Gulf of Mexico Outer Continental Shelf Oil and Gas Lease Sale 250; MMAA104000, 7070-7076 [2018-03278]
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Federal Register / Vol. 83, No. 33 / Friday, February 16, 2018 / Notices
United Mexican States Concerning
Transboundary Hydrocarbon Reservoirs
in the Gulf of Mexico. These eight
stipulations will be added as lease terms
where applicable and will be
enforceable as part of the lease.
Appendix B of the Gulf of Mexico OCS
Oil and Gas Lease Sales: 2017–2022;
Gulf of Mexico Lease Sales 249, 250,
251, 252, 253, 254, 256, 257, 259, and
261; Final Multisale Environmental
Impact Statement (2017–2022 GOM
Multisale EIS) provides a list and
description of standard post-lease
conditions of approval that may be
required by BOEM or the Bureau of
Safety and Environmental Enforcement
as a result of plan and permit review
processes for the Gulf of Mexico OCS
Region.
After careful consideration, BOEM
has selected the preferred alternative
(Alternative A) in the 2018 GOM
Supplemental EIS for proposed Lease
Sale 250. BOEM’s selection of the
preferred alternative meets the purpose
and need for the proposed action, as
identified in the 2018 GOM
Supplemental EIS, and provides for
orderly resource development with
protection of the human, marine, and
coastal environments while also
ensuring that the public receives an
equitable return for these resources and
that free-market competition is
maintained.
Authority: This Notice of Availability of a
Record of Decision is published pursuant to
the regulations (40 CFR part 1505)
implementing the provisions of the National
Environmental Policy Act of 1969, as
amended (42 U.S.C. 4321 et seq.).
Dated: February 13, 2018.
Walter D. Cruickshank,
Acting Director, Bureau of Ocean Energy
Management.
[FR Doc. 2018–03280 Filed 2–15–18; 8:45 am]
BILLING CODE 4310–MR–P
DEPARTMENT OF THE INTERIOR
Bureau of Ocean Energy Management
Gulf of Mexico Outer Continental Shelf
Oil and Gas Lease Sale 250;
MMAA104000
Bureau of Ocean Energy
Management, Interior.
ACTION: Final Notice of Sale.
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AGENCY:
On Wednesday, March 21,
2018, the Bureau of Ocean Energy
Management (BOEM) will open and
publicly announce bids received for
blocks offered in the Gulf of Mexico
(GOM) Outer Continental Shelf (OCS)
Region-wide Oil and Gas Lease Sale 250
SUMMARY:
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(GOM Region-wide Sale 250), in
accordance with the provisions of the
Outer Continental Shelf Lands Act
(OCSLA), as amended, and the
implementing regulations issued
pursuant thereto. The GOM Regionwide Sale 250 Final Notice of Sale
(NOS) package contains information
essential to potential bidders.
DATES: Public bid reading for GOM
Region-wide Sale 250 will begin at 9:00
a.m. on Wednesday, March 21, 2018, at
1201 Elmwood Park Boulevard, New
Orleans, Louisiana. All times referred to
in this document are Central Standard
Time, unless otherwise specified.
Bid Submission Deadline: BOEM
must receive all sealed bids between
8:00 a.m. and 4:00 p.m. on weekdays,
excluding holidays, prior to the sale,
with the exception of Tuesday, March
20, 2018, the day before the lease sale,
when the Bid Submission Deadline is
10:00 a.m. For more information on bid
submission, see Section VII, ‘‘Bidding
Instructions,’’ of this document.
ADDRESSES: Public bid reading for GOM
Region-wide Sale 250 will be held at
1201 Elmwood Park Boulevard, New
Orleans, Louisiana. The venue will not
be open to the general public, media, or
industry. Instead, the bid opening will
be available for public viewing on
BOEM’s website at www.boem.gov via
live-streaming video beginning at 9:00
a.m. on the date of the sale. BOEM will
also post the results on its website after
bid opening and reading are completed.
Interested parties may download the
Final NOS package from BOEM’s
website at https://www.boem.gov/Sale250/. Copies of the sale maps may be
obtained by contacting the BOEM GOM
Region at: Gulf of Mexico Region Public
Information Office, Bureau of Ocean
Energy Management, 1201 Elmwood
Park Boulevard, New Orleans, Louisiana
70123–2394, (504) 736–2519 or (800)
200–GULF.
For more information on bid
submission, see Section VII, ‘‘Bidding
Instructions,’’ of this document.
FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT: Ann
Glazner, Acting Regional Supervisor,
Office of Leasing and Plans, 504–736–
2607, ann.glazner@boem.gov or Dr.
Andrew Krueger, Acting Chief, Leasing
Division, 703–787–1554,
andrew.krueger@boem.gov.
SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION:
Table of Contents
This Final NOS includes the
following sections:
I. Lease Sale Area
II. Statutes and Regulations
III. Lease Terms and Economic Conditions
IV. Lease Stipulations
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V. Information to Lessees
VI. Maps
VII. Bidding Instructions
VIII. Bidding Rules and Restrictions
IX. Forms
X. The Lease Sale
XI. Delay of Sale
I. Lease Sale Area
Blocks Offered for Leasing: BOEM
will offer for bid in this lease sale all of
the available unleased acreage in the
GOM, except those blocks listed in
‘‘Blocks Not Offered for Leasing’’ below.
Blocks Not Offered for Leasing: The
following whole and partial blocks are
not offered for lease in this sale. The
BOEM Official Protraction Diagrams
(OPDs) and Supplemental Official Block
Diagrams are available online at https://
www.boem.gov/Maps-and-GIS-Data/.
Whole and partial blocks that lie
within the boundaries of the Flower
Garden Banks National Marine
Sanctuary (in the East and West Flower
Garden Banks and the Stetson Bank),
identified in the following list:
High Island, East Addition, South Extension
(Leasing Map TX7C)
Whole Block: A–398
Partial 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
High Island, South Addition (Leasing Map
TX7B)
Partial Blocks: A–502, A–513
Garden Banks (OPD NG15–02)
Partial Blocks: 134, 135
Blocks that are adjacent to or beyond
the United States Exclusive Economic
Zone in the area known as the northern
portion of the Eastern Gap:
Lund South (OPD NG 16–07)
Whole Blocks: 128, 129, 169 through 173,
208 through 217, 248 through 261, 293
through 305, and 349
Henderson (OPD NG 16–05)
Whole Blocks: 466, 508 through 510, 551
through 554, 594 through 599, 637
through 643, 679 through 687, 722
through 731, 764 through 775, 807
through 819, 849 through 862, 891
through 905, 933 through 949, and 975
through 992
Partial Blocks: 467, 511, 555, 556, 600, 644,
688, 732, 776, 777, 820, 821, 863, 864,
906, 907, 950, 993, and 994
Florida Plain (OPD NG 16–08)
Whole Blocks: 5 through 24, 46 through 67,
89 through 110, 133 through 154, 177
through 197, 221 through 240, 265
through 283, 309 through 327, and 363
through 370
All whole and portions of blocks
deferred by the Gulf of Mexico Energy
Security Act of 2006, Public Law 109–
432:
Pensacola (OPD NH 16–05)
Whole Blocks: 751 through 754, 793
through 798, 837 through 842, 881
through 886, 925 through 930, and 969
through 975
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Destin Dome (OPD NH 16–08)
Whole Blocks: 1 through 7, 45 through 51,
89 through 96, 133 through 140, 177
through 184, 221 through 228, 265
through 273, 309 through 317, 353
through 361, 397 through 405, 441
through 450, 485 through 494, 529
through 538, 573 through 582, 617
through 627, 661 through 671, 705
through 715, 749 through 759, 793
through 804, 837 through 848, 881
through 892, 925 through 936, and 969
through 981
DeSoto Canyon (OPD NH 16–11)
Whole Blocks: 1 through 15, 45 through 59,
and 92 through 102
Partial Blocks: 16, 60, 61, 89 through 91,
103 through 105, and 135 through 147
Henderson (OPD NG 16–05)
Partial Blocks: 114, 158, 202, 246, 290, 334,
335, 378, 379, 422, and 423
The following blocks, whose lease
status is currently under appeal:
Keathley Canyon (Leasing Map NG15–05)
Blocks 290, 291, and 292
Keathley Canyon (Leasing Map NG15–05)
Blocks 246 and 247
Keathley Canyon (Leasing Map NG15–05)
Blocks 335 and 336
Vermilion Area (Leasing Map LA3) Partial
Block 179
II. Statutes and Regulations
Each lease is issued pursuant to
OCSLA, 43 U.S.C. 1331–1356, as
amended, and is subject to OCSLA
implementing regulations promulgated
pursuant thereto in 30 CFR part 556,
and other applicable statutes and
regulations in existence upon the
effective date of the lease, as well as
those applicable statutes enacted and
regulations promulgated thereafter,
except to the extent that the afterenacted statutes and regulations
explicitly conflict with an express
provision of the lease. Each lease is also
subject to amendments to statutes and
regulations, including but not limited to
OCSLA, that do not explicitly conflict
with an express provision of the lease.
The lessee expressly bears the risk that
such new or amended statutes and
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regulations (i.e., those that do not
explicitly conflict with an express
provision of the lease) may increase or
decrease the lessee’s obligations under
the lease.
III. Lease Terms and Economic
Conditions
Lease Terms
OCS Lease Form
BOEM will use Form BOEM–2005
(February 2017) to convey leases
resulting from this sale. This lease form
may be viewed on BOEM’s website at
https://www.boem.gov/BOEM-2005.
The lease form will be amended to
conform with the specific terms,
conditions, and stipulations applicable
to the individual lease. The terms,
conditions, and stipulations applicable
to this sale are set forth below.
Primary Term
Primary Terms are summarized in the
following table:
Water depth
(meters)
Primary term
0 to <400 .........................................
The primary term is 5 years; the lessee may earn an additional 3 years (i.e., for an 8 year extended primary term) if a well is spudded targeting hydrocarbons below 25,000 feet True Vertical Depth Subsea
(TVD SS) during the first 5 years of the lease.
The primary term is 5 years; the lessee will earn an additional 3 years (i.e., for an 8 year extended primary
term) if a well is spudded during the first 5 years of the lease.
The primary term is 7 years; the lessee will earn an additional 3 years (i.e., for a 10 year extended primary
term) if a well is spudded during the first 7 years of the lease.
10 years.
400 to <800 .....................................
800 to <1,600 ..................................
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1,600 + ............................................
(1) The primary term for a lease in
water depths less than 400 meters
issued as a result of this sale is 5 years.
If the lessee spuds a well targeting
hydrocarbons below 25,000 feet TVD SS
within the first 5 years of the lease, then
the lessee may earn an additional 3
years, resulting in an 8 year primary
term. The lessee will earn the 8 year
primary term when the well is drilled to
a target below 25,000 feet TVD SS, or
the lessee may earn the 8 year primary
term in cases where the well targets, but
does not reach, a depth below 25,000
feet TVD SS due to mechanical or safety
reasons, where sufficient evidence is
provided that it did not reach that target
for reasons beyond the lessee’s control.
In order to earn the 8 year extended
primary term, the lessee is required to
submit to the BOEM GOM Regional
Supervisor for Leasing and Plans, as
soon as practicable, but in any instance
not more than 30 days after completion
of the drilling operation, a letter
providing the well number, spud date,
information demonstrating a target
below 25,000 TVD SS and whether that
target was reached, and if applicable,
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any safety, mechanical, or other
problems encountered that prevented
the well from reaching a depth below
25,000 feet TVD SS. This letter must
request confirmation that the lessee
earned the 8 year primary term. The
extended primary term is not effective
unless and until the lessee receives
confirmation from BOEM.
The BOEM GOM Regional Supervisor
for Leasing and Plans will confirm in
writing, within 30 days of receiving the
lessee’s letter, whether the lessee has
earned the extended primary term and
update BOEM records accordingly.
A lessee that has earned the 8 year
primary term by spudding a well with
a hydrocarbon target below 25,000 feet
TVD SS during the standard 5 year
primary term of the lease will not be
granted 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 primary term for a lease in
water depths ranging from 400 to less
than 800 meters issued as a result of this
sale is 5 years. If the lessee spuds a well
within the 5 year primary term of the
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lease, the lessee will earn an additional
3 years, resulting in an 8 year primary
term.
In order to earn the 8 year primary
term, the lessee is required to submit to
the BOEM GOM Regional Supervisor for
Leasing and Plans, as soon as
practicable, but in no case more than 30
days after spudding a well, a letter
providing the well number and spud
date, and requesting confirmation that
the lessee earned the 8 year extended
primary term. Within 30 days of receipt
of the request, the BOEM GOM Regional
Supervisor for Leasing and Plans will
provide written confirmation of whether
the lessee has earned the extended
primary term and update BOEM records
accordingly.
(3) The standard primary term for a
lease in water depths ranging from 800
to less than 1,600 meters issued as a
result of this sale is 7 years. If the lessee
spuds a well within the standard 7 year
primary term, the lessee will earn an
additional 3 years, resulting in a 10 year
extended primary term.
In order to earn the 10 year primary
term, the lessee is required to submit to
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the BOEM GOM Regional Supervisor for
Leasing and Plans, as soon as
practicable, but in no case more than 30
days after spudding a well, a letter
providing the well number and spud
date, and requesting confirmation that
the lessee earned the 10 year primary
term. Within 30 days of receipt of the
request, the BOEM GOM Regional
Supervisor for Leasing and Plans will
provide written confirmation of whether
the lessee has earned the extended
primary term and update BOEM records
accordingly.
(4) The primary term for a lease in
water depths 1,600 meters or greater
issued as a result of this sale will be 10
years.
Economic Conditions
Minimum Bonus Bid Amounts
• $25.00 per acre or fraction thereof
for blocks in water depths less than 400
meters; and
• $100.00 per acre or fraction thereof
for blocks in water depths 400 meters or
deeper.
BOEM will not accept a bonus bid
unless it provides for a cash bonus in an
amount equal to, or exceeding, the
specified minimum bid of $25.00 per
acre or fraction thereof for blocks in
water depths less than 400 meters, and
$100.00 per acre or fraction thereof for
blocks in water depths 400 meters or
deeper.
Rental Rates
Annual rental rates are summarized in
the following table:
RENTAL RATES PER ACRE OR FRACTION THEREOF
Water depth
(meters)
Years 1–5
0 to <200 ........................................................................................................................................
200 to <400 ....................................................................................................................................
400 + ..............................................................................................................................................
Escalating Rental Rates for Leases With
an 8-Year Primary Term in Water
Depths Less Than 400 Meters
Any lessee with a lease in less than
400 meters water depth who earns an 8
year primary term will pay an escalating
rental rate as shown above. The rental
rates after the fifth year for blocks in less
than 400 meters water depth will
become fixed and no longer escalate, if
another well is spudded targeting
hydrocarbons below 25,000 feet TVD SS
after the fifth year of the lease, 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
• 12.5 Percent for leases situated in
water depths less than 200 meters; and
• 18.75 percent for leases situated in
water depths of 200 meters and deeper.
Minimum Royalty Rate
• $7.00 Per acre or fraction thereof
per year for blocks in water depths less
than 200 meters; and
• $11.00 per acre or fraction thereof
per year for blocks in water depths 200
meters or deeper.
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Royalty Suspension Provisions
The issuance of leases with Royalty
Suspension Volumes (RSVs) or other
forms of royalty relief is authorized
under existing BOEM regulations at 30
CFR part 560. The specific details
relating to eligibility and
implementation of the various royalty
relief programs, including those
involving the use of RSVs, are codified
in Bureau of Safety and Environmental
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Enforcement (BSEE) regulations at 30
CFR part 203.
In this sale, the only royalty relief
program being offered that involves the
provision of RSVs relates to the drilling
of ultra-deep wells in water depths of
less than 400 meters, as described in the
following section.
Royalty Suspension Volumes on Gas
Production From Ultra-Deep Wells
Leases issued as a result of this sale
may be eligible for RSV incentives on
gas produced from ultra-deep wells
pursuant to 30 CFR part 203. These
regulations implement the requirements
of the Energy Policy Act of 2005 (42
U.S.C. 13201 et seq.). Under this
program, wells on leases in less than
400 meters water depth and completed
to a drilling depth of 20,000 feet TVD
SS or deeper receive a RSV of 35 billion
cubic feet on the production of natural
gas. This RSV incentive is subject to
applicable price thresholds set forth in
the regulation at 30 CFR part 203.
IV. Lease Stipulations
Consistent with the Record of
Decision for the Final Programmatic
Environmental Impact Statement for the
2017–2022 Five Year OCS Oil and Gas
Leasing Program, Stipulation No. 5
(Topographic Features) and Stipulation
No. 8 (Live Bottom) will apply to every
lease sale in the GOM Program Area.
One or more of the remaining eight
stipulations may be applied to leases
issued as a result of this sale. The
detailed text of the following
stipulations is contained in the ‘‘Lease
Stipulations’’ section of the Final NOS
package.
(1) Military Areas
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$7.00
11.00
11.00
Years 6, 7, & 8 +
$14.00, $21.00, & $28.00.
22.00, 33.00, & 44.00.
16.00.
(2) Evacuation
(3) Coordination
(4) Protected Species
(5) Topographic Features
(6) United Nations Convention on the
Law of the Sea Royalty Payment
(7) Agreement between the United
States of America and the United
Mexican States Concerning
Transboundary Hydrocarbon
Reservoirs in the Gulf of Mexico
(8) Live Bottom
(9) Blocks South of Baldwin County,
Alabama
(10) Below Seabed Restrictions due to
Rights-of-Use and Easement for
Floating Production Facilities
V. Information to Lessees
Information to Lessees (ITLs) provides
detailed information on certain issues
pertaining to specific oil and gas lease
sales. The detailed text of the ITLs for
this sale is contained in the
‘‘Information to Lessees’’ section of the
Final NOS package.
(1) Navigation Safety
(2) Ordnance Disposal Areas
(3) Existing and Proposed Artificial
Reefs/Rigs-to-Reefs
(4) Lightering Zones
(5) Indicated Hydrocarbons List
(6) Military Areas
(7) Bureau of Safety and Environmental
Enforcement (BSEE) Inspection and
Enforcement of Certain U.S. Coast
Guard (USCG) Regulations
(8) Significant Outer Continental Shelf
Sediment Resource Areas
(9) Notice of Arrival on the Outer
Continental Shelf
(10) Bidder/Lessee Notice of Obligations
Related to Criminal/Civil Charges
and Offenses, Suspension, or
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Debarment; Disqualification Due to
a Conviction under the Clean Air
Act or the Clean Water Act
(11) Protected Species
(12) Proposed Expansion of the Flower
Garden Banks National Marine
Sanctuary
(13) Communication Towers
(14) Deepwater Port Applications for
Offshore Oil and Liquefied Natural
Gas Facilities
(15) Ocean Dredged Material Disposal
Sites
(16) Rights-of-Use and Easement
(17) Industrial Waste Disposal Areas
(18) Gulf Islands National Seashore
(19) Air Quality Permit/Plan Approvals
VI. Maps
The maps pertaining to this lease sale
may be viewed on BOEM’s website at
https://www.boem.gov/Sale-250/. The
following maps also are included in the
Final NOS package:
Lease Terms and Economic Conditions
Map
The lease terms and economic
conditions associated with leases of
certain blocks are shown on the map
entitled, ‘‘Final, Gulf of Mexico Regionwide Oil and Gas Lease Sale 250, March
2018, Lease Terms and Economic
Conditions.’’
Stipulations and Deferred Blocks Map
The lease stipulations and the blocks
to which they apply are shown on the
map entitled, ‘‘Final, Gulf of Mexico
Region-wide Oil and Gas Lease Sale
250, March 2018, Stipulations and
Deferred Blocks Map.’’
VII. Bidding Instructions
Bids may be submitted in person or
by mail at the address below in the
‘‘Mailed Bids’’ section. Bidders
submitting their bid(s) in person are
advised to email boemgomrleasesales@
boem.gov to provide the names of the
company representative(s) who will
submit the bid(s). Instructions on how
to submit a bid, secure payment of the
advance bonus bid deposit (if
applicable), and what information must
be included with the bid are as follows:
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Bid Form
For each block bid upon, a separate
sealed bid must be submitted in a sealed
envelope (as described below) and
include the following:
• Total amount of the bid in whole
dollars only;
• Sale number;
• Sale date;
• Each bidder’s exact name;
• Each bidder’s proportionate
interest, stated as a percentage, using a
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maximum of five decimal places (e.g.,
33.33333%);
• Typed name and title, and signature
of each bidder’s authorized officer;
• Each bidder’s qualification number;
• Map name and number or Official
Protraction Diagram (OPD) name and
number;
• Block number; and
• Statement acknowledging that the
bidder(s) understand that this bid
legally binds the bidder(s) to comply
with all applicable regulations,
including those requiring it to post a
deposit in the amount of one-fifth of the
bonus bid amount for any tract bid upon
and make payment of the balance of the
bonus bid upon BOEM’s acceptance of
high bids.
The information required on the
bid(s) is specified in the document ‘‘Bid
Form’’ contained in the Final NOS
package. A blank bid form is provided
in the Final NOS package for
convenience and may be copied and
completed with the necessary
information described above.
Bid Envelope
Each bid must be submitted in a
separate sealed envelope labeled as
follows:
• ‘‘Sealed Bid for GOM Region-wide
Sale 250, not to be opened until 9 a.m.
Wednesday, March 21, 2018;’’
• Map name and number or OPD
name and number;
• Block number for block bid upon;
and
• The exact name and qualification
number of the submitting bidder only.
The Final NOS package includes a
sample bid envelope for reference.
Mailed Bids
If bids are mailed, please address the
envelope containing the sealed bid
envelope(s) as follows: Attention:
Leasing and Financial Responsibility
Section, BOEM Gulf of Mexico Region,
1201 Elmwood Park Boulevard WS–
266A, New Orleans, Louisiana 70123–
2394. Contains Sealed Bids for GOM
Region-wide Sale 250. Please Deliver to
Mr. Greg Purvis, 2nd Floor,
Immediately.
Please Note: Bidders mailing bid(s) are
advised to inform BOEM by email to
boemgomrleasesales@boem.gov immediately
after putting their bid(s) in the mail. This is
to ensure receipt of bids prior to the Bid
Submission Deadline. If BOEM receives bids
later than the Bid Submission Deadline, the
BOEM GOM Regional Director (RD) will
return those bids unopened to bidders. Please
see ‘‘Section XI. Delay of Sale’’ regarding
BOEM’s discretion to extend the Bid
Submission Deadline in the case of an
unexpected event (e.g., flooding or travel
restrictions) and how bidders can obtain
more information on such extensions.
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Advance Bonus Bid Deposit Guarantee
Bidders that are not currently an OCS
oil and gas lease record title holder or
designated operator, or those that ever
have defaulted on a one-fifth bonus bid
deposit, by Electronic Funds Transfer
(EFT) or otherwise, must guarantee
(secure) the payment of the one-fifth
bonus bid deposit prior to bid
submission using one of the following
four methods:
• Provide a third-party guarantee;
• Amend an area-wide development
bond via bond rider;
• Provide a letter of credit; or
• Provide a lump sum payment in
advance via EFT.
For more information on EFT
procedures, see Section X of this
document entitled, ‘‘The Lease Sale.’’
Affirmative Action
Prior to bidding, each bidder should
file the Equal Opportunity Affirmative
Action Representation Form BOEM–
2032 (October 2011, https://
www.boem.gov/BOEM-2032/) and Equal
Opportunity Compliance Report
Certification Form BOEM–2033
(October 2011, https://www.boem.gov/
BOEM-2033/) with the BOEM GOM
Adjudication Section. This certification
is required by 41 CFR part 60 and
Executive Order No. 11246, issued
September 24, 1965, as amended by
Executive Order No. 11375, issued
October 13, 1967, and by Executive
Order No. 13672, issued July 21, 2014.
Both forms must be on file for the
bidder(s) in the GOM Adjudication
Section prior to the execution of any
lease contract.
Geophysical Data and Information
Statement (GDIS)
The GDIS is composed of three parts:
(1) The ‘‘Statement’’ page includes the
company representatives’ information
and lists of blocks bid on that used
proprietary data and those blocks bid on
that did not use proprietary data;
(2) The ‘‘Table’’ listing the required
data about each proprietary survey used
(see below); and
(3) The ‘‘Maps’’ being the live trace
maps for each proprietary survey that
are identified in the GDIS statement and
table.
Every bidder submitting a bid on a
block in GOM Region-wide Sale 250, or
participating as a joint bidder in such a
bid, must submit at the time of bid
submission all three parts of the GDIS.
A bidder must submit the GDIS even if
a joint bidder or bidders on a specific
block also have submitted a GDIS. Any
speculative data that has been
reprocessed externally or ‘‘in-house’’ is
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considered proprietary due to the
proprietary processing and is no longer
considered to be speculative.
The GDIS must be submitted in a
separate and sealed envelope, and must
identify all proprietary data;
reprocessed speculative data, and/or
any Controlled Source Electromagnetic
surveys, Amplitude Versus Offset
(AVO), Gravity, or Magnetic data; or
other information used as part of the
decision to bid or participate in a bid on
the block. The bidder and joint bidder
must also include a live trace map (e.g.,
.pdf and ArcGIS shape file) for each
proprietary survey that they identify in
the GDIS illustrating the actual areal
extent of the proprietary geophysical
data in the survey (see the ‘‘Example of
Preferred Format’’ in the Final NOS
package for additional information). The
shape file should not include cultural
information; only the live trace map of
the survey itself.
The GDIS statement must include the
name, phone number, and full address
of a contact person and an alternate who
are both knowledgeable about the
geophysical information and data listed
and who are available for 30 days after
the sale date. The GDIS statement also
must include a list of all blocks bid
upon that did not use proprietary or
reprocessed pre- or post-stack
geophysical data and information as
part of the decision to bid or to
participate as a joint bidder in the bid.
The GDIS statement must be submitted
even if no proprietary geophysical data
and information were used in bid
preparation for the block.
The GDIS table should have columns
that clearly state:
• The sale number;
• The bidder company’s name;
• The block area and block number
bid on;
• The owner of the original data set
(i.e., who initially acquired the data);
• The industry’s original name of the
survey (e.g., E Octopus);
• The BOEM permit number for the
survey;
• Whether the data set is a fast track
version;
• Whether the data is speculative or
proprietary;
• The data type (e.g., 2–D, 3–D, or 4–
D; pre-stack or post-stack; and time or
depth);
• The Migration algorithm (e.g.,
Kirchhoff Migration, Wave Equation
Migration, Reverse Migration, Reverse
Time Migration);
• The Live Proprietary Survey
Coverage (e.g., line miles for 2–D
surveys or number of blocks for 3–D
surveys);
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• The computer storage size, to the
nearest gigabyte, of each seismic data
and velocity volume used to evaluate
the lease block;
• Who reprocessed the data and when
the date of final reprocessing was
completed (month and year);
• If data was previously sent to
BOEM, list the sale and date of sale for
which it was used; and
• Indicate if proprietary or
Speculative AVO/AVA (PROP/SPEC)
was used.
The computer storage size
information will be used in estimating
the reproduction costs for each data set,
if applicable. The availability of
reimbursement of production costs will
be determined consistent with 30 CFR
551.13.
An example of the preferred format of
the table is contained in the Final NOS
package, and a blank digital version of
the preferred table can be accessed on
the GOM Region-wide Sale 250 web
page at https://www.boem.gov/Sale-250.
The GDIS maps are live trace maps
(e.g., .pdf and ArcGIS shape files) that
should be submitted for each
proprietary survey that is identified in
the GDIS table. They should illustrate
the actual areal extent of the proprietary
geophysical data in the survey (see the
‘‘Example of Preferred Format’’ in the
Final NOS package for additional
information). As previously stated, the
shape file should not include cultural
information; only the live trace map of
the survey itself. Pursuant to 30 CFR
551.12 and 30 CFR 556.501, as a
condition of the sale, the BOEM Gulf of
Mexico RD requests that all bidders and
joint bidders submit the proprietary data
identified on their GDIS within 30 days
after the lease sale (unless they are
notified after the lease sale that BOEM
has withdrawn the request). This
request only pertains to proprietary data
that is not commercially available.
Commercially available data is not
required to be submitted to BOEM, and
reimbursement will not be provided if
such data is submitted by a bidder. The
BOEM Gulf of Mexico RD will notify
bidders and joint bidders of any
withdrawal of the request, for all or
some of the proprietary data identified
on the GDIS, within 15 days of the lease
sale. Pursuant to 30 CFR part 551 and
30 CFR 556.501, as a condition of this
sale, all bidders that are required to
submit data must ensure that the data is
received by BOEM no later than the
30th day following the lease sale, or the
next business day if the submission
deadline falls on a weekend or Federal
holiday.
The data must be submitted to BOEM
at the following address: Bureau of
PO 00000
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Ocean Energy Management, Resource
Studies, GM 881A, 1201 Elmwood Park
Blvd., New Orleans, LA 70123–2304.
BOEM recommends that bidders mark
the submission’s external envelope as
‘‘Deliver Immediately to DASPU.’’
BOEM also recommends that the data be
submitted in an internal envelope, or
otherwise marked, with the following
designation: ‘‘Proprietary Geophysical
Data Submitted Pursuant to GOM
Region-wide Sale 250 and used during
<Bidder Name’s> evaluation of Block
<Block Number>.’’
In the event a person supplies any
type of data to BOEM, that person must
meet the following requirements to
qualify for reimbursement:
(1) The person must be registered
with the System for Award Management
(SAM), formerly known as the Central
Contractor Registration (CCR). CCR
usernames will not work in SAM. A
new SAM User Account is needed to
register or update an entity’s records.
The website for registering is https://
www.sam.gov.
(2) The persons must be enrolled in
the Department of Treasury’s Invoice
Processing Platform (IPP) for electronic
invoicing. The person must enroll in the
IPP at https://www.ipp.gov/. Access
then will be granted to use the 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) The persons must have a current
On-line Representations and
Certifications Application at https://
www.sam.gov.
Please Note: The GDIS Information Table
must be submitted digitally, preferably as an
Excel spreadsheet, on a CD, DVD, or any USB
external drive (formatted for Windows),
along with the seismic data map(s). If bidders
have any questions, please contact Ms. Dee
Smith at (504) 736–2706, or Mr. John Johnson
at (504) 736–2455.
Bidders should refer to Section X of this
document, ‘‘The Lease Sale: Acceptance,
Rejection, or Return of Bids,’’ regarding a
bidder’s failure to comply with the
requirements of the Final NOS, including any
failure to submit information as required in
the Final NOS or Final NOS package.
Telephone Numbers/Addresses of
Bidders
BOEM requests that bidders provide
this information in the suggested format
prior to or at the time of bid submission.
The suggested format is included in the
Final NOS package. The form must not
be enclosed inside the sealed bid
envelope.
Additional Documentation
BOEM may require bidders to submit
other documents in accordance with 30
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CFR 556.107, 30 CFR 556.401, 30 CFR
556.501, and 30 CFR 556.513.
VIII. Bidding Rules and Restrictions
Restricted Joint Bidders
On November 14, 2017, BOEM
published the most recent List of
Restricted Joint Bidders in the Federal
Register at 82 FR 52743. Potential
bidders are advised to refer to the
Federal Register, prior to bidding, for
the most current List of Restricted Joint
Bidders in place at the time of the lease
sale. Please refer to the joint bidding
provisions at 30 CFR 556.511–515.
Authorized Signatures
All signatories executing documents
on behalf of bidder(s) must execute the
same in conformance with the BOEM
qualification records. 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 that
requiring payment of one-fifth of the
bonus bid on all high bids. A statement
to this effect is included on each bid
form (see the document ‘‘Bid Form’’
contained in the Final NOS package).
daltland on DSKBBV9HB2PROD with NOTICES
Unlawful Combination or Intimidation
BOEM warns bidders against violation
of 18 U.S.C. 1860, prohibiting unlawful
combination or intimidation of bidders.
Bid Withdrawal
Bids may be withdrawn only by
written request delivered to BOEM prior
to the Bid Submission Deadline. The
withdrawal request must be on
company letterhead and must contain
the bidder’s name, its BOEM
qualification number, the map name/
number, and the block number(s) of the
bid(s) to be withdrawn. The withdrawal
request must be executed in
conformance with the BOEM
qualification records. Signatories must
be authorized to bind their respective
legal business entity (e.g., a corporation,
partnership, or LLC) and documentation
must be on file with BOEM setting forth
this authority to act on the business
entity’s behalf for purposes of bidding
and lease execution under OCSLA (e.g.,
business charter or articles, incumbency
certificate, or power of attorney). The
name and title of the authorized
signatory must be typed under the
signature block on the withdrawal
request. The BOEM Gulf of Mexico RD,
or the RD’s designee, will indicate their
approval by signing and dating the
withdrawal request.
Bid Rounding
Minimum bonus bid calculations,
including rounding, for all blocks will
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19:24 Feb 15, 2018
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be shown in the document ‘‘List of
Blocks Available for Leasing’’ included
in the Final NOS package. The bonus
bid amount must be stated in whole
dollars. If the acreage of a block contains
a decimal figure, then prior to
calculating the minimum bonus bid,
BOEM will round up to the next whole
acre. The appropriate minimum rate per
acre will then be applied to the whole
(rounded up) acreage. If this calculation
results in a fractional dollar amount, the
minimum bonus bid will be rounded up
to the next whole dollar amount. The
bonus bid amount must be greater than
or equal to the minimum bonus bid in
whole dollars.
IX. Forms
The Final NOS package includes
instructions, samples, and/or the
preferred format for the following items.
BOEM strongly encourages bidders to
use the recommended formats. If
bidders use another format, they are
responsible for including all the
information specified for each item in
the Final NOS package.
(1) Bid Form
(2) Sample Completed Bid
(3) Sample Bid Envelope
(4) Sample Bid Mailing Envelope
(5) Telephone Numbers/Addresses of
Bidders Form
(6) GDIS Form
(7) GDIS Envelope Form
X. The Lease Sale
Bid Opening and Reading
Sealed bids received in response to
the Final NOS will be opened at the
place, date, and hour specified under
the DATES section of the Final NOS. The
venue will not be open to the public.
Instead, the bid opening will be
available for the public to view on
BOEM’s website at www.boem.gov via
live-streaming. The opening of the bids
is for the sole purpose of publicly
announcing and recording the bids
received; no bids will be accepted or
rejected at that time.
Bonus Bid Deposit for Apparent High
Bids
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. A copy of the notification
of the high bidder’s one-fifth bonus bid
amount may be obtained on the BOEM
website at https://www.boem.gov/Sale250 under the heading ‘‘Notification of
EFT 1⁄5 Bonus Liability’’ after 1:00 p.m.
on the day of the sale. All payments
must be deposited electronically into an
PO 00000
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Fmt 4703
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7075
interest-bearing account in the U.S.
Treasury by 11:00 a.m. Eastern Time the
day following the bid reading (no
exceptions). Account information is
provided in the ‘‘Instructions for
Making Electronic Funds Transfer
Bonus Payments’’ found on the BOEM
website identified above.
BOEM requires bidders to use EFT
procedures for payment of one-fifth
bonus bid deposits for GOM Regionwide Sale 250 following the detailed
instructions contained on the ONRR
Payment Information web page at https://
www.onrr.gov/FM/PayInfo.htm.
Acceptance of a deposit does not
constitute and will not be construed as
acceptance of any bid on behalf of the
United States.
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. No bid will be
accepted, and no lease for any block
will be awarded to any bidder, unless:
(1) The bidder has complied with all
requirements of the Final NOS,
including those set forth in the
documents contained in the Final NOS
package, and applicable regulations;
(2) The bid is the highest valid bid;
and
(3) 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 the Final
NOS and Final NOS package, OCSLA,
or other applicable statute or regulation
will be rejected and returned to the
bidder. The U.S. Department of Justice
and the Federal Trade Commission will
review the results of the lease sale for
antitrust issues prior to the acceptance
of bids and issuance of leases.
Bid Adequacy Review Procedures for
GOM Region-Wide Sale 250
To ensure that the U.S. Government
receives a fair return for the conveyance
of leases from this sale, high bids will
be evaluated in accordance with
BOEM’s bid adequacy procedures,
which are available at https://
www.boem.gov/Oil-and-Gas-EnergyProgram/Leasing/Regional-Leasing/
Gulf-of-Mexico-Region/Bid-AdequacyProcedures.aspx .
Lease Award
BOEM requires each bidder awarded
a lease to:
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(1) Execute all copies of the lease
(Form BOEM–2005 (February 2017), as
amended);
(2) 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 556.520(a); and
(3) Satisfy the bonding requirements
of 30 CFR part 556, subpart I, as
amended. ONRR requests that only one
transaction be used for payment of the
balance of the bonus bid amount and
the first year’s rental. When ONRR
receives such payment, the bidder
awarded the lease may not request a
refund of the balance bonus bid amount
or first year’s rental payment.
XI. Delay of Sale
The BOEM Gulf of Mexico RD has the
discretion to change any date, time,
and/or location specified in the Final
NOS package in the case of an event that
the BOEM Gulf of Mexico RD deems
may interfere with the carrying out of a
fair and orderly lease sale process. Such
events could include, but are not
limited to, natural disasters (e.g.,
earthquakes, hurricanes, and floods),
wars, riots, acts of terrorism, fires,
strikes, civil disorder, or other events of
a similar nature. In case of such events,
bidders should call (504) 736–0557, or
access the BOEM website at https://
www.boem.gov, for information
regarding any changes.
Dated: February 13, 2018.
Walter D. Cruickshank,
Acting Director, Bureau of Ocean Energy
Management.
[FR Doc. 2018–03278 Filed 2–15–18; 8:45 am]
BILLING CODE 4310–MR–P
INTERNATIONAL TRADE
COMMISSION
Notice of Receipt of Complaint;
Solicitation of Comments; Relating to
the Public Interest
U.S. International Trade
Commission.
ACTION: Notice.
AGENCY:
Notice is hereby given that
the U.S. International Trade
Commission has received a complaint
entitled Certain Multi-Domain Test and
Measurement Instruments, DN 3295; the
Commission is soliciting comments on
any public interest issues raised by the
complaint or complainant’s filing
pursuant to the Commission’s Rules of
Practice and Procedure.
FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT: Lisa
R. Barton, Secretary to the Commission,
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SUMMARY:
VerDate Sep<11>2014
19:24 Feb 15, 2018
Jkt 244001
U.S. International Trade Commission,
500 E Street SW, Washington, DC
20436, telephone (202) 205–2000. The
public version of the complaint can be
accessed on the Commission’s
Electronic Document Information
System (EDIS) at https://edis.usitc.gov,
and will be available for inspection
during official business hours (8:45 a.m.
to 5:15 p.m.) in the Office of the
Secretary, U.S. International Trade
Commission, 500 E Street, SW,
Washington, DC 20436, telephone (202)
205–2000.
General information concerning the
Commission may also be obtained by
accessing its internet server at United
States International Trade Commission
(USITC) at https://www.usitc.gov . The
public record for this investigation may
be viewed on the Commission’s
Electronic Document Information
System (EDIS) at https://edis.usitc.gov.
Hearing-impaired persons are advised
that information on this matter can be
obtained by contacting the
Commission’s TDD terminal on (202)
205–1810.
SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION: The
Commission has received a complaint
and a submission pursuant to § 210.8(b)
of the Commission’s Rules of Practice
and Procedure filed on behalf of
Tektronix,, Inc. on February 09, 2018.
The complaint alleges violations of
section 337 of the Tariff Act of 1930 (19
U.S.C. 1337) in the importation into the
United States, the sale for importation,
and the sale within the United States
after importation of certain multidomain test and measurement
instruments. The complaint names as
respondents: Rohde & Schwarz USA,
Inc. of Columbia, MD; Rohde & Schwarz
GmbH & Co. KG of Germany; and Rohde
& Schwarz Vertriebs Gmbh of Germany.
The complainant requests that the
Commission issue a limited exclusion
order, cease and desist orders and
impose a bond upon respondents’
alleged infringing articles during the 60day Presidential review period pursuant
to 19 U.S.C. 1337(j).
Proposed respondents, other
interested parties, and members of the
public are invited to file comments, not
to exceed five (5) pages in length,
inclusive of attachments, on any public
interest issues raised by the complaint
or § 210.8(b) filing. Comments should
address whether issuance of the relief
specifically requested by the
complainant in this investigation would
affect the public health and welfare in
the United States, competitive
conditions in the United States
economy, the production of like or
directly competitive articles in the
PO 00000
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Fmt 4703
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United States, or United States
consumers.
In particular, the Commission is
interested in comments that:
(i) Explain how the articles
potentially subject to the requested
remedial orders are used in the United
States;
(ii) Identify any public health, safety,
or welfare concerns in the United States
relating to the requested remedial
orders;
(iii) Identify like or directly
competitive articles that complainant,
its licensees, or third parties make in the
United States which could replace the
subject articles if they were to be
excluded;
(iv) Indicate whether complainant,
complainant’s licensees, and/or third
party suppliers have the capacity to
replace the volume of articles
potentially subject to the requested
exclusion order and/or a cease and
desist order within a commercially
reasonable time; and
(v) Explain how the requested
remedial orders would impact United
States consumers.
Written submissions must be filed no
later than by close of business, eight
calendar days after the date of
publication of this notice in the Federal
Register. There will be further
opportunities for comment on the
public interest after the issuance of any
final initial determination in this
investigation.
Persons filing written submissions
must file the original document
electronically on or before the deadlines
stated above and submit 8 true paper
copies to the Office of the Secretary by
noon the next day pursuant to § 210.4(f)
of the Commission’s Rules of Practice
and Procedure (19 CFR 210.4(f)).
Submissions should refer to the docket
number (‘‘Docket No. 3295) in a
prominent place on the cover page and/
or the first page. (See Handbook for
Electonic Filing Procedures, Electronic
Filing Procedures 1.) Persons with
questions regarding filing should
contact the Secretary (202–205–2000).
Any person desiring to submit a
document to the Commission in
confidence must request confidential
treatment. All such requests should be
directed to the Secretary to the
Commission and must include a full
statement of the reasons why the
Commission should grant such
treatment. See 19 CFR 201.6. Documents
for which confidential treatment by the
Commission is properly sought will be
1 Handbook for Electronic Filing Procedures:
https://www.usitc.gov/documents/handbook_on_
filing_procedures.pdf.
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]]>Agencies
[Federal Register Volume 83, Number 33 (Friday, February 16, 2018)]
[Notices]
[Pages 7070-7076]
From the Federal Register Online via the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]
[FR Doc No: 2018-03278]
-----------------------------------------------------------------------
DEPARTMENT OF THE INTERIOR
Bureau of Ocean Energy Management
Gulf of Mexico Outer Continental Shelf Oil and Gas Lease Sale
250; MMAA104000
AGENCY: Bureau of Ocean Energy Management, Interior.
ACTION: Final Notice of Sale.
-----------------------------------------------------------------------
SUMMARY: On Wednesday, March 21, 2018, the Bureau of Ocean Energy
Management (BOEM) will open and publicly announce bids received for
blocks offered in the Gulf of Mexico (GOM) Outer Continental Shelf
(OCS) Region-wide Oil and Gas Lease Sale 250 (GOM Region-wide Sale
250), in accordance with the provisions of the Outer Continental Shelf
Lands Act (OCSLA), as amended, and the implementing regulations issued
pursuant thereto. The GOM Region-wide Sale 250 Final Notice of Sale
(NOS) package contains information essential to potential bidders.
DATES: Public bid reading for GOM Region-wide Sale 250 will begin at
9:00 a.m. on Wednesday, March 21, 2018, at 1201 Elmwood Park Boulevard,
New Orleans, Louisiana. All times referred to in this document are
Central Standard Time, unless otherwise specified.
Bid Submission Deadline: BOEM must receive all sealed bids between
8:00 a.m. and 4:00 p.m. on weekdays, excluding holidays, prior to the
sale, with the exception of Tuesday, March 20, 2018, the day before the
lease sale, when the Bid Submission Deadline is 10:00 a.m. For more
information on bid submission, see Section VII, ``Bidding
Instructions,'' of this document.
ADDRESSES: Public bid reading for GOM Region-wide Sale 250 will be held
at 1201 Elmwood Park Boulevard, New Orleans, Louisiana. The venue will
not be open to the general public, media, or industry. Instead, the bid
opening will be available for public viewing on BOEM's website at
www.boem.gov via live-streaming video beginning at 9:00 a.m. on the
date of the sale. BOEM will also post the results on its website after
bid opening and reading are completed. Interested parties may download
the Final NOS package from BOEM's website at https://www.boem.gov/Sale-250/. Copies of the sale maps may be obtained by contacting the BOEM
GOM Region at: Gulf of Mexico Region Public Information Office, Bureau
of Ocean Energy Management, 1201 Elmwood Park Boulevard, New Orleans,
Louisiana 70123-2394, (504) 736-2519 or (800) 200-GULF.
For more information on bid submission, see Section VII, ``Bidding
Instructions,'' of this document.
FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT: Ann Glazner, Acting Regional
Supervisor, Office of Leasing and Plans, 504-736-2607,
[email protected] or Dr. Andrew Krueger, Acting Chief, Leasing
Division, 703-787-1554, [email protected].
SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION:
Table of Contents
This Final NOS includes the following sections:
I. Lease Sale Area
II. Statutes and Regulations
III. Lease Terms and Economic Conditions
IV. Lease Stipulations
V. Information to Lessees
VI. Maps
VII. Bidding Instructions
VIII. Bidding Rules and Restrictions
IX. Forms
X. The Lease Sale
XI. Delay of Sale
I. Lease Sale Area
Blocks Offered for Leasing: BOEM will offer for bid in this lease
sale all of the available unleased acreage in the GOM, except those
blocks listed in ``Blocks Not Offered for Leasing'' below.
Blocks Not Offered for Leasing: The following whole and partial
blocks are not offered for lease in this sale. The BOEM Official
Protraction Diagrams (OPDs) and Supplemental Official Block Diagrams
are available online at https://www.boem.gov/Maps-and-GIS-Data/.
Whole and partial blocks that lie within the boundaries of the
Flower Garden Banks National Marine Sanctuary (in the East and West
Flower Garden Banks and the Stetson Bank), identified in the following
list:
High Island, East Addition, South Extension (Leasing Map TX7C)
Whole Block: A-398
Partial 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
High Island, South Addition (Leasing Map TX7B)
Partial Blocks: A-502, A-513
Garden Banks (OPD NG15-02)
Partial Blocks: 134, 135
Blocks that are adjacent to or beyond the United States Exclusive
Economic Zone in the area known as the northern portion of the Eastern
Gap:
Lund South (OPD NG 16-07)
Whole Blocks: 128, 129, 169 through 173, 208 through 217, 248
through 261, 293 through 305, and 349
Henderson (OPD NG 16-05)
Whole Blocks: 466, 508 through 510, 551 through 554, 594 through
599, 637 through 643, 679 through 687, 722 through 731, 764 through
775, 807 through 819, 849 through 862, 891 through 905, 933 through
949, and 975 through 992
Partial Blocks: 467, 511, 555, 556, 600, 644, 688, 732, 776,
777, 820, 821, 863, 864, 906, 907, 950, 993, and 994
Florida Plain (OPD NG 16-08)
Whole Blocks: 5 through 24, 46 through 67, 89 through 110, 133
through 154, 177 through 197, 221 through 240, 265 through 283, 309
through 327, and 363 through 370
All whole and portions of blocks deferred by the Gulf of Mexico
Energy Security Act of 2006, Public Law 109-432:
Pensacola (OPD NH 16-05)
Whole Blocks: 751 through 754, 793 through 798, 837 through 842,
881 through 886, 925 through 930, and 969 through 975
[[Page 7071]]
Destin Dome (OPD NH 16-08)
Whole Blocks: 1 through 7, 45 through 51, 89 through 96, 133
through 140, 177 through 184, 221 through 228, 265 through 273, 309
through 317, 353 through 361, 397 through 405, 441 through 450, 485
through 494, 529 through 538, 573 through 582, 617 through 627, 661
through 671, 705 through 715, 749 through 759, 793 through 804, 837
through 848, 881 through 892, 925 through 936, and 969 through 981
DeSoto Canyon (OPD NH 16-11)
Whole Blocks: 1 through 15, 45 through 59, and 92 through 102
Partial Blocks: 16, 60, 61, 89 through 91, 103 through 105, and
135 through 147
Henderson (OPD NG 16-05)
Partial Blocks: 114, 158, 202, 246, 290, 334, 335, 378, 379,
422, and 423
The following blocks, whose lease status is currently under appeal:
Keathley Canyon (Leasing Map NG15-05) Blocks 290, 291, and 292
Keathley Canyon (Leasing Map NG15-05) Blocks 246 and 247
Keathley Canyon (Leasing Map NG15-05) Blocks 335 and 336
Vermilion Area (Leasing Map LA3) Partial Block 179
II. Statutes and Regulations
Each lease is issued pursuant to OCSLA, 43 U.S.C. 1331-1356, as
amended, and is subject to OCSLA implementing regulations promulgated
pursuant thereto in 30 CFR part 556, and other applicable statutes and
regulations in existence upon the effective date of the lease, as well
as those applicable statutes enacted and regulations promulgated
thereafter, except to the extent that the after-enacted statutes and
regulations explicitly conflict with an express provision of the lease.
Each lease is also subject to amendments to statutes and regulations,
including but not limited to OCSLA, that do not explicitly conflict
with an express provision of the lease. The lessee expressly bears the
risk that such new or amended statutes and regulations (i.e., those
that do not explicitly conflict with an express provision of the lease)
may increase or decrease the lessee's obligations under the lease.
III. Lease Terms and Economic Conditions
Lease Terms
OCS Lease Form
BOEM will use Form BOEM-2005 (February 2017) to convey leases
resulting from this sale. This lease form may be viewed on BOEM's
website at https://www.boem.gov/BOEM-2005.
The lease form will be amended to conform with the specific terms,
conditions, and stipulations applicable to the individual lease. The
terms, conditions, and stipulations applicable to this sale are set
forth below.
Primary Term
Primary Terms are summarized in the following table:
------------------------------------------------------------------------
Water depth (meters) Primary term
------------------------------------------------------------------------
0 to <400......................... The primary term is 5 years; the
lessee may earn an additional 3
years (i.e., for an 8 year extended
primary term) if a well is spudded
targeting hydrocarbons below 25,000
feet True Vertical Depth Subsea
(TVD SS) during the first 5 years
of the lease.
400 to <800....................... The primary term is 5 years; the
lessee will earn an additional 3
years (i.e., for an 8 year extended
primary term) if a well is spudded
during the first 5 years of the
lease.
800 to <1,600..................... The primary term is 7 years; the
lessee will earn an additional 3
years (i.e., for a 10 year extended
primary term) if a well is spudded
during the first 7 years of the
lease.
1,600 +........................... 10 years.
------------------------------------------------------------------------
(1) The primary term for a lease in water depths less than 400
meters issued as a result of this sale is 5 years. If the lessee spuds
a well targeting hydrocarbons below 25,000 feet TVD SS within the first
5 years of the lease, then the lessee may earn an additional 3 years,
resulting in an 8 year primary term. The lessee will earn the 8 year
primary term when the well is drilled to a target below 25,000 feet TVD
SS, or the lessee may earn the 8 year primary term in cases where the
well targets, but does not reach, a depth below 25,000 feet TVD SS due
to mechanical or safety reasons, where sufficient evidence is provided
that it did not reach that target for reasons beyond the lessee's
control.
In order to earn the 8 year extended primary term, the lessee is
required to submit to the BOEM GOM Regional Supervisor for Leasing and
Plans, as soon as practicable, but in any instance not more than 30
days after completion of the drilling operation, a letter providing the
well number, spud date, information demonstrating a target below 25,000
TVD SS and whether that target was reached, and if applicable, any
safety, mechanical, or other problems encountered that prevented the
well from reaching a depth below 25,000 feet TVD SS. This letter must
request confirmation that the lessee earned the 8 year primary term.
The extended primary term is not effective unless and until the lessee
receives confirmation from BOEM.
The BOEM GOM Regional Supervisor for Leasing and Plans will confirm
in writing, within 30 days of receiving the lessee's letter, whether
the lessee has earned the extended primary term and update BOEM records
accordingly.
A lessee that has earned the 8 year primary term by spudding a well
with a hydrocarbon target below 25,000 feet TVD SS during the standard
5 year primary term of the lease will not be granted 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 primary term for a lease in water depths ranging from 400
to less than 800 meters issued as a result of this sale is 5 years. If
the lessee spuds a well within the 5 year primary term of the lease,
the lessee will earn an additional 3 years, resulting in an 8 year
primary term.
In order to earn the 8 year primary term, the lessee is required to
submit to the BOEM GOM Regional Supervisor for Leasing and Plans, as
soon as practicable, but in no case more than 30 days after spudding a
well, a letter providing the well number and spud date, and requesting
confirmation that the lessee earned the 8 year extended primary term.
Within 30 days of receipt of the request, the BOEM GOM Regional
Supervisor for Leasing and Plans will provide written confirmation of
whether the lessee has earned the extended primary term and update BOEM
records accordingly.
(3) The standard primary term for a lease in water depths ranging
from 800 to less than 1,600 meters issued as a result of this sale is 7
years. If the lessee spuds a well within the standard 7 year primary
term, the lessee will earn an additional 3 years, resulting in a 10
year extended primary term.
In order to earn the 10 year primary term, the lessee is required
to submit to
[[Page 7072]]
the BOEM GOM Regional Supervisor for Leasing and Plans, as soon as
practicable, but in no case more than 30 days after spudding a well, a
letter providing the well number and spud date, and requesting
confirmation that the lessee earned the 10 year primary term. Within 30
days of receipt of the request, the BOEM GOM Regional Supervisor for
Leasing and Plans will provide written confirmation of whether the
lessee has earned the extended primary term and update BOEM records
accordingly.
(4) The primary term for a lease in water depths 1,600 meters or
greater issued as a result of this sale will be 10 years.
Economic Conditions
Minimum Bonus Bid Amounts
$25.00 per acre or fraction thereof for blocks in water
depths less than 400 meters; and
$100.00 per acre or fraction thereof for blocks in water
depths 400 meters or deeper.
BOEM will not accept a bonus bid unless it provides for a cash
bonus in an amount equal to, or exceeding, the specified minimum bid of
$25.00 per acre or fraction thereof for blocks in water depths less
than 400 meters, and $100.00 per acre or fraction thereof for blocks in
water depths 400 meters or deeper.
Rental Rates
Annual rental rates are summarized in the following table:
Rental Rates per Acre or Fraction Thereof
----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Water depth (meters) Years 1-5 Years 6, 7, & 8 +
----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
0 to <200.................................. $7.00 $14.00, $21.00, & $28.00.
200 to <400................................ 11.00 22.00, 33.00, & 44.00.
400 +...................................... 11.00 16.00.
----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Escalating Rental Rates for Leases With an 8-Year Primary Term in Water
Depths Less Than 400 Meters
Any lessee with a lease in less than 400 meters water depth who
earns an 8 year primary term will pay an escalating rental rate as
shown above. The rental rates after the fifth year for blocks in less
than 400 meters water depth will become fixed and no longer escalate,
if another well is spudded targeting hydrocarbons below 25,000 feet TVD
SS after the fifth year of the lease, 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
12.5 Percent for leases situated in water depths less than
200 meters; and
18.75 percent for leases situated in water depths of 200
meters and deeper.
Minimum Royalty Rate
$7.00 Per acre or fraction thereof per year for blocks in
water depths less than 200 meters; and
$11.00 per acre or fraction thereof per year for blocks in
water depths 200 meters or deeper.
Royalty Suspension Provisions
The issuance of leases with Royalty Suspension Volumes (RSVs) or
other forms of royalty relief is authorized under existing BOEM
regulations at 30 CFR part 560. The specific details relating to
eligibility and implementation of the various royalty relief programs,
including those involving the use of RSVs, are codified in Bureau of
Safety and Environmental Enforcement (BSEE) regulations at 30 CFR part
203.
In this sale, the only royalty relief program being offered that
involves the provision of RSVs relates to the drilling of ultra-deep
wells in water depths of less than 400 meters, as described in the
following section.
Royalty Suspension Volumes on Gas Production From Ultra-Deep Wells
Leases issued as a result of this sale may be eligible for RSV
incentives on gas produced from ultra-deep wells pursuant to 30 CFR
part 203. These regulations implement the requirements of the Energy
Policy Act of 2005 (42 U.S.C. 13201 et seq.). Under this program, wells
on leases in less than 400 meters water depth and completed to a
drilling depth of 20,000 feet TVD SS or deeper receive a RSV of 35
billion cubic feet on the production of natural gas. This RSV incentive
is subject to applicable price thresholds set forth in the regulation
at 30 CFR part 203.
IV. Lease Stipulations
Consistent with the Record of Decision for the Final Programmatic
Environmental Impact Statement for the 2017-2022 Five Year OCS Oil and
Gas Leasing Program, Stipulation No. 5 (Topographic Features) and
Stipulation No. 8 (Live Bottom) will apply to every lease sale in the
GOM Program Area. One or more of the remaining eight stipulations may
be applied to leases issued as a result of this sale. The detailed text
of the following stipulations is contained in the ``Lease
Stipulations'' section of the Final NOS package.
(1) Military Areas
(2) Evacuation
(3) Coordination
(4) Protected Species
(5) Topographic Features
(6) United Nations Convention on the Law of the Sea Royalty Payment
(7) Agreement between the United States of America and the United
Mexican States Concerning Transboundary Hydrocarbon Reservoirs in the
Gulf of Mexico
(8) Live Bottom
(9) Blocks South of Baldwin County, Alabama
(10) Below Seabed Restrictions due to Rights-of-Use and Easement for
Floating Production Facilities
V. Information to Lessees
Information to Lessees (ITLs) provides detailed information on
certain issues pertaining to specific oil and gas lease sales. The
detailed text of the ITLs for this sale is contained in the
``Information to Lessees'' section of the Final NOS package.
(1) Navigation Safety
(2) Ordnance Disposal Areas
(3) Existing and Proposed Artificial Reefs/Rigs-to-Reefs
(4) Lightering Zones
(5) Indicated Hydrocarbons List
(6) Military Areas
(7) Bureau of Safety and Environmental Enforcement (BSEE) Inspection
and Enforcement of Certain U.S. Coast Guard (USCG) Regulations
(8) Significant Outer Continental Shelf Sediment Resource Areas
(9) Notice of Arrival on the Outer Continental Shelf
(10) Bidder/Lessee Notice of Obligations Related to Criminal/Civil
Charges and Offenses, Suspension, or
[[Page 7073]]
Debarment; Disqualification Due to a Conviction under the Clean Air Act
or the Clean Water Act
(11) Protected Species
(12) Proposed Expansion of the Flower Garden Banks National Marine
Sanctuary
(13) Communication Towers
(14) Deepwater Port Applications for Offshore Oil and Liquefied Natural
Gas Facilities
(15) Ocean Dredged Material Disposal Sites
(16) Rights-of-Use and Easement
(17) Industrial Waste Disposal Areas
(18) Gulf Islands National Seashore
(19) Air Quality Permit/Plan Approvals
VI. Maps
The maps pertaining to this lease sale may be viewed on BOEM's
website at https://www.boem.gov/Sale-250/. The following maps also are
included in the Final NOS package:
Lease Terms and Economic Conditions Map
The lease terms and economic conditions associated with leases of
certain blocks are shown on the map entitled, ``Final, Gulf of Mexico
Region-wide Oil and Gas Lease Sale 250, March 2018, Lease Terms and
Economic Conditions.''
Stipulations and Deferred Blocks Map
The lease stipulations and the blocks to which they apply are shown
on the map entitled, ``Final, Gulf of Mexico Region-wide Oil and Gas
Lease Sale 250, March 2018, Stipulations and Deferred Blocks Map.''
VII. Bidding Instructions
Bids may be submitted in person or by mail at the address below in
the ``Mailed Bids'' section. Bidders submitting their bid(s) in person
are advised to email [email protected] to provide the names
of the company representative(s) who will submit the bid(s).
Instructions on how to submit a bid, secure payment of the advance
bonus bid deposit (if applicable), and what information must be
included with the bid are as follows:
Bid Form
For each block bid upon, a separate sealed bid must be submitted in
a sealed envelope (as described below) and include the following:
Total amount of the bid in whole dollars only;
Sale number;
Sale date;
Each bidder's exact name;
Each bidder's proportionate interest, stated as a
percentage, using a maximum of five decimal places (e.g., 33.33333%);
Typed name and title, and signature of each bidder's
authorized officer;
Each bidder's qualification number;
Map name and number or Official Protraction Diagram (OPD)
name and number;
Block number; and
Statement acknowledging that the bidder(s) understand that
this bid legally binds the bidder(s) to comply with all applicable
regulations, including those requiring it to post a deposit in the
amount of one-fifth of the bonus bid amount for any tract bid upon and
make payment of the balance of the bonus bid upon BOEM's acceptance of
high bids.
The information required on the bid(s) is specified in the document
``Bid Form'' contained in the Final NOS package. A blank bid form is
provided in the Final NOS package for convenience and may be copied and
completed with the necessary information described above.
Bid Envelope
Each bid must be submitted in a separate sealed envelope labeled as
follows:
``Sealed Bid for GOM Region-wide Sale 250, not to be
opened until 9 a.m. Wednesday, March 21, 2018;''
Map name and number or OPD name and number;
Block number for block bid upon; and
The exact name and qualification number of the submitting
bidder only.
The Final NOS package includes a sample bid envelope for reference.
Mailed Bids
If bids are mailed, please address the envelope containing the
sealed bid envelope(s) as follows: Attention: Leasing and Financial
Responsibility Section, BOEM Gulf of Mexico Region, 1201 Elmwood Park
Boulevard WS-266A, New Orleans, Louisiana 70123-2394. Contains Sealed
Bids for GOM Region-wide Sale 250. Please Deliver to Mr. Greg Purvis,
2nd Floor, Immediately.
Please Note: Bidders mailing bid(s) are advised to inform BOEM
by email to [email protected] immediately after putting
their bid(s) in the mail. This is to ensure receipt of bids prior to
the Bid Submission Deadline. If BOEM receives bids later than the
Bid Submission Deadline, the BOEM GOM Regional Director (RD) will
return those bids unopened to bidders. Please see ``Section XI.
Delay of Sale'' regarding BOEM's discretion to extend the Bid
Submission Deadline in the case of an unexpected event (e.g.,
flooding or travel restrictions) and how bidders can obtain more
information on such extensions.
Advance Bonus Bid Deposit Guarantee
Bidders that are not currently an OCS oil and gas lease record
title holder or designated operator, or those that ever have defaulted
on a one-fifth bonus bid deposit, by Electronic Funds Transfer (EFT) or
otherwise, must guarantee (secure) the payment of the one-fifth bonus
bid deposit prior to bid submission using one of the following four
methods:
Provide a third-party guarantee;
Amend an area-wide development bond via bond rider;
Provide a letter of credit; or
Provide a lump sum payment in advance via EFT.
For more information on EFT procedures, see Section X of this
document entitled, ``The Lease Sale.''
Affirmative Action
Prior to bidding, each bidder should file the Equal Opportunity
Affirmative Action Representation Form BOEM-2032 (October 2011, https://www.boem.gov/BOEM-2032/) and Equal Opportunity Compliance Report
Certification Form BOEM-2033 (October 2011, https://www.boem.gov/BOEM-2033/) with the BOEM GOM Adjudication Section. This certification is
required by 41 CFR part 60 and Executive Order No. 11246, issued
September 24, 1965, as amended by Executive Order No. 11375, issued
October 13, 1967, and by Executive Order No. 13672, issued July 21,
2014. Both forms must be on file for the bidder(s) in the GOM
Adjudication Section prior to the execution of any lease contract.
Geophysical Data and Information Statement (GDIS)
The GDIS is composed of three parts:
(1) The ``Statement'' page includes the company representatives'
information and lists of blocks bid on that used proprietary data and
those blocks bid on that did not use proprietary data;
(2) The ``Table'' listing the required data about each proprietary
survey used (see below); and
(3) The ``Maps'' being the live trace maps for each proprietary
survey that are identified in the GDIS statement and table.
Every bidder submitting a bid on a block in GOM Region-wide Sale
250, or participating as a joint bidder in such a bid, must submit at
the time of bid submission all three parts of the GDIS. A bidder must
submit the GDIS even if a joint bidder or bidders on a specific block
also have submitted a GDIS. Any speculative data that has been
reprocessed externally or ``in-house'' is
[[Page 7074]]
considered proprietary due to the proprietary processing and is no
longer considered to be speculative.
The GDIS must be submitted in a separate and sealed envelope, and
must identify all proprietary data; reprocessed speculative data, and/
or any Controlled Source Electromagnetic surveys, Amplitude Versus
Offset (AVO), Gravity, or Magnetic data; or other information used as
part of the decision to bid or participate in a bid on the block. The
bidder and joint bidder must also include a live trace map (e.g., .pdf
and ArcGIS shape file) for each proprietary survey that they identify
in the GDIS illustrating the actual areal extent of the proprietary
geophysical data in the survey (see the ``Example of Preferred Format''
in the Final NOS package for additional information). The shape file
should not include cultural information; only the live trace map of the
survey itself.
The GDIS statement must include the name, phone number, and full
address of a contact person and an alternate who are both knowledgeable
about the geophysical information and data listed and who are available
for 30 days after the sale date. The GDIS statement also must include a
list of all blocks bid upon that did not use proprietary or reprocessed
pre- or post-stack geophysical data and information as part of the
decision to bid or to participate as a joint bidder in the bid. The
GDIS statement must be submitted even if no proprietary geophysical
data and information were used in bid preparation for the block.
The GDIS table should have columns that clearly state:
The sale number;
The bidder company's name;
The block area and block number bid on;
The owner of the original data set (i.e., who initially
acquired the data);
The industry's original name of the survey (e.g., E
Octopus);
The BOEM permit number for the survey;
Whether the data set is a fast track version;
Whether the data is speculative or proprietary;
The data type (e.g., 2-D, 3-D, or 4-D; pre-stack or post-
stack; and time or depth);
The Migration algorithm (e.g., Kirchhoff Migration, Wave
Equation Migration, Reverse Migration, Reverse Time Migration);
The Live Proprietary Survey Coverage (e.g., line miles for
2-D surveys or number of blocks for 3-D surveys);
The computer storage size, to the nearest gigabyte, of
each seismic data and velocity volume used to evaluate the lease block;
Who reprocessed the data and when the date of final
reprocessing was completed (month and year);
If data was previously sent to BOEM, list the sale and
date of sale for which it was used; and
Indicate if proprietary or Speculative AVO/AVA (PROP/SPEC)
was used.
The computer storage size information will be used in estimating
the reproduction costs for each data set, if applicable. The
availability of reimbursement of production costs will be determined
consistent with 30 CFR 551.13.
An example of the preferred format of the table is contained in the
Final NOS package, and a blank digital version of the preferred table
can be accessed on the GOM Region-wide Sale 250 web page at https://www.boem.gov/Sale-250.
The GDIS maps are live trace maps (e.g., .pdf and ArcGIS shape
files) that should be submitted for each proprietary survey that is
identified in the GDIS table. They should illustrate the actual areal
extent of the proprietary geophysical data in the survey (see the
``Example of Preferred Format'' in the Final NOS package for additional
information). As previously stated, the shape file should not include
cultural information; only the live trace map of the survey itself.
Pursuant to 30 CFR 551.12 and 30 CFR 556.501, as a condition of the
sale, the BOEM Gulf of Mexico RD requests that all bidders and joint
bidders submit the proprietary data identified on their GDIS within 30
days after the lease sale (unless they are notified after the lease
sale that BOEM has withdrawn the request). This request only pertains
to proprietary data that is not commercially available. Commercially
available data is not required to be submitted to BOEM, and
reimbursement will not be provided if such data is submitted by a
bidder. The BOEM Gulf of Mexico RD will notify bidders and joint
bidders of any withdrawal of the request, for all or some of the
proprietary data identified on the GDIS, within 15 days of the lease
sale. Pursuant to 30 CFR part 551 and 30 CFR 556.501, as a condition of
this sale, all bidders that are required to submit data must ensure
that the data is received by BOEM no later than the 30th day following
the lease sale, or the next business day if the submission deadline
falls on a weekend or Federal holiday.
The data must be submitted to BOEM at the following address: Bureau
of Ocean Energy Management, Resource Studies, GM 881A, 1201 Elmwood
Park Blvd., New Orleans, LA 70123-2304.
BOEM recommends that bidders mark the submission's external
envelope as ``Deliver Immediately to DASPU.'' BOEM also recommends that
the data be submitted in an internal envelope, or otherwise marked,
with the following designation: ``Proprietary Geophysical Data
Submitted Pursuant to GOM Region-wide Sale 250 and used during evaluation of Block .''
In the event a person supplies any type of data to BOEM, that
person must meet the following requirements to qualify for
reimbursement:
(1) The person must be registered with the System for Award
Management (SAM), formerly known as the Central Contractor Registration
(CCR). CCR usernames will not work in SAM. A new SAM User Account is
needed to register or update an entity's records. The website for
registering is https://www.sam.gov.
(2) The persons must be enrolled in the Department of Treasury's
Invoice Processing Platform (IPP) for electronic invoicing. The person
must enroll in the IPP at https://www.ipp.gov/. Access then will be
granted to use the 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) The persons must have a current On-line Representations and
Certifications Application at https://www.sam.gov.
Please Note: The GDIS Information Table must be submitted
digitally, preferably as an Excel spreadsheet, on a CD, DVD, or any
USB external drive (formatted for Windows), along with the seismic
data map(s). If bidders have any questions, please contact Ms. Dee
Smith at (504) 736-2706, or Mr. John Johnson at (504) 736-2455.
Bidders should refer to Section X of this document, ``The Lease
Sale: Acceptance, Rejection, or Return of Bids,'' regarding a
bidder's failure to comply with the requirements of the Final NOS,
including any failure to submit information as required in the Final
NOS or Final NOS package.
Telephone Numbers/Addresses of Bidders
BOEM requests that bidders provide this information in the
suggested format prior to or at the time of bid submission. The
suggested format is included in the Final NOS package. The form must
not be enclosed inside the sealed bid envelope.
Additional Documentation
BOEM may require bidders to submit other documents in accordance
with 30
[[Page 7075]]
CFR 556.107, 30 CFR 556.401, 30 CFR 556.501, and 30 CFR 556.513.
VIII. Bidding Rules and Restrictions
Restricted Joint Bidders
On November 14, 2017, BOEM published the most recent List of
Restricted Joint Bidders in the Federal Register at 82 FR 52743.
Potential bidders are advised to refer to the Federal Register, prior
to bidding, for the most current List of Restricted Joint Bidders in
place at the time of the lease sale. Please refer to the joint bidding
provisions at 30 CFR 556.511-515.
Authorized Signatures
All signatories executing documents on behalf of bidder(s) must
execute the same in conformance with the BOEM qualification records.
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 that requiring payment of one-fifth
of the bonus bid on all high bids. A statement to this effect is
included on each bid form (see the document ``Bid Form'' contained in
the Final NOS package).
Unlawful Combination or Intimidation
BOEM warns bidders against violation of 18 U.S.C. 1860, prohibiting
unlawful combination or intimidation of bidders.
Bid Withdrawal
Bids may be withdrawn only by written request delivered to BOEM
prior to the Bid Submission Deadline. The withdrawal request must be on
company letterhead and must contain the bidder's name, its BOEM
qualification number, the map name/number, and the block number(s) of
the bid(s) to be withdrawn. The withdrawal request must be executed in
conformance with the BOEM qualification records. Signatories must be
authorized to bind their respective legal business entity (e.g., a
corporation, partnership, or LLC) and documentation must be on file
with BOEM setting forth this authority to act on the business entity's
behalf for purposes of bidding and lease execution under OCSLA (e.g.,
business charter or articles, incumbency certificate, or power of
attorney). The name and title of the authorized signatory must be typed
under the signature block on the withdrawal request. The BOEM Gulf of
Mexico RD, or the RD's designee, will indicate their approval by
signing and dating the withdrawal request.
Bid Rounding
Minimum bonus bid calculations, including rounding, for all blocks
will be shown in the document ``List of Blocks Available for Leasing''
included in the Final NOS package. The bonus bid amount must be stated
in whole dollars. If the acreage of a block contains a decimal figure,
then prior to calculating the minimum bonus bid, BOEM will round up to
the next whole acre. The appropriate minimum rate per acre will then be
applied to the whole (rounded up) acreage. If this calculation results
in a fractional dollar amount, the minimum bonus bid will be rounded up
to the next whole dollar amount. The bonus bid amount must be greater
than or equal to the minimum bonus bid in whole dollars.
IX. Forms
The Final NOS package includes instructions, samples, and/or the
preferred format for the following items. BOEM strongly encourages
bidders to use the recommended formats. If bidders use another format,
they are responsible for including all the information specified for
each item in the Final NOS package.
(1) Bid Form
(2) Sample Completed Bid
(3) Sample Bid Envelope
(4) Sample Bid Mailing Envelope
(5) Telephone Numbers/Addresses of Bidders Form
(6) GDIS Form
(7) GDIS Envelope Form
X. The Lease Sale
Bid Opening and Reading
Sealed bids received in response to the Final NOS will be opened at
the place, date, and hour specified under the DATES section of the
Final NOS. The venue will not be open to the public. Instead, the bid
opening will be available for the public to view on BOEM's website at
www.boem.gov via live-streaming. The opening of the bids is for the
sole purpose of publicly announcing and recording the bids received; no
bids will be accepted or rejected at that time.
Bonus Bid Deposit for Apparent High Bids
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. A copy of the
notification of the high bidder's one-fifth bonus bid amount may be
obtained on the BOEM website at https://www.boem.gov/Sale-250 under the
heading ``Notification of EFT \1/5\ Bonus Liability'' after 1:00 p.m.
on the day of the sale. All payments must be deposited electronically
into an interest-bearing account in the U.S. Treasury by 11:00 a.m.
Eastern Time the day following the bid reading (no exceptions). Account
information is provided in the ``Instructions for Making Electronic
Funds Transfer Bonus Payments'' found on the BOEM website identified
above.
BOEM requires bidders to use EFT procedures for payment of one-
fifth bonus bid deposits for GOM Region-wide Sale 250 following the
detailed instructions contained on the ONRR Payment Information web
page at https://www.onrr.gov/FM/PayInfo.htm. Acceptance of a deposit
does not constitute and will not be construed as acceptance of any bid
on behalf of the United States.
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. No
bid will be accepted, and no lease for any block will be awarded to any
bidder, unless:
(1) The bidder has complied with all requirements of the Final NOS,
including those set forth in the documents contained in the Final NOS
package, and applicable regulations;
(2) The bid is the highest valid bid; and
(3) 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 the
Final NOS and Final NOS package, OCSLA, or other applicable statute or
regulation will be rejected and returned to the bidder. The U.S.
Department of Justice and the Federal Trade Commission will review the
results of the lease sale for antitrust issues prior to the acceptance
of bids and issuance of leases.
Bid Adequacy Review Procedures for GOM Region-Wide Sale 250
To ensure that the U.S. Government receives a fair return for the
conveyance of leases from this sale, high bids will be evaluated in
accordance with BOEM's bid adequacy procedures, which are available at
https://www.boem.gov/Oil-and-Gas-Energy-Program/Leasing/Regional-Leasing/Gulf-of-Mexico-Region/Bid-Adequacy-Procedures.aspx .
Lease Award
BOEM requires each bidder awarded a lease to:
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(1) Execute all copies of the lease (Form BOEM-2005 (February
2017), as amended);
(2) 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 556.520(a); and
(3) Satisfy the bonding requirements of 30 CFR part 556, subpart I,
as amended. ONRR requests that only one transaction be used for payment
of the balance of the bonus bid amount and the first year's rental.
When ONRR receives such payment, the bidder awarded the lease may not
request a refund of the balance bonus bid amount or first year's rental
payment.
XI. Delay of Sale
The BOEM Gulf of Mexico RD has the discretion to change any date,
time, and/or location specified in the Final NOS package in the case of
an event that the BOEM Gulf of Mexico RD deems may interfere with the
carrying out of a fair and orderly lease sale process. Such events
could include, but are not limited to, natural disasters (e.g.,
earthquakes, hurricanes, and floods), wars, riots, acts of terrorism,
fires, strikes, civil disorder, or other events of a similar nature. In
case of such events, bidders should call (504) 736-0557, or access the
BOEM website at https://www.boem.gov, for information regarding any
changes.
Dated: February 13, 2018.
Walter D. Cruickshank,
Acting Director, Bureau of Ocean Energy Management.
[FR Doc. 2018-03278 Filed 2-15-18; 8:45 am]
BILLING CODE 4310-MR-P
