease sale.
Initial Periods: Initial periods are
summarized in the following table.
Water depth in
meters
Initial periods
0 to <400 ......................................
5 years extended to 8 years if a well is spudded during the initial 5-year period targeting hydrocarbons
below 25,000 feet true vertical depth (TVD) subsea (SS).
5 years extended to 8 years if a well is spudded during the initial 5-year period.
7 years extended to 10 years if a well is spudded during the initial 7- year period.
10 years.
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400 to <800 ..................................
800 to <1,600 ...............................
1,600+ ..........................................
Extensions of Initial Periods:
1. The 5-year initial period for a lease
in water depths of less than 400 meters
may be extended to 8 years if a well,
targeting hydrocarbons below 25,000
feet TVD SS, is spudded within the 5year initial period. The 3-year extension
will be granted in cases where the well
is drilled to a target below 25,000 feet
TVD SS and may also be granted in
cases where the well targets but does
not reach a depth below 25,000 feet
TVD SS due to mechanical or safety
reasons.
In order for the 5-year initial period
to be extended to 8 years, the lessee is
required to submit to the Bureau of
Safety and Environmental Enforcement
(BSEE) GOM Regional Supervisor for
Production and Development, within 30
days after completion of the drilling
operation, a letter providing the well
number, spud date, information
demonstrating the target below 25,000
feet TVD SS, and if applicable, any
safety or mechanical problems
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encountered that prevented the well
from reaching a depth below 25,000 feet
TVD SS. The Regional Supervisor must
concur in writing that the conditions
have been met to extend the initial
period 3 years. The Regional Supervisor
will provide written confirmation of any
lease extension within 30 days of
receipt of the letter provided.
A lease that has earned a 3-year
extension by spudding a well during the
5-year initial period with a hydrocarbon
target below 25,000 feet TVD SS,
confirmed by BSEE, will not be eligible
for a suspension for that same period
under the regulations at 30 CFR 250.175
because the lease is not at risk of
expiring.
2. The 5-year initial period for a lease
in water depths of 400 meters to less
than 800 meters issued from this sale
will be extended to 8 years if a well is
spudded within the initial 5-year
period; otherwise, the lease expires on
its own terms.
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In order for the 5-year initial period
to be extended to 8 years, the lessee is
required to submit to the appropriate
BSEE District Manager, within 30 days
after spudding a well, a letter providing
the well number, spud date, and
requesting confirmation of a 3-year
extension of the initial period. The
District Manager will review the request
and make a determination. A written
response will be sent to the lessee
documenting the District Manager’s
decision within 30 days of receipt of the
request. For an extension to be granted,
the District Manager must concur in
writing that the conditions have been
met to extend the initial period 3 years.
3. The 7-year initial period for a lease
in water depths of 800 meters to less
than 1,600 meters issued from this sale
will be extended to 10 years if a well is
spudded within the initial 7-year
period; otherwise, the lease expires on
its own terms.
In order for the 7-year initial period
to be extended to 10 years, the lessee is
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required to submit to the appropriate
District Manager, within 30 days after
spudding a well, a letter providing the
well number, spud date, and requesting
confirmation of a 3-year extension of the
initial period. The District Manager will
review the request and make a
determination. A written response will
be sent to the lessee documenting the
District Manager’s decision within 30
days of receipt of the request. For an
extension to be granted, the District
Manager must concur in writing that the
conditions have been met to extend the
lease term 3 years.
Minimum Bonus Bid Amounts: A
bonus bid will not be considered for
acceptance unless it provides for a cash
bonus in the amount of $25 or more per
acre or fraction thereof for blocks in
water depths of less than 400 meters, or
$100 or more per acre or fraction thereof
for blocks in water depths of 400 meters
or deeper; to confirm the exact
calculation of the minimum bonus bid
amount for each block, see ‘‘List of
Blocks Available for Leasing,’’
contained in the Final NOS 218
Package. Please note that bonus bids
must be in whole dollar amounts (i.e.,
BOEM will disregard partial dollar
amounts).
Rental Rates: Annual rental rates are
summarized in the following table:
RENTAL RATES PER ACRE OR FRACTION THEREOF
Water depth in meters
Years 1–5
0 to < 200 ....................................................................................................................................................
200 to < 400 ................................................................................................................................................
400 to < 800 ................................................................................................................................................
800+ ............................................................................................................................................................
Escalating Rental Rates for Leases
with an Approved Extension of the
Initial Period: Any lease in water depths
less than 400 meters and granted a 3year extension beyond the 5-year initial
period as provided above will pay an
escalating rental rate as shown above.
The escalating rental rates after the 5th
year for blocks in less than 400 meters
will become fixed and no longer
escalate if another well is spudded
during the 3-year extended term of the
lease that targets hydrocarbons below
25,000 feet TVD SS, and BOEM concurs
that such a well has been spudded. In
this case, the rental rate will become
fixed at the rental rate in effect during
the lease year in which the additional
well was spudded.
Royalty Rate: 18.75 percent.
Minimum Royalty: $7.00 per acre or
fraction thereof per year for blocks in
water depths of less than 200 meters
and $11.00 per acre or fraction thereof
per year for blocks in water depths of
200 meters or deeper.
Royalty Suspension Provisions: Leases
with royalty suspension volumes (RSV),
are authorized under existing BSEE
rules at 30 CFR part 203 and BOEM
rules at 30 CFR part 560.
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Deep and Ultra-Deep Gas Royalty
Suspensions
A lease issued as a result of this sale
may be eligible for royalty relief for
deep and ultra-deep wells pursuant to
30 CFR 203.0 and 30 CFR 203.30–
203.49. The regulations provide deep
gas incentives in two ways. First, they
provide an RSV of 35 billion cubic feet
of natural gas for certain wells
completed in a drilling depth category
(20,000 feet TVD SS or deeper) for
leases in 0 to less than 400 meters of
water. Second, they offer RSVs to leases
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in 200 to less than 400 meters of water
that are the same as the RSVs that were
previously offered in shallower water
i.e., in zero to 200 meters of water.
These RSV incentives are conditional on
applicable price thresholds and require
that wells completed from 15,000 to
20,000 feet TVD SS on leases in 200 to
less than 400 meters of water must begin
production before May 3, 2013.
Deepwater Royalty Suspensions
No deepwater royalty suspension
provisions will be offered for leases
issued from this sale.
Lease Stipulations: The map ‘‘Final,
Western Planning Area, Lease Sale 218,
December 14, 2011, Stipulations and
Deferred Blocks’’ depicts those blocks
on which one or more of four lease
stipulations apply: (1) Topographic
Features; (2) Military Areas; (3) Law of
the Sea Convention Royalty Payment;
(4) Protected Species. The texts of the
stipulations are contained in the
document ‘‘Lease Stipulations, Western
Planning Area, Oil and Gas Lease Sale
218, Final Notice of Sale’’ included in
this Final NOS 218 Package. In addition,
the ‘‘List of Blocks Available for
Leasing,’’ contained in the Final NOS
218 Package identifies for each listed
block the lease stipulations applicable
to that block.
Information to Lessees: The Final
NOS 218 Package contains ‘‘Information
To Lessees’’ document that provides
information on certain issues pertaining
to this oil and gas lease sale.
Method of Bidding: For each block bid
upon, a bidder must submit a separate
signed bid in a sealed envelope. The
outside of the envelope should be
labeled ‘‘Sealed Bid for Oil and Gas
Lease Sale 218, not to be opened until
9 a.m., Wednesday, December 14,
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$7.00
11.00
11.00
11.00
Years 6, 7, and 8+
$14.00, $21.00, $28.00.
22.00, 33.00, 44.00.
16.00.
16.00.
2011.’’ The submitting company’s name,
its GOM company number, the map
name, map number, and block number
should be clearly identified on the
outside of the envelope.
The sealed bid should list the total
amount of the bid in a whole dollar
amount, as well as, the sale number, the
sale date, the submitting company’s
name, its GOM company number, the
map name, map number, and the block
number clearly identified. The
information required on the bid(s) and
the bid envelope(s) are specified in the
document ‘‘Bid Form and Envelope’’
contained in the Final NOS 218
Package. A blank bid form has been
provided therein for convenience and
may be copied and filled in. The Final
NOS 218 Package includes a sample bid
envelope for reference.
The Final NOS 218 Package also
includes the Telephone Numbers/
Addresses of Bidders Form. BOEM
requests that bidders provide this
information in the suggested format
prior to or at the time of bid submission.
The Telephone Numbers/Addresses of
Bidders Form should not be enclosed
inside the sealed bid envelope.
BOEM published a list of restricted
joint bidders for this lease sale in the
Federal Register at 76 FR 67759 on
November 2, 2011. Please also refer to
joint bidding provisions at 30 CFR
556.41 for additional information. All
bidders must execute all documents in
conformance with signatory
authorizations on file in BOEM Gulf of
Mexico Region Adjudication Section.
Designated signatories must be
authorized to bind their respective legal
business entities (e.g., a corporation,
partnership, or LLC) and must have an
incumbency certificate setting forth the
authorized signatories on file with the
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GOM Region Adjudication Section.
Bidders submitting joint bids must
include on the bid form the
proportionate interest of each
participating bidder, stated as a
percentage, using a maximum of five
decimal places (e.g., 33.33333 percent)
with total interest equaling 100 percent.
BOEM may require bidders to submit
other documents in accordance with 30
CFR 556.46. BOEM warns bidders
against violation of 18 U.S.C. 1860
prohibiting unlawful combination or
intimidation of bidders. Bidders are
advised that BOEM considers the signed
bid to be a legally binding obligation on
the part of the bidder(s) to comply with
all applicable regulations, including
payment of one-fifth of the bonus bid on
all high bids. A statement to this effect
must be included on each bid form (see
the document ‘‘Bid Form and Envelope’’
contained in the Final NOS 218
Package).
Withdrawal of Bids: Once submitted,
bid(s) may not be withdrawn unless the
RD receives a written request for
withdrawal from the company who
submitted the bid(s), prior to 10 a.m. on
Tuesday, December 13, 2011. This
request must be typed on company
letterhead and must contain the
submitting company’s name, its
company number, the map name/
number and block number of the bid(s)
to be withdrawn. The request must be
in conformance with signatory
authorizations on file in BOEM Gulf of
Mexico Region Adjudication Section.
Signatories must be authorized to bind
their respective legal business entities
(e.g., a corporation, partnership, or LLC)
and must have an incumbency
certificate setting forth the authorized
signatories on file with BOEM GOM
Region Adjudication Section. The name
and title of said signatory must be typed
under the signature block on the
withdrawal letter. Upon the RD’s, or his
designee’s, approval of such requests, he
will indicate his approval by affixing his
signature and date to the submitting
company’s request for withdrawal.
Rounding: The following procedure
must be used to calculate the minimum
bonus bid, annual rental, and minimum
royalty: Round up to the next whole
acre if the block acreage contains a
decimal figure prior to calculating the
minimum bonus bid, annual rental, and
minimum royalty amounts. The
appropriate rate per acre is applied to
the whole (rounded up) acreage.
The bonus bid must be in whole
dollar amounts and greater than or equal
to the minimum bonus bid. The
appropriate minimum bid per-acre rate
is applied to the whole (rounded up)
acreage and the resultant calculation is
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rounded up to the next whole dollar
amount if the calculation results in any
cents. The minimum bonus bid
calculation, including all rounding, is
shown in the document ‘‘List of Blocks
Available for Leasing’’ included in the
Final NOS 218 Package.
Bonus Bid Deposit: Each bidder
submitting an apparent high bid must
submit a bonus bid deposit to the Office
of Natural Resources Revenue (ONRR)
equal to one-fifth of the bonus bid
amount for each such bid. All payments
must be electronically deposited into an
interest-bearing account in the U.S.
Treasury (account information provided
in the Electronic Funds Transfer (EFT)
instructions found on the BOEM Web
site at: https://gomr.boem.gov/homepg/
lsesale/218/EFT-Inst-June 20-2011.pdf)
by 11 a.m. Eastern Time the day
following bid reading (no exceptions).
Under the authority granted by 30 CFR
556.46(b), BOEM requires bidders to use
electronic funds transfer procedures for
payment of one-fifth bonus bid deposits
for Lease Sale 218, following the
detailed instructions contained on the
Payment Information Web page that
may be found on the ONRR Web site at:
https://www.onrr.gov/FM/PayInfo.htm.
Acceptance of a deposit does not
constitute and shall not be construed as
acceptance of any bid on behalf of the
United States. If a lease is awarded,
ONRR requests that only one transaction
be used for payment of the four-fifths
bonus bid amount and the first year’s
rental.
Note: Certain bid submitters (i.e., those
that are NOT currently an OCS mineral lease
record title holder or designated operator OR
those that have ever defaulted on a one-fifth
bonus bid payment (EFT or otherwise)) are
required to guarantee (secure) their one-fifth
bonus bid payment prior to the submission
of bids. For those who must secure the EFT
one-fifth bonus bid payment, one of the
following options may be used: (1) Provide
a third-party guarantee; (2) amend bond
coverage; (3) provide a letter of credit; or (4)
provide a lump sum payment in advance via
EFT. The EFT instructions specify the
requirements for each option.
Withdrawal of Blocks: The United
States reserves the right to withdraw
any block from this lease sale prior to
issuance of a written acceptance of a bid
for the block.
Acceptance, Rejection, or Return of
Bids: The United States reserves the
right to reject any and all bids. In any
case, no bid will be accepted, and no
lease for any block will be awarded to
any bidder, unless the bidder has
complied with all requirements of this
Notice, including those set forth in the
documents contained in the associated
Final NOS 218 Package and applicable
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70477
regulations; the bid is the highest valid
bid; and the amount of the bid has been
determined to be adequate by the
authorized officer. Any bid submitted
that does not conform to the
requirements of this Notice, the Act, and
other applicable regulations may be
returned to the bidder submitting that
bid by the RD and not be considered for
acceptance. The Attorney General may
also review the results of the lease sale
prior to the acceptance of bids and
issuance of leases for anti-trust issues.
To ensure that the Government
receives a fair return for the conveyance
of lease rights for this lease sale, high
bids will be evaluated in accordance
with BOEM bid adequacy procedures. A
copy of current procedures,
‘‘Modifications to the Bid Adequacy
Procedures’’ at 64 FR 37560 on July 12,
1999, can be obtained from the BOEM
Gulf of Mexico Region Public
Information Unit or via the BOEM Gulf
of Mexico Region Internet Web site at:
https://www.gomr.boem.gov/homepg/
lsesale/174/174BIDAD.PDF. In the
existing bid adequacy procedures, water
depth categories in the Gulf of Mexico
are specified as (1) less than 800 meters
and (2) 800 meters or more. Per 64 FR
37560, if different water depth
categories are used for a Gulf of Mexico
sale, they will be specified in the sale’s
final notice. For Sale 218, the water
depth categories are specified as (1) less
than 400 meters and (2) 400 meters or
more.
Successful Bidders: The BOEM
requires each company that has been
awarded a lease to execute all copies of
the lease (Form BOEM–2005 (October
2011), as amended), pay by EFT the
balance of the bonus bid amount and
the first year’s rental for each lease
issued in accordance with the
requirements of 30 CFR 218.155; and
satisfy the bonding requirements of 30
CFR part 556, subpart I, as amended.
Affirmative Action: The BOEM
requests that, prior to bidding, the
bidder file Equal Opportunity
Affirmative Action Representation Form
BOEM 2032 (October 2011) and Equal
Opportunity Compliance Report
Certification Form BOEM 2033 (October
2011) in the BOEM Gulf of Mexico
Region Adjudication Section. This
certification is required by 41 CFR part
60 and Executive Order No. 11246 of
September 24, 1965, as amended by
Executive Order No. 11375 of October
13, 1967. In any event, prior to the
execution of any lease contract, both
forms are required to be on file for the
bidder in the GOM Region Adjudication
Section.
Geophysical Data and Information
Statement: Pursuant to 30 CFR 251.12,
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BOEM has a right to access geophysical
data and information collected under a
permit in the OCS.
Every bidder submitting a bid on a
block in Sale 218, or participating as a
joint bidder in such a bid, must submit
at the time of bid submission a
Geophysical Data and Information
Statement (GDIS) in a separate and
sealed envelope, identifying any
enhanced or reprocessed geophysical
data and information generated or used
as part of the decision to bid or
participate in a bid on the block
(including the use of Controlled Source
Electromagnetics, Gravity, etc.). The
data identified in the GDIS should
clearly identify whether the data or
information are multi-client
(speculative) data sets available directly
from geophysical contractors or
exclusive (proprietary) data sets
specially processed for or by bidders. In
addition, the GDIS should clearly
identify the data type (2–D or 3–D, prestack or post-stack and time or depth);
areal extent (i.e., number of line miles
for 2–D or number of blocks for 3–D)
and migration algorithm (Wave
Equation Migration, Reverse Time
Migration, etc.) of the data and
information. The statement must also
include the name, phone number and
full address of a contact person, and an
alternate, who are both knowledgeable
about the information and data listed
and available for 30 days post-sale, the
processing company, date processing
was completed, owner of the original
data set (who initially acquired the
data), original data survey name and
permit number. BOEM reserves the right
to query about alternate data sets and to
quality check and compare the listed
and alternative data sets to determine
which data set most closely meets the
needs of the fair market value
determination process.
The statement must also identify each
block upon which the bidder submitted
a bid or participated as a partner in a
bid, but for which it did not use
enhanced or reprocessed pre- or poststack geophysical data and information
as part of the decision to bid or to
participate in the bid. The GDIS must be
submitted, even if no enhanced
geophysical data and information were
used in bid preparation for the block.
In the event a company supplies any
type of data to BOEM, that company
must meet the following requirements to
qualify for reimbursement:
1. The company must be registered
with the Central Contractor Registration
(CCR). The initial registration is valid
for one year and must be updated
annually thereafter. The Web site for
registering is: https://www.ccr.gov. This
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is a requirement that was implemented
on October 1, 2003, and requires all
entities doing business with the
Government to complete a business
profile in the CCR. Payments are made
electronically based on the banking
information contained in the CCR.
Therefore, if the company is not actively
registered in the CCR, BOEM will not be
able to reimburse or pay that company
for any data supplied.
2. Effective May 1, 2011, the
Department of Interior is requiring all of
its agencies and bureaus to use the
Department of Treasury’s Internet
Payment Platform (IPP) for electronic
invoicing. The company must enroll at
the IPP Web site if it has not already
done so. Access will then be granted to
use IPP for submitting requests for
payment. When a request for payment is
submitted, it must include the assigned
Purchase Order Number on the request.
3. In addition, the company must
complete an on-line Representations
and Certifications application at
www.bpn.gov. Even though the
company may have never provided this
information previously, it must now do
so in order to do business with the
Government or receive reimbursement.
Note: The GDIS Information Table can be
submitted digitally on a CD or DVD as an
Excel Spreadsheet.
Force Majeure: The BOEM Regional
Director of the GOM Region has the
discretion to change any date, time,
and/or location specified in the Final
NOS 218 Package in case of a force
majeure event that the RD deems may
interfere with the carrying out of a fair
and proper lease sale process. Such
events may include, but are not limited
to, natural disasters (earthquakes,
hurricanes, and floods), wars, riots, and
acts of terrorism, fire, strikes, civil
disorder or other events of a similar
nature. In case of such events, bidders
should call (504) 736–0557 or access our
Web site at: https://www.gomr.boem.gov
for information about any changes.
Dated: November 8, 2011.
Tommy P. Beaudreau,
Director, Bureau of Ocean Energy
Management.
[FR Doc. 2011–29340 Filed 11–10–11; 8:45 am]
BILLING CODE 4310–MR–P
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DEPARTMENT OF THE INTERIOR
Bureau of Ocean Energy Management
Gulf of Mexico (GOM), Outer
Continental Shelf (OCS), Western
Planning Area (WPA), Oil and Gas
Lease Sale for the 2007–2012 5-Year
OCS Program
Bureau of Ocean Energy
Management (BOEM), Interior.
ACTION: Notice of Availability (NOA).
AGENCY:
BOEM has prepared a ROD on
an oil and gas lease sale tentatively
scheduled for December 14, 2011 for
WPA Lease Sale 218, which is the final
WPA lease sale in the 2007–2012 5-Year
OCS Program. The proposed sale is in
the GOM WPA off the States of Texas
and Louisiana. In preparing its decision,
BOEM considered alternatives to the
Proposed Action and the impacts as
presented in the Final Supplemental
Environmental Impact Statement (SEIS)
and all comments received throughout
the NEPA process. The Final SEIS
updated the environmental and
socioeconomic analyses for WPA Lease
Sale 218, originally evaluated in the
GOM OCS Oil and Gas Lease Sales:
2007–2012; WPA Sales 204, 207, 210,
215, and 218; Central Planning Area
(CPA) Sales 205, 206, 208, 213, 216, and
222, Final EIS (OCS EIS/EA MMS 2007–
018) (Multisale EIS), completed in April
2007 and updated the environmental
and socioeconomic analyses for WPA
Lease Sale 218 in the GOM OCS Oil and
Gas Lease Sales: 2009–2012; CPA Sales
208, 213, 216, and 222; WPA Sales 210,
215, and 218; Final SEIS (OCS EIS/EA
MMS 2008–041) (2009–2012
Supplemental EIS), completed in
September 2008. BOEM has selected the
proposed action, identified as the
Agency’s preferred alternative
(Alternative A) in the Final SEIS, and
will offer for lease all unleased blocks
within the WPA for oil and gas
operations, except whole and partial
blocks within the boundary of the
Flower Garden Banks National Marine
Sanctuary and whole and partial blocks
in the Western Gap buffer area.
SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION: On June
18, 2010, the Minerals Management
Service (MMS) was renamed the Bureau
of Ocean Energy Management,
Regulation and Enforcement (BOEMRE).
Effective October 1, 2011, BOEMRE was
reorganized and separated into two
separate bureaus, BOEM and the Bureau
of Safety and Environmental
Enforcement (BSEE). BOEM is
responsible for managing development
of the nation’s offshore resources in an
environmentally and economically
SUMMARY:
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[Federal Register Volume 76, Number 219 (Monday, November 14, 2011)]
[Notices]
[Pages 70473-70478]
From the Federal Register Online via the Government Printing Office [www.gpo.gov]
[FR Doc No: 2011-29340]
=======================================================================
-----------------------------------------------------------------------
DEPARTMENT OF THE INTERIOR
Bureau of Ocean Energy Management (BOEM)
Outer Continental Shelf (OCS) Western Planning Area (WPA) Gulf of
Mexico (GOM) Oil and Gas Lease Sale 218
AGENCY: Bureau of Ocean Energy Management, Interior.
ACTION: Final notice of sale.
-----------------------------------------------------------------------
SUMMARY: On Wednesday, December 14, 2011, BOEM will open and publicly
announce bids received for the blocks offered in WPA Oil and Gas Lease
Sale 218, in accordance with provisions of the OCS Lands Act (OSCLA)
(43 U.S.C. 1331-1356, as amended) and the regulations issued thereunder
(30 CFR Part 556). The Final NOS 218 Package (Package) contains
information essential to potential bidders, and bidders are charged
with the knowledge of the documents contained in the Package.
Sale 218 includes five changes from WPA Sale 210 in August 2009:
(1) BOEM revised the initial period of the lease term for blocks in
water depths of 400 meters to less than 1,600 meters, (2) the minimum
bonus bid has increased for blocks in water depths of 400 meters or
deeper, (3) no deepwater royalty suspension provisions will be offered
for leases issued from this sale, (4) bids submitted for blocks within
the U.S.-Mexico ``Boundary Area'' will be held unopened until on or
before 30 days following a Transboundary Agreement is executed or June
14, 2012, as explained below, and (5) the lease form has been revised.
DATES: Public bid reading for the WPA Oil and Gas Lease Sale 218 will
begin at 9 a.m., Wednesday, December 14, 2011, at the Louisiana
Superdome, 1500 Sugarbowl Drive, New Orleans, Louisiana 70112. All
times referred to in this document are local New Orleans times, unless
otherwise specified.
ADDRESSES: Interested parties can obtain a Package by contacting BOEM
at: Gulf of Mexico Region Public Information Unit, Bureau of Ocean
Energy Management, 1201 Elmwood Park Boulevard, New Orleans, Louisiana
70123-2394, (504) 736-2519 or (800) 200-GULF, https://www.gomr.boem.gov.
Filing of Bids: Bidders must submit sealed bids to the Regional
Director (RD), BOEM Gulf of Mexico Region, 1201 Elmwood Park Boulevard,
New Orleans, Louisiana, 70123-2394, between 8 a.m. and 4 p.m. on normal
working days, and from 8 a.m. to the Bid Submission Deadline of 10 a.m.
on Tuesday, December 13, 2011, the day before the lease sale. If bids
are mailed, please address the envelope containing all of the sealed
bids as follows:
Attention: Chief, Leasing and Financial Responsibility Section,
BOEM, Gulf of Mexico Region, 1201 Elmwood Park Boulevard, New Orleans,
Louisiana 70123-2394, Contains Sealed Bids for WPA Oil and Gas Lease
Sale 218, Please Deliver to Ms. Nancy Kornrumpf, 6th Floor,
Immediately.
Please Note: 1. Bidders mailing bid(s) are advised to call Ms.
Nancy Kornrumpf at (504) 736-2726 or Ms. Cindy Thibodeaux at (504)
736-2809 immediately after putting their bid(s) in the mail. If the
RD receives bids later than the time and date specified above, he
will return those bids unopened to bidders. Should an unexpected
event such as flooding or travel restrictions be significantly
disruptive to bid submission, BOEM may extend the Bid Submission
Deadline. Bidders may call (504) 736-0557 or access our BOEM Gulf of
Mexico Internet Web site at: https://www.gomr.boem.gov for
information about the possible extension of the Bid Submission
Deadline due to such an event.
2. Blocks or portions of blocks beyond the United States (U.S.)
Exclusive Economic Zone are offered based upon provisions of the
1982 Law of the Sea Convention, and could be subject to a
continental shelf delimitation agreement between the United States
and Mexico. Bidders are advised to refer to the Bids on Blocks Near
U.S.-Mexico Maritime and Continental Shelf Boundary portion of this
document for detailed information pertaining to the opening of bids
affecting blocks in this area.
Areas Offered for Leasing: In WPA Oil and Gas Lease Sale 218, BOEM
is offering to lease all blocks and partial blocks listed in the
document ``List of Blocks Available for Leasing'' included in the Final
NOS 218 Package. All of these blocks are shown on the following leasing
maps and Official Protraction Diagrams (OPD's):
----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Outer Continental Shelf Leasing Maps--Texas Map Numbers 1 Through 8
(These 16 maps sell for $2.00 each.)
----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
TX1......................................... South Padre Island Area (revised November 1, 2000).
TX1A........................................ South Padre Island Area, East Addition (revised November 1, 2000).
TX2......................................... North Padre Island Area (revised November 1, 2000).
TX2A........................................ North Padre Island Area, East Addition (revised November 1, 2000).
TX3......................................... Mustang Island Area (revised November 1, 2000).
TX3A........................................ Mustang Island Area, East Addition (revised September 3, 2002).
TX4......................................... Matagorda Island Area (revised November 1, 2000).
TX5......................................... Brazos Area (revised November 1, 2000).
TX5B........................................ Brazos Area, South Addition (revised November 1, 2000).
TX6......................................... Galveston Area (revised November 1, 2000).
TX6A........................................ Galveston Area, South Addition (revised November 1, 2000).
TX7......................................... High Island Area (revised November 1, 2000).
TX7A........................................ High Island Area, East Addition (revised November 1, 2000).
TX7B........................................ High Island Area, South Addition (revised November 1, 2000).
TX7C........................................ High Island Area, East Addition, South Extension (revised November
1, 2000).
TX8......................................... Sabine Pass Area (revised July 1, 2011).
----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Outer Continental Shelf Leasing Maps--Louisiana Map Numbers 1A, 1B, and 12
(These 3 maps sell for $2.00 each.)
----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
LA1A........................................ West Cameron Area, West Addition (revised February 28, 2007).
LA1B........................................ West Cameron Area, South Addition (revised February 28, 2007).
LA12........................................ Sabine Pass Area (revised February 28, 2007).
----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
[[Page 70474]]
Outer Continental Shelf Official Protraction Diagrams
(These 7 diagrams sell for $2.00 each.)
----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
NG14-03..................................... Corpus Christi (revised November 1, 2000).
NG14-06..................................... Port Isabel (revised November 1, 2000).
NG15-01..................................... East Breaks (revised November 1, 2000).
NG15-02..................................... Garden Banks (revised February 28, 2007).
NG15-04..................................... Alaminos Canyon (revised November 1, 2000).
NG15-05..................................... Keathley Canyon (revised February 28, 2007).
NG15-08..................................... Sigsbee Escarpment (revised February 28, 2007).
----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Please note: A CD-ROM (in ARC/INFO and Acrobat (.pdf) format)
containing all of the GOM leasing maps and OPD's, except for those
not yet converted to digital format, is available from BOEM Gulf of
Mexico Region Public Information Unit for a price of $15. These GOM
leasing maps and OPD's are also available for free online in .pdf
and .gra format at https://www.gomr.boem.gov/homepg/lsesale/map_arc.html.
For the current status of all GOM WPA leasing maps and OPD's,
please refer to 66 FR 28002 (published May 21, 2001), 67 FR 60701
(published September 26, 2002), and 72 FR 27590 (published May 16,
2007). In addition, Supplemental Official OCS Block Diagrams (SOBD's)
for these blocks are available which contain the U.S. 200 Nautical Mile
Limit line and the U.S.-Mexico Maritime and Continental Shelf Boundary
line. These SOBD's are also available from BOEM Gulf of Mexico Region
Public Information Unit. For additional information, please call the
Mapping and Automation Section at (504) 736-5768.
All blocks are shown on these leasing maps and OPD's. The available
Federal acreage of all whole and partial blocks in this lease sale is
shown in the document ``List of Blocks Available for Leasing'' included
in the Final NOS 218 Package. Some of these blocks may be partially
leased or deferred, or transected by administrative lines such as the
Federal/state jurisdictional line. A bid on a block must include all of
the available Federal acreage of that block. Also, information on the
unleased portions of such blocks is found in the document ``Western
Planning Area, Lease Sale 218, December 14, 2011--Unleased Split Blocks
and Available Unleased Acreage of Blocks with Aliquots and Irregular
Portions Under Lease or Deferred'' included in the Final NOS 218
Package.
Areas Not Available for Leasing: The following whole and partial
blocks are not offered for lease in this sale:
Whole blocks and portions of blocks that lie within the boundaries
of the Flower Garden Banks National Marine Sanctuary at the East and
West Flower Garden Banks and Stetson Bank (the following list includes
all blocks affected by the Sanctuary boundaries):
High Island, East Addition, South Extension (Leasing Map TX7C)
Whole Block: A-398
Portions of Blocks: A-366*, A-367*, A-374*, A-375, A-383*, A-384*, A-
385*,
A-388, A-389, A-397*, A-399, A-401
*Leased
High Island, South Addition (Leasing Map TX7B)
Portions of Blocks: A-502, A-513
Garden Banks (OPD NG15-02)
Portions of Blocks: 134, 135
Whole blocks and portions of blocks that lie within the former
Western Gap and lie within the 1.4 nautical mile north of the
continental shelf boundary between the United States and Mexico:
Keathley Canyon (OPD NG15-05)
Portions of Blocks: 978 through 980
Sigsbee Escarpment (OPD NG15-08)
Whole Blocks: 11, 57, 103, 148, 149, 194
Portions of Blocks: 12 through 14, 58 through 60, 104 through 106, 150
Blocks currently under appeal (although currently unleased, the
following blocks are under appeal and bids will not be accepted):
Garden Banks (NG15-02)
Blocks 623 and 624
Note: Bids on Blocks Near the U.S.-Mexico Maritime and
Continental Shelf Boundary. Due to ongoing negotiations with the
Government of Mexico on a Transboundary Agreement, bids submitted on
any block in the ``Boundary Area'' as defined below will be
segregated from bids submitted on blocks outside the Boundary Area.
Bids submitted on blocks outside the Boundary Area will be opened on
the date scheduled for sale, as is normally the practice. Bids
submitted on blocks in the Boundary Area will not be opened on the
date scheduled for the sale, but may be opened at a later date. On
or before 30 days following execution of a Transboundary Agreement
or June 14, 2012, whichever occurs first, the Secretary of the
Interior will determine whether it is in the best interest of the
United States either to open bids for Boundary Area blocks or to
return the bids unopened.
BOEM will notify bidders at least 30 days prior to bid opening.
Bidders on these blocks may withdraw their bids at any time after such
notice and prior to 10 a.m. (New Orleans local time) of the day before
bid opening. If BOEM does not give notice by 30 days after execution of
a Transboundary Agreement or by June 14, 2012, whichever occurs first,
BOEM will return the bids unopened. This will provide time for
companies to make decisions regarding the next annual Western Gulf of
Mexico Planning Area lease sale proposed for 2012, which may also offer
blocks in this area. BOEM reserves the right to return these bids at
any time. BOEM will not disclose which blocks received bids or the
names of bidders in this area unless and until the bids are opened.
In the event the Secretary decides to open bids on blocks in the
Boundary Area, BOEM will notify such bidders of the agreement and will
describe the terms under which leases in the Boundary Area will be
issued. The bidders will have 20 days from the date of the notice to
inform BOEM whether they will withdraw their bids on blocks in the
Boundary Area or to reaffirm their interest in such a lease subject to
the new terms that are necessary to implement the United States'
obligations under the Transboundary Agreement.
BOEM currently anticipates that blocks in the Boundary Area that
are not awarded as a result of Lease Sale 218 would be reoffered in the
following lease sale for the Western Planning Area, tentatively
scheduled for later in 2012.
``Transboundary Agreement,'' refers to a possible agreement between
the United Mexican States and the United States of America that may be
approved by both governments after October 21, 2011 and before June 15,
2012, and that addresses identification and unitization of
transboundary hydrocarbon reservoirs, allocation of production,
inspections, safety, and environmental protection.
``Boundary Area,'' means an area comprised of the entirety of any
and all blocks in the Western Planning Area, that are located or
partially located within three nautical miles of the maritime and
continental shelf boundary with Mexico, as that maritime boundary is
delimited in the November 24, 1970 Treaty to Resolve Pending Boundary
Differences and Maintain the
[[Page 70475]]
Rio Grande and Colorado River as the International Boundary, the May 4,
1978 Treaty on Maritime Boundaries between the United Mexican States
and the United States of America, and the June 9, 2000 Treaty on the
Continental Shelf between the Government of the United Mexican States
and the Government of the United States of America. The following
blocks comprise the Boundary Area:
Port Isabel Blocks--914, 915, 916, 917, 918, 919, 920, 921, 922, 923,
924, 945, 946, 947, 948, 958, 959, 960, 961, 962, 963, 964, 965, 965,
966, 967, 968, 989, 990, 991, and 992
Alaminos Canyon Blocks--881, 882, 883*, 884*, 885, 886, 887, 888, 889*,
890*, 891, 892, 893*, 894*, 895, 896, 897, 898, 899*, 900*, 901*, 902*,
903*, 904*, 905, 906, 907, 908, 909, 910, 911, 912, 925, 926, 927*,
928*, 929, 930, 931, 932, 933, 934, 935, 936, 937, 938, 939*, 940*,
941, 942*, 943*, 944*, 945*, 946, 947*, 948, 949, 950, 951, 952, 953,
954, 955, 956, 957, 958, 959, 960, 961, 962, 963, 964, 965, 992, 993,
994, 995, 996, 997, 998, 999, 1000, 1001, 1002, 1003, 1004, 1005, 1006,
1007, 1008, and 1009
Keathley Canyon Blocks--925, 926, 927, 928, 929, 930, 931, 932, 933,
934, 935, 969, 970, 971, 972, 973, 974, 975, 976, 977, 978, 979, 980,
and 981
Sigsbee Escarpment Blocks--11, 12, 13, 14, 15, 57, 58, 59, 60, 61, 103,
104, 105, 106, 148, 149, 150, and 194
South Padre Island Blocks--1154, 1163, 1164, 1165, and 1166*
South Padre Island, East Addition Blocks--1155, 1156, 1157, 1158, 1159,
1160, 1161, 1162, A 78, A 79, A 80, A 81, A 82, A 83, A 84, A 85, A 86,
A 87, A 89, and A 90
*Leased
Statutes and Regulations: Each lease is issued pursuant to the OCS
Lands Act (OCSLA) of August 7, 1953; 43 U.S.C. 1331 et seq., as
amended, (hereinafter called ``the Act'') and is subject to the Act,
regulations promulgated pursuant thereto, and other statutes and
regulations in existence upon the Effective Date of the lease, and
those statutes enacted (including amendments to the Act or other
statutes) and regulations promulgated thereafter, except to the extent
they explicitly conflict with an express provision of this lease. It is
expressly understood that subsequent amendments to the Act, other
statutes, and regulations which do not explicitly conflict with an
express provision of the lease may be made and that the Lessee bears
the risk that such amendments may increase or decrease the Lessee's
obligations under the lease. BOEM will use a new lease form (BOEM Form
2005 (October 2011)) to convey leases offered in this sale. The new
lease form may be viewed on the BOEM Web site at: https://www.gomr.boem.gov/homepg/boemforms/FormBOEM-2005.pdf. The lease form
will be amended to conform with the specific terms, conditions and
stipulations applicable to the individual lease. Addressed below are
the terms, conditions, and stipulations applicable to this sale.
Lease Terms and Conditions: Initial periods, extensions of initial
periods, minimum bonus bid amounts, rental rates, escalating rental
rates for leases with an approved extension of the initial 5-year
period, royalty rate, minimum royalty, and royalty suspension
provisions, if any, applicable to this sale are noted below. Related
areas are depicted on the map ``Final, Western Planning Area, Lease
Sale 218, December 14, 2011, Lease Terms and Economic Conditions,'' for
leases resulting from this lease sale.
Initial Periods: Initial periods are summarized in the following
table.
----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Water depth in meters Initial periods
----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
0 to <400................................... 5 years extended to 8 years if a well is spudded during the
initial 5-year period targeting hydrocarbons below 25,000 feet
true vertical depth (TVD) subsea (SS).
400 to <800................................. 5 years extended to 8 years if a well is spudded during the
initial 5-year period.
800 to <1,600............................... 7 years extended to 10 years if a well is spudded during the
initial 7- year period.
1,600+...................................... 10 years.
----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Extensions of Initial Periods:
1. The 5-year initial period for a lease in water depths of less
than 400 meters may be extended to 8 years if a well, targeting
hydrocarbons below 25,000 feet TVD SS, is spudded within the 5-year
initial period. The 3-year extension will be granted in cases where the
well is drilled to a target below 25,000 feet TVD SS and may also be
granted in cases where the well targets but does not reach a depth
below 25,000 feet TVD SS due to mechanical or safety reasons.
In order for the 5-year initial period to be extended to 8 years,
the lessee is required to submit to the Bureau of Safety and
Environmental Enforcement (BSEE) GOM Regional Supervisor for Production
and Development, within 30 days after completion of the drilling
operation, a letter providing the well number, spud date, information
demonstrating the target below 25,000 feet TVD SS, and if applicable,
any safety or mechanical problems encountered that prevented the well
from reaching a depth below 25,000 feet TVD SS. The Regional Supervisor
must concur in writing that the conditions have been met to extend the
initial period 3 years. The Regional Supervisor will provide written
confirmation of any lease extension within 30 days of receipt of the
letter provided.
A lease that has earned a 3-year extension by spudding a well
during the 5-year initial period with a hydrocarbon target below 25,000
feet TVD SS, confirmed by BSEE, will not be eligible for a suspension
for that same period under the regulations at 30 CFR 250.175 because
the lease is not at risk of expiring.
2. The 5-year initial period for a lease in water depths of 400
meters to less than 800 meters issued from this sale will be extended
to 8 years if a well is spudded within the initial 5-year period;
otherwise, the lease expires on its own terms.
In order for the 5-year initial period to be extended to 8 years,
the lessee is required to submit to the appropriate BSEE District
Manager, within 30 days after spudding a well, a letter providing the
well number, spud date, and requesting confirmation of a 3-year
extension of the initial period. The District Manager will review the
request and make a determination. A written response will be sent to
the lessee documenting the District Manager's decision within 30 days
of receipt of the request. For an extension to be granted, the District
Manager must concur in writing that the conditions have been met to
extend the initial period 3 years.
3. The 7-year initial period for a lease in water depths of 800
meters to less than 1,600 meters issued from this sale will be extended
to 10 years if a well is spudded within the initial 7-year period;
otherwise, the lease expires on its own terms.
In order for the 7-year initial period to be extended to 10 years,
the lessee is
[[Page 70476]]
required to submit to the appropriate District Manager, within 30 days
after spudding a well, a letter providing the well number, spud date,
and requesting confirmation of a 3-year extension of the initial
period. The District Manager will review the request and make a
determination. A written response will be sent to the lessee
documenting the District Manager's decision within 30 days of receipt
of the request. For an extension to be granted, the District Manager
must concur in writing that the conditions have been met to extend the
lease term 3 years.
Minimum Bonus Bid Amounts: A bonus bid will not be considered for
acceptance unless it provides for a cash bonus in the amount of $25 or
more per acre or fraction thereof for blocks in water depths of less
than 400 meters, or $100 or more per acre or fraction thereof for
blocks in water depths of 400 meters or deeper; to confirm the exact
calculation of the minimum bonus bid amount for each block, see ``List
of Blocks Available for Leasing,'' contained in the Final NOS 218
Package. Please note that bonus bids must be in whole dollar amounts
(i.e., BOEM will disregard partial dollar amounts).
Rental Rates: Annual rental rates are summarized in the following
table:
Rental Rates per Acre or Fraction Thereof
----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Water depth in meters Years 1-5 Years 6, 7, and 8+
----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
0 to < 200...................................... $7.00 $14.00, $21.00, $28.00.
200 to < 400.................................... 11.00 22.00, 33.00, 44.00.
400 to < 800.................................... 11.00 16.00.
800+............................................ 11.00 16.00.
----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Escalating Rental Rates for Leases with an Approved Extension of
the Initial Period: Any lease in water depths less than 400 meters and
granted a 3-year extension beyond the 5-year initial period as provided
above will pay an escalating rental rate as shown above. The escalating
rental rates after the 5th year for blocks in less than 400 meters will
become fixed and no longer escalate if another well is spudded during
the 3-year extended term of the lease that targets hydrocarbons below
25,000 feet TVD SS, and BOEM concurs that such a well has been spudded.
In this case, the rental rate will become fixed at the rental rate in
effect during the lease year in which the additional well was spudded.
Royalty Rate: 18.75 percent.
Minimum Royalty: $7.00 per acre or fraction thereof per year for
blocks in water depths of less than 200 meters and $11.00 per acre or
fraction thereof per year for blocks in water depths of 200 meters or
deeper.
Royalty Suspension Provisions: Leases with royalty suspension
volumes (RSV), are authorized under existing BSEE rules at 30 CFR part
203 and BOEM rules at 30 CFR part 560.
Deep and Ultra-Deep Gas Royalty Suspensions
A lease issued as a result of this sale may be eligible for royalty
relief for deep and ultra-deep wells pursuant to 30 CFR 203.0 and 30
CFR 203.30-203.49. The regulations provide deep gas incentives in two
ways. First, they provide an RSV of 35 billion cubic feet of natural
gas for certain wells completed in a drilling depth category (20,000
feet TVD SS or deeper) for leases in 0 to less than 400 meters of
water. Second, they offer RSVs to leases in 200 to less than 400 meters
of water that are the same as the RSVs that were previously offered in
shallower water i.e., in zero to 200 meters of water. These RSV
incentives are conditional on applicable price thresholds and require
that wells completed from 15,000 to 20,000 feet TVD SS on leases in 200
to less than 400 meters of water must begin production before May 3,
2013.
Deepwater Royalty Suspensions
No deepwater royalty suspension provisions will be offered for
leases issued from this sale.
Lease Stipulations: The map ``Final, Western Planning Area, Lease
Sale 218, December 14, 2011, Stipulations and Deferred Blocks'' depicts
those blocks on which one or more of four lease stipulations apply: (1)
Topographic Features; (2) Military Areas; (3) Law of the Sea Convention
Royalty Payment; (4) Protected Species. The texts of the stipulations
are contained in the document ``Lease Stipulations, Western Planning
Area, Oil and Gas Lease Sale 218, Final Notice of Sale'' included in
this Final NOS 218 Package. In addition, the ``List of Blocks Available
for Leasing,'' contained in the Final NOS 218 Package identifies for
each listed block the lease stipulations applicable to that block.
Information to Lessees: The Final NOS 218 Package contains
``Information To Lessees'' document that provides information on
certain issues pertaining to this oil and gas lease sale.
Method of Bidding: For each block bid upon, a bidder must submit a
separate signed bid in a sealed envelope. The outside of the envelope
should be labeled ``Sealed Bid for Oil and Gas Lease Sale 218, not to
be opened until 9 a.m., Wednesday, December 14, 2011.'' The submitting
company's name, its GOM company number, the map name, map number, and
block number should be clearly identified on the outside of the
envelope.
The sealed bid should list the total amount of the bid in a whole
dollar amount, as well as, the sale number, the sale date, the
submitting company's name, its GOM company number, the map name, map
number, and the block number clearly identified. The information
required on the bid(s) and the bid envelope(s) are specified in the
document ``Bid Form and Envelope'' contained in the Final NOS 218
Package. A blank bid form has been provided therein for convenience and
may be copied and filled in. The Final NOS 218 Package includes a
sample bid envelope for reference.
The Final NOS 218 Package also includes the Telephone Numbers/
Addresses of Bidders Form. BOEM requests that bidders provide this
information in the suggested format prior to or at the time of bid
submission. The Telephone Numbers/Addresses of Bidders Form should not
be enclosed inside the sealed bid envelope.
BOEM published a list of restricted joint bidders for this lease
sale in the Federal Register at 76 FR 67759 on November 2, 2011. Please
also refer to joint bidding provisions at 30 CFR 556.41 for additional
information. All bidders must execute all documents in conformance with
signatory authorizations on file in BOEM Gulf of Mexico Region
Adjudication Section. Designated signatories must be authorized to bind
their respective legal business entities (e.g., a corporation,
partnership, or LLC) and must have an incumbency certificate setting
forth the authorized signatories on file with the
[[Page 70477]]
GOM Region Adjudication Section. Bidders submitting joint bids must
include on the bid form the proportionate interest of each
participating bidder, stated as a percentage, using a maximum of five
decimal places (e.g., 33.33333 percent) with total interest equaling
100 percent. BOEM may require bidders to submit other documents in
accordance with 30 CFR 556.46. BOEM warns bidders against violation of
18 U.S.C. 1860 prohibiting unlawful combination or intimidation of
bidders. Bidders are advised that BOEM considers the signed bid to be a
legally binding obligation on the part of the bidder(s) to comply with
all applicable regulations, including payment of one-fifth of the bonus
bid on all high bids. A statement to this effect must be included on
each bid form (see the document ``Bid Form and Envelope'' contained in
the Final NOS 218 Package).
Withdrawal of Bids: Once submitted, bid(s) may not be withdrawn
unless the RD receives a written request for withdrawal from the
company who submitted the bid(s), prior to 10 a.m. on Tuesday, December
13, 2011. This request must be typed on company letterhead and must
contain the submitting company's name, its company number, the map
name/number and block number of the bid(s) to be withdrawn. The request
must be in conformance with signatory authorizations on file in BOEM
Gulf of Mexico Region Adjudication Section. Signatories must be
authorized to bind their respective legal business entities (e.g., a
corporation, partnership, or LLC) and must have an incumbency
certificate setting forth the authorized signatories on file with BOEM
GOM Region Adjudication Section. The name and title of said signatory
must be typed under the signature block on the withdrawal letter. Upon
the RD's, or his designee's, approval of such requests, he will
indicate his approval by affixing his signature and date to the
submitting company's request for withdrawal.
Rounding: The following procedure must be used to calculate the
minimum bonus bid, annual rental, and minimum royalty: Round up to the
next whole acre if the block acreage contains a decimal figure prior to
calculating the minimum bonus bid, annual rental, and minimum royalty
amounts. The appropriate rate per acre is applied to the whole (rounded
up) acreage.
The bonus bid must be in whole dollar amounts and greater than or
equal to the minimum bonus bid. The appropriate minimum bid per-acre
rate is applied to the whole (rounded up) acreage and the resultant
calculation is rounded up to the next whole dollar amount if the
calculation results in any cents. The minimum bonus bid calculation,
including all rounding, is shown in the document ``List of Blocks
Available for Leasing'' included in the Final NOS 218 Package.
Bonus Bid Deposit: Each bidder submitting an apparent high bid must
submit a bonus bid deposit to the Office of Natural Resources Revenue
(ONRR) equal to one-fifth of the bonus bid amount for each such bid.
All payments must be electronically deposited into an interest-bearing
account in the U.S. Treasury (account information provided in the
Electronic Funds Transfer (EFT) instructions found on the BOEM Web site
at: https://gomr.boem.gov/homepg/lsesale/218/EFT-Inst-June 20-2011.pdf)
by 11 a.m. Eastern Time the day following bid reading (no exceptions).
Under the authority granted by 30 CFR 556.46(b), BOEM requires bidders
to use electronic funds transfer procedures for payment of one-fifth
bonus bid deposits for Lease Sale 218, following the detailed
instructions contained on the Payment Information Web page that may be
found on the ONRR Web site at: https://www.onrr.gov/FM/PayInfo.htm.
Acceptance of a deposit does not constitute and shall not be construed
as acceptance of any bid on behalf of the United States. If a lease is
awarded, ONRR requests that only one transaction be used for payment of
the four-fifths bonus bid amount and the first year's rental.
Note: Certain bid submitters (i.e., those that are NOT
currently an OCS mineral lease record title holder or designated
operator OR those that have ever defaulted on a one-fifth bonus bid
payment (EFT or otherwise)) are required to guarantee (secure) their
one-fifth bonus bid payment prior to the submission of bids. For
those who must secure the EFT one-fifth bonus bid payment, one of
the following options may be used: (1) Provide a third-party
guarantee; (2) amend bond coverage; (3) provide a letter of credit;
or (4) provide a lump sum payment in advance via EFT. The EFT
instructions specify the requirements for each option.
Withdrawal of Blocks: The United States reserves the right to
withdraw any block from this lease sale prior to issuance of a written
acceptance of a bid for the block.
Acceptance, Rejection, or Return of Bids: The United States
reserves the right to reject any and all bids. In any case, no bid will
be accepted, and no lease for any block will be awarded to any bidder,
unless the bidder has complied with all requirements of this Notice,
including those set forth in the documents contained in the associated
Final NOS 218 Package and applicable regulations; the bid is the
highest valid bid; and the amount of the bid has been determined to be
adequate by the authorized officer. Any bid submitted that does not
conform to the requirements of this Notice, the Act, and other
applicable regulations may be returned to the bidder submitting that
bid by the RD and not be considered for acceptance. The Attorney
General may also review the results of the lease sale prior to the
acceptance of bids and issuance of leases for anti-trust issues.
To ensure that the Government receives a fair return for the
conveyance of lease rights for this lease sale, high bids will be
evaluated in accordance with BOEM bid adequacy procedures. A copy of
current procedures, ``Modifications to the Bid Adequacy Procedures'' at
64 FR 37560 on July 12, 1999, can be obtained from the BOEM Gulf of
Mexico Region Public Information Unit or via the BOEM Gulf of Mexico
Region Internet Web site at: https://www.gomr.boem.gov/homepg/lsesale/174/174BIDAD.PDF. In the existing bid adequacy procedures, water depth
categories in the Gulf of Mexico are specified as (1) less than 800
meters and (2) 800 meters or more. Per 64 FR 37560, if different water
depth categories are used for a Gulf of Mexico sale, they will be
specified in the sale's final notice. For Sale 218, the water depth
categories are specified as (1) less than 400 meters and (2) 400 meters
or more.
Successful Bidders: The BOEM requires each company that has been
awarded a lease to execute all copies of the lease (Form BOEM-2005
(October 2011), as amended), pay by EFT the balance of the bonus bid
amount and the first year's rental for each lease issued in accordance
with the requirements of 30 CFR 218.155; and satisfy the bonding
requirements of 30 CFR part 556, subpart I, as amended.
Affirmative Action: The BOEM requests that, prior to bidding, the
bidder file Equal Opportunity Affirmative Action Representation Form
BOEM 2032 (October 2011) and Equal Opportunity Compliance Report
Certification Form BOEM 2033 (October 2011) in the BOEM Gulf of Mexico
Region Adjudication Section. This certification is required by 41 CFR
part 60 and Executive Order No. 11246 of September 24, 1965, as amended
by Executive Order No. 11375 of October 13, 1967. In any event, prior
to the execution of any lease contract, both forms are required to be
on file for the bidder in the GOM Region Adjudication Section.
Geophysical Data and Information Statement: Pursuant to 30 CFR
251.12,
[[Page 70478]]
BOEM has a right to access geophysical data and information collected
under a permit in the OCS.
Every bidder submitting a bid on a block in Sale 218, or
participating as a joint bidder in such a bid, must submit at the time
of bid submission a Geophysical Data and Information Statement (GDIS)
in a separate and sealed envelope, identifying any enhanced or
reprocessed geophysical data and information generated or used as part
of the decision to bid or participate in a bid on the block (including
the use of Controlled Source Electromagnetics, Gravity, etc.). The data
identified in the GDIS should clearly identify whether the data or
information are multi-client (speculative) data sets available directly
from geophysical contractors or exclusive (proprietary) data sets
specially processed for or by bidders. In addition, the GDIS should
clearly identify the data type (2-D or 3-D, pre-stack or post-stack and
time or depth); areal extent (i.e., number of line miles for 2-D or
number of blocks for 3-D) and migration algorithm (Wave Equation
Migration, Reverse Time Migration, etc.) of the data and information.
The statement must also include the name, phone number and full address
of a contact person, and an alternate, who are both knowledgeable about
the information and data listed and available for 30 days post-sale,
the processing company, date processing was completed, owner of the
original data set (who initially acquired the data), original data
survey name and permit number. BOEM reserves the right to query about
alternate data sets and to quality check and compare the listed and
alternative data sets to determine which data set most closely meets
the needs of the fair market value determination process.
The statement must also identify each block upon which the bidder
submitted a bid or participated as a partner in a bid, but for which it
did not use enhanced or reprocessed pre- or post-stack geophysical data
and information as part of the decision to bid or to participate in the
bid. The GDIS must be submitted, even if no enhanced geophysical data
and information were used in bid preparation for the block.
In the event a company supplies any type of data to BOEM, that
company must meet the following requirements to qualify for
reimbursement:
1. The company must be registered with the Central Contractor
Registration (CCR). The initial registration is valid for one year and
must be updated annually thereafter. The Web site for registering is:
https://www.ccr.gov. This is a requirement that was implemented on
October 1, 2003, and requires all entities doing business with the
Government to complete a business profile in the CCR. Payments are made
electronically based on the banking information contained in the CCR.
Therefore, if the company is not actively registered in the CCR, BOEM
will not be able to reimburse or pay that company for any data
supplied.
2. Effective May 1, 2011, the Department of Interior is requiring
all of its agencies and bureaus to use the Department of Treasury's
Internet Payment Platform (IPP) for electronic invoicing. The company
must enroll at the IPP Web site if it has not already done so. Access
will then be granted to use IPP for submitting requests for payment.
When a request for payment is submitted, it must include the assigned
Purchase Order Number on the request.
3. In addition, the company must complete an on-line
Representations and Certifications application at www.bpn.gov. Even
though the company may have never provided this information previously,
it must now do so in order to do business with the Government or
receive reimbursement.
Note: The GDIS Information Table can be submitted digitally on a
CD or DVD as an Excel Spreadsheet.
Force Majeure: The BOEM Regional Director of the GOM Region has the
discretion to change any date, time, and/or location specified in the
Final NOS 218 Package in case of a force majeure event that the RD
deems may interfere with the carrying out of a fair and proper lease
sale process. Such events may include, but are not limited to, natural
disasters (earthquakes, hurricanes, and floods), wars, riots, and acts
of terrorism, fire, strikes, civil disorder or other events of a
similar nature. In case of such events, bidders should call (504) 736-
0557 or access our Web site at: https://www.gomr.boem.gov for
information about any changes.
Dated: November 8, 2011.
Tommy P. Beaudreau,
Director, Bureau of Ocean Energy Management.
[FR Doc. 2011-29340 Filed 11-10-11; 8:45 am]
BILLING CODE 4310-MR-P
