Results of December 2010 BLM Montana/Dakotas Oil and Gas Lease Sale
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Bonus bids at the Bureau of Land Management's December 9 oil and gas lease sale in Billings totaled $36,339,587.The highest bid at the sale was $8,352,000 submitted by Lodgepole Land Services LLC of Bozeman for leasing rights on a 720-acre Forest Service parcel in Billings County, N.D. That was also the highest per-acre bid at $11,600 per acre.Of the 222 parcels offered, 53 of 119 Montana parcels received bids (33,257 acres), 96 of 96 North Dakota parcels received bids (47,231 acres) and one of seven South Dakota parcels received bids (77 acres).All parcels offered at the sale were subject to a protest. As a result, the BLM will not issue any leases until the protest is resolved.Additional information regarding competitive sale lists, detailed results of sales or the leasing process is available by writing the Bureau of Land Management, 5001 Southgate Dr., Billings, Mont. 59101, by calling (406) 896-5004, or at https://www.blm.gov/programs/energy-and-minerals/oil-and-gas/leasing/regional-lease-sales/montana-dakotas Oil and gas leasing is driven by consumer demand, and competitive oil and gas lease sales are conducted several times per year at BLM's Montana State Office. Receipts from federal oil and gas leases are shared with the state or county where the lands are located. All leases are issued for a 10-year term.Potential environmental effects that could result from exploration and development are analyzed before any leases are offered for sale. All leases come with conditions on oil and gas activities to protect the environment that can include limits on when drilling can occur or restrictions on surface occupancy. Once an operator proposes exploration or development on a BLM-issued lease, further environmental analysis under the National Environmental Policy Act is conducted to determine the site-specific need for various types of impact-limiting or mitigation measures. In addition, many operators routinely use Best Management Practices such as remote monitoring of producing wells to minimize surface impacts.
The BLM manages more than 245 million acres of public land located primarily in 12 western states, including Alaska, on behalf of the American people. The BLM also administers 700 million acres of sub-surface mineral estate throughout the nation. Our mission is to sustain the health, diversity, and productivity of America’s public lands for the use and enjoyment of present and future generations.