[Federal Register Volume 59, Number 38 (Friday, February 25, 1994)] [Unknown Section] [Page 0] From the Federal Register Online via the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov] [FR Doc No: 94-4255] [[Page Unknown]] [Federal Register: February 25, 1994] ----------------------------------------------------------------------- DEPARTMENT OF THE INTERIOR Outer Continental Shelf, Central Gulf of Mexico AGENCY: Minerals Management Service, Interior. ACTION: Notice of Leasing Systems, Sale 147. ----------------------------------------------------------------------- Section 8(a)(8) (43 U.S.C. 1337(a)(8)) of the Outer Continental Shelf Lands Act (OCSLA) requires that, at least 30 days before any lease sale, a Notice be submitted to the Congress and published in the Federal Register: a. identifying the bidding systems to be used and the reasons for such use; and b. designating the tracts to be offered under each bidding system and the reasons for such designation. This Notice is published pursuant to these requirements. 1. Bidding Systems to be Used. In the Outer Continental Shelf (OCS) Sale 147, blocks will be offered under the following two bidding systems as authorized by section 8(a)(1) (43 U.S.C. 1337(a)(1)): (a) bonus bidding with a fixed 16\2/3\-percent royalty on all unleased blocks in less than 400 meters of water; and (b) bonus bidding with a fixed 12\1/2\-percent royalty on all remaining unleased blocks. a. Bonus Bidding With a 16\2/3\-Percent Royalty. This system is authorized by section (8)(a)(1)(A) of the OCSLA. This system has been used extensively since the passage of the OCSLA in 1953 and imposes greater risks on the lessee than systems with higher contingency payments but may yield more rewards if a commercial field is discovered. The relatively high front-end bonus payments may encourage rapid exploration. b. Bonus Bidding With a 12\1/2\-Percent Royalty. This system is authorized by section (8)(a)(1)(A) of the OCSLA. It has been chosen for certain deeper water blocks proposed for the Central Gulf of Mexico (Sale 147) because these blocks are expected to require substantially higher exploration, development, and production costs, as well as longer times before initial production, in comparison to shallow-water blocks. Department of the Interior analyses indicate that the minimum economically developable discovery on a block in such high-cost areas under a 12\1/2\-percent royalty system would be less than for the same blocks under a 16\2/3\-percent royalty system. As a result, more blocks may be explored and developed. In addition, the lower royalty rate system is expected to encourage more rapid production and higher economic profits. It is not anticipated, however, that the larger cash bonus bid associated with a lower royalty rate will significantly reduce competition, since the higher costs for exploration and development are the primary constraints to competition. 2. Designation of Blocks. The selection of blocks to be offered under the two systems was based on the following factors: a. Lease terms on adjacent, previously leased blocks were considered to enhance orderly development of each field. b. Blocks in deep water were selected for the 12\1/2\-percent royalty system based on the favorable performance of this system in these high-cost areas as evidenced in our analyses. The specific blocks to be offered under each system are shown on Map 2 entitled ``Central Gulf of Mexico Lease Sale 147--Final Bidding Systems and Bidding Units.'' This map is available from the Minerals Management Service, Gulf of Mexico Region, 1201 Elmwood Park Boulevard, New Orleans, Louisiana 70123-2394. Dated: February 18, 1994. Tom Fry, Director, Minerals Management Service. Bob Armstrong, Assistant Secretary, Land and Minerals Management. [FR Doc. 94-4255 Filed 2-24-94; 8:45 am] BILLING CODE 4310-MR-P