[Federal Register Volume 73, Number 102 (Tuesday, May 27, 2008)]
[Notices]
[Page 30418]
From the Federal Register Online via the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]
[FR Doc No: E8-11711]


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DEPARTMENT OF THE INTERIOR

Minerals Management Service


Extension of Post-Sale Evaluation Period for Central Gulf of 
Mexico Lease Sale 206

AGENCY: Minerals Management Service (MMS), Interior.

ACTION: Notice to Extend Post-Sale Evaluation Period for Central Gulf 
of Mexico Lease Sale 206.

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SUMMARY: This notice extends by 30 days, the post-sale evaluation 
period for Central Gulf of Mexico Lease Sale 206. The Minerals 
Management Service (MMS) will complete evaluating all the bids received 
in this sale by July 17, 2008. This action is necessary due to the 
unusually high number of bids received in this lease sale.

DATES: The post-sale evaluation period ends on June 17, 2008.

FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT: David Marin, Regional Supervisor, 
Resource Evaluation, Gulf of Mexico Region, telephone 504-736-2710.

SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION: In the Central Gulf of Mexico Sale 206, held 
March 19, 2008, we received 1057 bids on 615 tracts, 513 tracts of 
which passed to a second phase requiring additional detailed 
evaluations. The aggressive bidding activity is due, in part, to the 
high number of quality prospects on recently expired unexplored tracts 
in newly established deepwater hydrocarbon plays and to the cost saving 
technological advances related to hydrocarbon exploration and 
development in the Gulf of Mexico's deepwater environment. The 
unusually high number of bids received on a large number of tracts, and 
the high volume of exclusively reprocessed data identified on Sale 206, 
significantly increases the workload for reviewing the adequacy of 
bids. Consequently, MMS is unable to conduct and complete the bid 
review process within the 90 days, i.e., by June 17, 2008. Under the 
provisions of Sec.  256.47(e)(2), MMS is extending the bid evaluation 
period until July 17, 2008.

    Dated: May 5, 2008.
Lars Herbst,
Regional Director, Gulf of Mexico OCS Region.
[FR Doc. E8-11711 Filed 5-23-08; 8:45 am]
BILLING CODE 4310-MR-P