BLM Utah conducts oil and gas lease sales quarterly in accordance with federal law. Lease parcels are made up of lands that have been determined to be open for leasing through BLM’s land use planning process, and are either nominated or requested by the public. Once parcels are leased, operators are required to submit exploration or development proposals to BLM who conducts an environmental analysis and applies measures to mitigate impacts before work begins.

Half of the royalties from mineral development and leasing goes back to the States. Since the passage for the Mineral Leasing Act in 1920, the State of Utah has received $962,468,000 from mineral revenues on federally managed public lands.

Not all lands that are leased become developed. Leasing enables companies to secure rights to mineral resources before investing in geophysical testing and other kinds of exploratory techniques to determine if development is economically feasible. Less than one percent of all BLM-lands is developed for oil and gas resources. 
Qs and As for Leasees and Industry 

Current Sale Information

DATE CHANGED TO DECEMBER 16, 2008

* Suspended Leases
Two EAs address 15 suspended leases in Vernal, 8 leases in the Diamond Mountain RMP area, and 7 leases in the Book Cliffs RMP area.  Comments will be accepted through Oct. 2, 2008.
   Mail:                                   or       E-Mail:
     Attn: Terry Catlin                          UT_SO_Vernal_Suspended_Leases_EAs@blm.gov   
     Bureau of Land Management
     Utah State Office
     440 West 200 South, Suite 500
     Salt Lake City, Utah 84145-0155

UPDATED Information Regarding Split Estate

UPDATED Mineral Resources Cost Recovery Fees effective October 1, 2008

Lands available for lease within the 2 year window

Deferred Lands List
    Lands not available for leasing until additional NEPA is completed.

Pending Protested Leases
   (Waiting on BLM's determination to grant or deny protest)

Suspended Leases
    (IBLA or District Court) Pending BLM Analysis

2008 August Lease Sale Information
2008 June Lease Sale Information 
2008 February Lease Sale Information

2007 August Lease Sale Information
2007 May Lease Sale Information
2007 February Lease Sale Information

2006 Lease Sale Information
2005 Lease Sale Information
2004 Lease Sale Information
2003 Lease Sale Information
2002 Lease Sale Information

                   2008 
                Oil & Gas
    Tentative Sale Schedule
_______________________ 

NEW DATE

December 16, 2008
  EOI Cutoff:  July 3, 2008
  Posting:  October 31, 2008
  Protest Period Ends: December 1, 2008

                   2009 
                Oil & Gas
    Tentative Sale Schedule
_______________________

February 24, 2009
  EOI Cutoff:  October 10, 2008
  Posting:  January 9, 2009
  Protest Period Ends: February 9, 2009

May 19, 2009
  EOI Cutoff:  January 2, 2009
  Posting:  April 3, 2009
  Protest Period Ends: May 4, 2009

August 18, 2009
  EOI Cutoff:  April 3, 2009
  Posting:  July 2, 2009
  Protest Period Ends: August 3, 2009

November 17, 2009
  EOI Cutoff:  July 2, 2009
  Posting:  October 2, 2009
  Protest Period Ends: November 2, 2009

Contact for Utah Lease Sales

Teresa Thompson
(801) 539-4047
(801) 539-4200 (Fax)
teresa_thompson@blm.gov (email)

Sales will begin at 9:00 a.m. 
The room will open at 7:45 a.m.

* EOI is an "Expression of Interest." Parcels are considered for a sale if the EOIs are submitted before the cutoff date.

Oil and Gas Leasing Qs and As for Industry

General Oil and Gas Leasing Qs and As