[Federal Register Volume 62, Number 21 (Friday, January 31, 1997)]
[Notices]
[Pages 4789-4795]
From the Federal Register Online via the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]
[FR Doc No: 97-2334]
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DEPARTMENT OF THE INTERIOR
Outer Continental Shelf, Central Gulf of Mexico, Oil and Gas
Lease Sale 166--Final Notice of Sale
1. Authority. This Notice is published pursuant to the Outer
Continental Shelf (OCS) Lands Act (43 U.S.C. 1331-1356, as amended) and
the regulations issued thereunder (30 CFR Part 256).
2. Filing of Bids.
(a) Filing of Bids. Sealed bids will be received by the Regional
Director (RD), Gulf of Mexico Region, Minerals Management Service
(MMS), 1201 Elmwood Park Boulevard, New Orleans, Louisiana 70123-2394.
Bids may be delivered in person to that address during normal business
hours (8 a.m. to 4 p.m., Central Standard Time (c.s.t.)) until the Bid
Submission Deadline at 10 a.m. Tuesday, March 4, 1997. Hereinafter, all
times cited in this Notice refer to c.s.t. unless otherwise stated.
Bids will not be accepted the day of Bid Opening, Wednesday, March 5,
1997. Bids received by the RD later than the time and date specified
above will be returned unopened to the bidders. Bids may not be
modified or withdrawn unless written modification or written withdrawal
request is received by the RD prior to 10 a.m. Tuesday, March 4, 1997.
Bid Opening Time will be 9 a.m., Wednesday, March 5, 1997, at the Hyatt
Regency Hotel, 500 Poydras Plaza, New Orleans, Louisiana. All bids must
be submitted and will be considered in accordance with applicable
regulations, including 30 CFR Part 256. The list of restricted joint
bidders which applies to this sale appeared in the Federal Register at
61 FR 54213, published on October 17, 1996.
(b) Natural Disasters. In the event a natural disaster (such as
widespread flooding) or other occurrence causes the MMS Gulf of Mexico
Regional Office to be closed on Tuesday, March 4, 1997, bids will be
accepted until 9 a.m. Wednesday, March 5, 1997, at the site of bid
opening specified above. Under these conditions, bids may be modified
or withdrawn upon written notification up until 9 a.m. Wednesday, March
5, 1997. Closure of the office may be determined by calling (504) 736-
0557 and hearing a recorded message to that effect.
3. Method of Bidding.
(a) Submission of Bids. A separate signed bid in a sealed envelope
labeled ``Sealed Bid for Oil and Gas Lease Sale 166, not to be opened
until 9 a.m., c.s.t., Wednesday, March 5, 1997'' must be submitted for
each tract bid upon. The sealed envelope and the bid should contain the
following information: the company name, Gulf of Mexico Company Number
(GOM Company Number), area number (e.g., LA1 for West Cameron, NH16-04
for Mobile), area name (abbreviations acceptable), and the block number
of the tract bid upon. In addition, the total amount bid to be
considered by MMS must be in whole dollar amount. Any cent amount above
the whole dollar will be ignored by MMS.
Bidders must submit with each bid 1/5th of the cash bonus, in cash
or by cashier's check, bank draft, or certified check, payable to the
order of the U.S. Department of the Interior--Minerals Management
Service. For identification purposes, the following information must
appear on the check or draft: company name, GOM Company Number, and the
area and block bid on (abbreviation acceptable). No bid for less than
all of the unleased portion(s) of a block will be considered.
All documents must be executed in conformance with signatory
authorizations on file in the MMS Gulf of Mexico Regional Office.
Partnerships also need to submit or have on file a list of signatories
authorized to bind the partnership. Bidders submitting joint bids must
state on the bid form the proportionate interest of each participating
bidder, in percent to a maximum of five decimal places, e.g., 33.33333
percent. Other documents may be required of bidders under 30 CFR
256.46. Bidders are warned against violation of 18 U.S.C. 1860
prohibiting unlawful combination or intimidation of bidders.
(b) Submission of Statement(s) Regarding Certain Geophysical Data.
Each company submitting a bid, or participating as a joint bidder in
such a bid, shall submit, prior to the Bid Submission Deadline
specified in paragraph 2 of this Notice, a statement or statements
identifying any processed or reprocessed pre and post stack depth
migrated geophysical data in their possession or control pertaining to
each and every block on which they are participating as a bidder. The
existence, extent, type of such data, and identification of specific
lines or 3D surveys must be clearly stated. In addition, the statement
shall certify that no such data are in their possession for any other
blocks on which they participate as a bidder. The statement
[[Page 4790]]
shall be submitted in an envelope separate from those containing bids
and shall be clearly marked; an example of a preferred format for the
statement and the envelope is included in the document titled ``Trial
Procedures for Access to Certain Geophysical Data in the Gulf of
Mexico'' (revised January 19, 1996). Only one statement per bidder is
required for each sale, but more than one may be submitted if desired,
provided that all tracts bid on by that company are covered in the one
or more statements.
Paragraph 14(k), Information to Lessees, contains additional
information pertaining to geophysical data.
4. Bidding, Yearly Rental, and Royalty Systems. The following
bidding, yearly rental, and royalty systems apply to this sale:
(a) Bidding Systems. All bids submitted at this sale must provide
for a cash bonus in the amount of $25.00 or more per acre or fraction
thereof.
(b) Yearly Rental. All leases awarded on tracts in water depths of
200 meters and greater as depicted on the map ``Royalty Suspension
Areas For The Central Gulf Of Mexico (March 1996)'' (i.e., tracts in
any of the three royalty suspension areas) will provide for a yearly
rental payment of $7.50 per acre or fraction thereof until initial
production is obtained. This map is available from the MMS Gulf of
Mexico Regional Office (see paragraph 14(a) of this Notice).
All leases awarded on other tracts (i.e., those in water depths of
less than 200 meters) will provide for a yearly rental payment of $5.00
per acre or fraction thereof until initial production is obtained.
(c) Royalty Systems. After initial production is obtained, leases
will provide for a minimum royalty of the amount per acre or fraction
thereof as specified as the yearly rental in paragraph 4(b) above,
except during periods of royalty suspension as discussed in paragraph
4(c)(3) of this Notice. The following royalty systems will be used in
this sale:
(1) Leases with a 12\1/2\-Percent Royalty. This royalty rate
applies to tracts in water depths of 400 meters or greater; this area
is shown on the Stipulations, Lease Terms, and Bidding Systems Map
applicable to this Notice (see paragraph 13). Leases issued on the
tracts offered in this area will have a fixed royalty rate of 12\1/2\
percent, except during periods of royalty suspension (see paragraph
4(c)(3) of this Notice).
(2) Leases with a 16\2/3\-Percent Royalty. This royalty rate
applies to tracts in water depths of less than 400 meters (see
aforementioned map). Leases issued on the tracts offered in this area
will have a fixed royalty rate of 16\2/3\ percent, except during
periods of royalty suspension for leases in water depths 200 meters or
greater (see paragraph 4(c)(3) of this Notice).
(3) Royalty Suspension. In accordance with Public Law 104-58,
signed by the President on November 28, 1995, MMS has developed
procedures providing for the suspension of royalty payments on
production from eligible leases issued as a result of this sale. MMS
will allow only one royalty suspension volume per field regardless of
the number of eligible leases producing the field. For purposes of this
paragraph, an eligible lease is one that: is located in the Gulf of
Mexico in water depths 200 meters or deeper; lies wholly west of 87
degrees, 30 minutes West longitude; and is offered subject to a royalty
suspension volume authorized by statute.
An eligible lease from this sale may receive a royalty suspension
volume only if it is in a field where no currently active lease
produced oil or gas (other than test production) before November 28,
1995. The following applies only to eligible leases in fields meeting
this condition.
(i) The royalty suspension volumes are:
--17.5 million barrels of oil equivalent (mmboe) in 200 to 400 meters
of water;
--52.5 mmboe in 400 to 800 meters of water; and
--87.5 mmboe in 800 meters of water and greater.
A map titled ``Royalty Suspension Areas For The Central Gulf Of
Mexico (March 1996)'' depicting blocks in which such suspensions may
apply is currently available from the MMS Gulf of Mexico Regional
Office (see paragraph 14(a) of this Notice).
(ii) When production first occurs from any of the eligible leases
in a field (not including test production), MMS will determine the
royalty suspension volume applicable to eligible lease(s) in that
field. The determination is based on the royalty suspension volumes and
the map specified in paragraph 4(c)(3)(i) above.
(iii) If a new field consists of eligible leases in different water
depth categories, the royalty suspension volume associated with the
deepest eligible lease applies.
(iv) If an eligible lease is the only eligible lease in a field,
royalty is not owed on the production from the lease up to the amount
of the applicable royalty suspension volume.
(v) If a field consists of more than one eligible lease, payment of
royalties on the eligible leases' initial production is suspended until
their cumulative production equals the field's established royalty
suspension volume. The royalty suspension volume for each eligible
lease is equal to each lease's actual production (or production
allocated under an approved unit agreement) until the field's
established royalty suspension volume is reached.
(vi) If an eligible lease is added to a field that has an
established royalty suspension volume, the field's royalty suspension
volume will not change even if the added lease is in deeper water. The
additional lease may receive a royalty suspension volume only to the
extent of its production before the cumulative production from all
eligible leases in the field equals the field's previously established
royalty suspension volume.
(vii) If MMS reassigns a well on an eligible lease to another
field, the past production from that well will count toward the royalty
suspension volume, if any, specified for the new field to which it is
assigned. The past production will not be counted toward the suspension
volume, if any, from the first field.
(viii) An eligible lease may receive a royalty suspension volume
only if the entire lease is west of 87 degrees, 30 minutes West
longitude. A field that lies on both sides of this meridian will
receive a royalty suspension volume only for those eligible leases
lying entirely west of the meridian.
(ix) An eligible lease may obtain more than one royalty suspension
volume. If a new field is discovered on an eligible lease that already
benefits from the royalty suspension volume for another field,
production from that new field receives a separate royalty suspension.
(x) A lessee must measure natural gas production subject to the
royalty suspension volume as follows: 5.62 thousand cubic feet of
natural gas equals one barrel of oil equivalent, as measured fully
saturated at 15.025 psi, 60 degrees F.
(xi) In any year during which the arithmetic average of the closing
prices on the New York Mercantile Exchange for light sweet crude oil
exceeds $28.00 per barrel, royalties on the production of oil must be
paid at the lease stipulated royalty rate (see paragraphs 4(c) (1) and
(2) above), and production during such years counts toward the royalty
suspension volume.
In any year during which the arithmetic average of the closing
prices on the New York Mercantile Exchange for natural gas exceeds
$3.50 per million British thermal units, royalties on the production of
natural gas must be paid
[[Page 4791]]
at the lease stipulated royalty rate (see paragraphs 4(c) (1) and (2)
above), and production during such years counts toward the royalty
suspension volume.
These prices for oil and natural gas are as of the end of 1994 and
must be adjusted for subsequent years by the percentage by which the
implicit price deflator for the gross domestic product changed during
the preceding calendar year.
(xii) A royalty suspension will continue until the end of the month
in which the cumulative production from eligible leases in the field
reaches the royalty suspension volume for the field.
Paragraph 14(m), Information to Lessees, contains additional
information pertaining to royalty suspension matters.
5. Equal Opportunity. The certification required by 41 CFR 60-
1.7(b) and Executive Order No. 11246 of September 24, 1965, as amended
by Executive Order No. 11375 of October 13, 1967, on the Compliance
Report Certification Form, Form MMS-2033 (June 1985), and the
Affirmative Action Representation Form, Form MMS-2032 (June 1985) must
be on file in the MMS Gulf of Mexico Regional Office prior to lease
award (see paragraph 14(e)).
6. Bid Opening. Bid opening will begin at the bid opening time
stated in paragraph 2. The opening of the bids is for the sole purpose
of publicly announcing bids received, and no bids will be accepted or
rejected at that time.
7. Deposit of Payment. Any cash, cashier's checks, certified
checks, or bank drafts submitted with a bid may be deposited by the
Government in an interest-bearing account in the U.S. Treasury during
the period the bids are being considered. Such a deposit does not
constitute and shall not be construed as acceptance of any bid on
behalf of the United States.
8. Withdrawal of Tracts. The United States reserves the right to
withdraw any tract from this sale prior to issuance of a written
acceptance of a bid for the tract.
9. Acceptance, Rejection, or Return of Bids. The United States
reserves the right to reject any and all bids. In any case, no bid will
be accepted, and no lease for any tract will be awarded to any bidder,
unless:
(a) The bidder has complied with all requirements of this Notice
and applicable regulations;
(b) The bid is the highest legal bid; and
(c) The amount of the bid has been determined to be adequate by the
authorized officer.
No bonus bid will be considered for acceptance unless it provides
for a cash bonus in the amount of $25.00 or more per acre or fraction
thereof. Any bid submitted which does not conform to the requirements
of this Notice, the OCS Lands Act, as amended, and other applicable
regulations may be returned to the person submitting that bid by the RD
and not considered for acceptance.
To ensure that the Government receives a fair return for the
conveyance of lease rights for this sale, the MMS has modified its two-
phased process for bid adequacy determination. The MMS will not
automatically accept legal high bids on confirmed and wildcat tracts
which receive three or more bids. Such tracts will be evaluated in
accordance with the remaining elements of the MMS bid adequacy
procedures. This modification was described in the Federal Register on
March 29, 1996 (61 FR 14162). A copy of the revised bid adequacy
procedures (``Summary of Procedures for Determining Bid Adequacy at
Offshore Oil and Gas Lease Sales: Effective April 1996, with Sale
157'') is available from the MMS Gulf of Mexico Regional Office (see
paragraph 14(a) of this Notice).
10. Successful Bidders. The following requirements apply to
successful bidders in this sale:
(a) Lease Issuance.
Each person who has submitted a bid accepted by the authorized
officer will be required to execute copies of the lease (Form MMS-2005
(March 1986) as amended), pay the balance of the cash bonus bid along
with the first year's annual rental for each lease issued, by
electronic funds transfer in accordance with the requirements of 30 CFR
218.155, and satisfy the bonding requirements of 30 CFR 256, Subpart I,
as amended.
Paragraphs 14(n) and (o), Information to Lessees, contain
additional information pertaining to this matter.
(b) Certification Regarding Nonprocurement Debarment, Suspension,
and Other Responsibility Matters--Primary Covered Transactions.
Each person involved as a bidder in a successful high bid must have
on file, in the MMS Gulf of Mexico Regional Office Adjudication Unit, a
currently valid certification that the person is not excluded from
participation in primary covered transactions under Federal
nonprocurement programs and activities. A certification previously
provided to that office remains currently valid until new or revised
information applicable to that certification becomes available. In the
event of new or revised applicable information, a subsequent
certification is required before lease issuance can occur. Persons
submitting such certifications should review the requirements of 43
C.F.R., Part 12, Subpart D, as amended in the Federal Register of June
26, 1995, at 60 FR 33035.
Copies of the certification form are available from the MMS Gulf of
Mexico Regional Office Public Information Unit. See Paragraph 14(a) of
this Notice for directions on how to obtain the forms.
11. Leasing Maps and Official Protraction Diagrams. Tracts offered
for lease may be located on the following Leasing Maps or Official
Protraction Diagrams which may be purchased from the MMS Gulf of Mexico
Regional Office Public Information Office (see paragraph 14(a)):
(a) Outer Continental Shelf (OCS) Leasing Maps--Louisiana Nos. 1
through 12. This is a set of 30 maps which sells for $32.
(b) Outer Continental Shelf Official Protraction Diagrams. These
diagrams sell for $2.00 each.
NH 15-12 Ewing Bank (rev. 12/02/76).
NH 16-4 Mobile (rev. 02/23/93).
NH 16-7 Viosca Knoll (rev. 12/02/76).
NH 16-10 Mississippi Canyon (rev. 05/01/96).
NG 15-3 Green Canyon (rev. 12/02/76).
NG 15-6 Walker Ridge (rev. 12/02/76).
NG 15-9 (No Name) (rev. 04/27/89).
NG 16-1 Atwater Valley (rev. 11/10/83).
NG 16-4 Lund (rev. 08/22/86).
NG 16-7 (No Name) (rev. 04/27/89).
12. Description of the Areas Offered for Bids.
(a) Acreage of blocks is shown on Leasing Maps and Official
Protraction Diagrams. Some of these blocks, however, may be partially
leased, or transected by administrative lines such as the Federal/State
jurisdictional line. Information on the unleased portions of such
blocks, including the exact acreage, is included in the following
document as a part of this Notice and is currently available from the
MMS Gulf of Mexico Regional Office (see paragraph 14(a)): Central Gulf
of Mexico Lease Sale 166--Final--Unleased Split Blocks and Unleased
Acreage of Blocks with Aliquots and Irregular Portions Under Lease.
(b) Tracts not available for leasing: The areas offered for leasing
include all those blocks shown on the OCS Leasing Maps and Official
Protraction Diagrams listed in paragraph 11(a) and (b), except for
those blocks or partial blocks already under lease and those blocks or
partial blocks listed below. A list of Central Gulf of Mexico tracts
currently under lease is included in the Sale Notice Package available
from the MMS Gulf of Mexico Regional Office (see paragraph 14(a)).
[[Page 4792]]
Although currently unleased, the following tracts are currently
under appeal and therefore unavailable for leasing: Main Pass Area,
South and East Addition, Blocks 253 and 254.
Although currently unleased, the following tracts are not offered
in this sale: Mobile Area, Blocks 826 and 829.
Note: As noted in the Final Notices of Sales for Sale 157 and
161, tracts or portions of tracts beyond the United States Exclusive
Economic Zone are offered based upon provisions of the 1982 Law of
the Sea Convention, and could be subject to a continental shelf
delimitation agreement between the United States and Mexico.
A list of these tracts or portions of tracts and a map are
included in the Sale Notice Package available from the MMS Gulf of
Mexico Regional Office (see paragraph 14(a)).
13. Lease Terms and Stipulations.
(a) Leases resulting from this sale will have initial terms as
shown on the Stipulations, Lease Terms, and Bidding Systems Map
applicable to this Notice. Copies of the map and lease form are
available from the MMS Gulf of Mexico Regional Office (see paragraph
14(a)).
(b) The applicability of the stipulations which follow is as shown
on the map described in paragraph 13(a) and as supplemented by
references in this Notice.
Stipulation No. 1--Topographic Features
(This stipulation will be included in leases located in the areas
so indicated in the Biological Stipulation Map Package associated with
this Notice which is available from the Gulf of Mexico Regional Office
(see paragraph 14(a)).
The banks that cause this stipulation to be applied to blocks of
the Central Gulf are:
------------------------------------------------------------------------
No activity
zone defined
Bank name by Isobath
(meters)
------------------------------------------------------------------------
McGrail Bank............................................ 85
Bouma Bank.............................................. 85
Rezak Bank.............................................. 85
Sidner Bank............................................. 85
Rankin Bank............................................. 85
Sackett Bank \2\........................................ 85
Ewing Bank.............................................. 85
Diaphus Bank \2\........................................ 85
Parker Bank............................................. 85
Jakkula Bank............................................ 85
Sweet Bank \1\.......................................... 85
Bright Bank............................................. 85
Geyer Bank \3\.......................................... 85
MacNeil Bank \3\........................................ 82
Alderdice Bank.......................................... 80
Fishnet Bank \2\........................................ 76
29 Fathom Bank.......................................... 64
Sonnier Bank............................................ 55
------------------------------------------------------------------------
\1\ Only paragraph (a) of the stipulation applies.
\2\ Only paragraphs (a) and (b) apply.
\3\ Western Gulf of Mexico bank with a portion of its ``3-Mile Zone'' in
the Central Gulf of Mexico.
(a) No activity including structures, drilling rigs, pipelines, or
anchoring will be allowed within the listed isobath (``No Activity
Zone'' as shown in the aforementioned Biological Stipulation Map
Package) of the banks as listed above.
(b) Operations within the area shown as ``1,000-Meter Zone'' in the
aforementioned Biological Stipulation Map Package shall be restricted
by shunting all drill cuttings and drilling fluids to the bottom
through a downpipe that terminates an appropriate distance, but no more
than 10 meters, from the bottom.
(c) Operations within the area shown as ``1-Mile Zone'' in the
aforementioned Biological Stipulation Map Package shall be restricted
by shunting all drill cuttings and drilling fluids to the bottom
through a downpipe that terminates an appropriate distance, but no more
than 10 meters, from the bottom. (Where there is a ``1-Mile Zone''
designated, the ``1,000-Meter Zone'' in paragraph (b) is not
designated.)
(d) Operations within the area shown as ``3-Mile Zone'' in the
aforementioned Biological Stipulation Map Package shall be restricted
by shunting all drill cuttings and drilling fluids from development
operations to the bottom through a downpipe that terminates an
appropriate distance, but no more than 10 meters, from the bottom.
Stipulation No. 2--Live Bottoms
(To be included only on leases in the following blocks: Main Pass
Area, South and East Addition, Blocks 190, 194, 198, 219-226, 244-266,
276-290; Viosca Knoll, Blocks 473-476, 521, 522, 564, 565, 566, 609,
610, 654, 692-698, 734, 778.)
For the purpose of this stipulation, ``live bottom areas'' are
defined as seagrass communities; or those areas which contain
biological assemblages consisting of such sessile invertebrates as sea
fans, sea whips, hydroids, anemones, ascidians, sponges, bryozoans, or
corals living upon and attached to naturally occurring hard or rocky
formations with rough, broken, or smooth topography; or areas whose
lithotope favors the accumulation of turtles, fishes, and other fauna.
Prior to any drilling activities or the construction or placement
of any structure for exploration or development on this lease,
including, but not limited to, anchoring, well drilling, and pipeline
and platform placement, the lessee will submit to the Regional Director
(RD) a live bottom survey report containing a bathymetry map prepared
utilizing remote sensing techniques. The bathymetry map shall be
prepared for the purpose of determining the presence or absence of live
bottoms which could be impacted by the proposed activity. This map
shall encompass such an area of the seafloor where surface disturbing
activities, including anchoring, may occur.
If it is determined that the live bottoms might be adversely
impacted by the proposed activity, the RD will require the lessee to
undertake any measure deemed economically, environmentally, and
technically feasible to protect the pinnacle area. These measures may
include, but are not limited to, the following:
(a) The relocation of operations; and
(b) The monitoring to assess the impact of the activity on the live
bottoms.
Stipulation No. 3--Military Areas
(This stipulation will be included in leases located within the
Warning Areas and Eglin Water Test Areas 1 and 3, as shown on the map
described in paragraph 13(a)).
(a) Hold and Save Harmless.
Whether compensation for such damage or injury might be due under a
theory of strict or absolute liability or otherwise, the lessee assumes
all risks of damage or injury to persons or property, which occur in,
on, or above the Outer Continental Shelf (OCS), to any persons or to
any property of any person or persons who are agents, employees, or
invitees of the lessee, its agents, independent contractors, or
subcontractors doing business with the lessee in connection with any
activities being performed by the lessee in, on, or above the OCS, if
such injury or damage to such person or property occurs by reason of
the activities of any agency of the United States Government, its
contractors or subcontractors, or any of its officers, agents or
employees, being conducted as a part of, or in connection with, the
programs and activities of the command headquarters listed in the
following table.
Notwithstanding any limitation of the lessee's liability in Section
14 of the lease, the lessee assumes this risk whether such injury or
damage is caused in whole or in part by any act or omission, regardless
of negligence or fault, of the United States, its contractors or
subcontractors, or any of its officers, agents, or employees. The
lessee further agrees to indemnify and save harmless the United States
against all claims for loss, damage, or injury sustained by the lessee,
or to indemnify
[[Page 4793]]
and save harmless the United States against all claims for loss,
damage, or injury sustained by the agents, employees, or invitees of
the lessee, its agents, or any independent contractors or
subcontractors doing business with the lessee in connection with the
programs and activities of the aforementioned military installation,
whether the same be caused in whole or in part by the negligence or
fault of the United States, its contractors, or subcontractors, or any
of its officers, agents, or employees and whether such claims might be
sustained under a theory of strict or absolute liability or otherwise.
(b) Electromagnetic Emissions.
The lessee agrees to control its own electromagnetic emissions and
those of its agents, employees, invitees, independent contractors or
subcontractors emanating from individual designated defense warning
areas in accordance with requirements specified by the commander of the
command headquarters listed in the following table to the degree
necessary to prevent damage to, or unacceptable interference with,
Department of Defense flight, testing, or operational activities,
conducted within individual designated warning areas. Necessary
monitoring control, and coordination with the lessee, its agents,
employees, invitees, independent contractors or subcontractors, will be
effected by the commander of the appropriate onshore military
installation conducting operations in the particular warning area;
provided, however, that control of such electromagnetic emissions shall
in no instance prohibit all manner of electromagnetic communication
during any period of time between a lessee, its agents, employees,
invitees, independent contractors or subcontractors and onshore
facilities.
(c) Operational.
The lessee, when operating or causing to be operated on its behalf,
boat, ship, or aircraft traffic into the individual designated warning
areas shall enter into an agreement with the commander of the
individual command headquarters listed in the following list, upon
utilizing an individual designated warning area prior to commencing
such traffic. Such an agreement will provide for positive control of
boats, ships, and aircraft operating into the warning areas at all
times.
W-155A and B (For Agreement)--Chief, Naval Air Training, Naval Air
Station, Office No. 206, Corpus Christi, Texas 78419-5100, Telephone:
(512) 939-3862/2621
W-155A and B (For Operational Control)--Fleet Area Control &
Surveillance Facility (FACSFAC), Operations, Naval Air Station,
Pensacola, Florida 32508, Telephone: (904) 452-2735/4671
W-92--Naval Air Station, Air Operations Department, Air Traffic
Division/Code 52, New Orleans, Louisiana 70146-5000, Telephone: (504)
393-3100/3101
W-453--Air National Guard--CRTC/ACTS, Scheduling Office, 4715 Hews
Avenue Building 1, Gulfport, Mississippi 39507, Telephone: (601) 867-
2432/2433
Eglin Water Test Areas 1 and 3--Air Force Development Test Center,
Strategic Plans Division AFDTC/DRP, 101 West ``D'' Avenue, Suite 125,
Eglin AFB, Florida 32542-5495, Telephone: (904) 882-3899/4188
14. Information to Lessees.
(a) Supplemental Documents. For copies of the various documents
identified as available from the MMS Gulf of Mexico Regional Office,
prospective bidders should contact the Public Information Office,
Minerals Management Service, 1201 Elmwood Park Boulevard, New Orleans,
Louisiana 70123-2394, either in writing or by telephone at (504) 736-
2519 or (800) 200-GULF. For additional information, contact the
Regional Supervisor for Leasing and Environment at that address or by
telephone at (504) 736-2759.
(b) Navigation Safety. Operations on some of the blocks offered for
lease may be restricted by designation of fairways, precautionary
zones, anchorages, safety zones, or traffic separation schemes
established by the U.S. Coast Guard pursuant to the Ports and Waterways
Safety Act (33 U.S.C. 1221 et seq.), as amended, and the Deepwater Port
Act (33 U.S.C. 1501-1524). Bidders are advised to review U.S. Coast
Guard regulations (particularly 33 CFR Part 150, Appendix A; see also
59 FR 17480 published on April 13, 1994) regarding the safety zone
around the Louisiana Offshore Oil Port (LOOP).
U.S. Army Corps of Engineers (COE) permits are required for
construction of any artificial islands, installations, and other
devices permanently or temporarily attached to the seabed located on
the OCS in accordance with section 4(e) of the OCS Lands Act, as
amended.
For additional information, prospective bidders should contact Lt.
Commander Ken Parris, Assistant Marine Port Safety Officer, 8th Coast
Guard District, Hale Boggs Federal Building, New Orleans, Louisiana
70130, (504) 589-6901. For COE information, prospective bidders should
contact Mr. Ron Ventola CELMN-OD-S, Post Office Box 60267, New Orleans,
Louisiana 70160-0267, (504) 862-2255.
(c) Offshore Pipelines. Bidders are advised that the Department of
the Interior and the Department of Transportation have entered into a
Memorandum of Understanding, dated December 10, 1976, concerning the
design, installation, operations, inspection, and maintenance of
offshore pipelines. Bidders should consult both Departments for
regulations applicable to offshore pipelines.
(d) 8-Year Leases. Bidders are advised that any lease issued for a
term of 8 years will be canceled shortly after the end of the fifth
year, following notice pursuant to the OCS Lands Act, as amended, if
within the initial 5-year period of the lease, the drilling of an
exploratory well has not been initiated; or if initiated, the well has
not been drilled in conformance with the approved exploration plan
criteria; or if there is not a suspension of operations in effect.
Furthermore, a rental payment for the sixth year will be due despite
the cancellation. Bidders are referred to 30 CFR 256.37 and the MMS
Gulf of Mexico Regional Office Letter to Lessees and Operators of
February 13, 1995.
(e) Affirmative Action. Revision of Department of Labor regulations
on affirmative action requirements for Government contractors
(including lessees) has been deferred, pending review of those
regulations (see Federal Register of August 25, 1981, at 46 FR 42865
and 42968). Should changes become effective at any time before the
issuance of leases resulting from this sale, section 18 of the lease
form (Form MMS-2005, March 1986), would be deleted from leases
resulting from this sale. In addition, existing stocks of the
affirmative action forms described in paragraph 5 of this Notice
contain language that would be superseded by the revised regulations at
41 CFR 60-1.5(a)(1) and 60-1.7(a)(1). Submission of Form MMS-2032 (June
1985) and Form MMS-2033 (June 1985) will not invalidate an otherwise
acceptable bid, and the revised regulations' requirements will be
deemed to be part of the existing affirmative action forms.
(f) Ordnance Disposal Areas. Bidders are cautioned as to the
existence of two inactive ordnance disposal areas in the Mississippi
Canyon area, shown on the map described in paragraph 13(a). These areas
were used to dispose of ordnance of unknown quantity and composition.
Water depths range from approximately 750 to 1,525 meters. Bottom
sediments in both areas are soft, consisting of silty clays.
Exploration and development activities in these areas require
[[Page 4794]]
precautions commensurate with the potential hazards.
The U.S. Air Force has released an indeterminable amount of
unexploded ordnance throughout Eglin Water Test Areas 1 and 3. The
exact location of the unexploded ordnance is unknown, and lessees are
advised that all lease blocks included in this sale within these water
test areas should be considered potentially hazardous to drilling and
platform and pipeline placement.
(g) Communications Towers. The Department of Defense, U.S. Air
Force, has installed seven military communications towers in the
Chandeleur/Mobile/Viosca Knoll area which support Air Combat
Maneuvering Instrumentation (ACMI). This project may impose certain
restrictions on oil and gas activities in that area since no activity
can take place within 500 feet of a tower site, and unobstructed lines
of sight must be maintained between towers. The seven towers are
located within Mobile, Blocks 769, 819, and 990; Viosca Knoll, Block
116; Chandeleur Area, Blocks 33 and 61; and Chandeleur Area, East
Addition, Block 39. Information and maps of the specific locations and
line of sight crossings for ACMI towers may be obtained from Mr.
Wallace Williams, Minerals Management Service, (504) 736-2772.
(h) Archaeological Resources. Bidders are referred to the
regulations at 30 CFR 250.26 (Archaeological Reports and Surveys). MMS
Notice to Lessees (NTL) 91-02 (Outer Continental Shelf Archaeological
Resources Requirements for the Gulf of Mexico OCS Region) published in
the Federal Register on December 20, 1991 (56 FR 66076) effective
February 17, 1992, specifies remote sensing instrumentation survey
methodology, linespacing, and archaeological report writing
requirements for lessees and operators in the Gulf of Mexico Region.
Three additional documents are available from the MMS Gulf of
Mexico Region Public Information Office (see paragraph 14(a)):
``List of Lease Blocks Within the High-Probability Area for
Historic Period Shipwrecks on the OCS'' dated January 30, 1995
(including an Errata Sheet dated January 15, 1997). This list
supersedes the list promulgated by the MMS Letter to Lessees (LTL)
of November 30, 1990.
``List of Lease Blocks Within the High-Probability Area for
Prehistoric Archaeological Resources on the OCS'' dated January 30,
1995.
MMS Gulf of Mexico Regional Office Letter to Lessees and
Operators of March 17, 1996, which contains a list of lease blocks
within the High-Probability Areas for both Historic Period
Shipwrecks and Prehistoric Archaeological Resources on the OCS that
were formerly ``grandfathered'' but which may now require
archaeological surveys.
(i) Proposed Artificial Reefs/Rigs to Reefs. Bidders are advised
that there are OCS artificial reef planning areas and reef sites for
the Gulf of Mexico. These are generally located in water depths of less
than 200 meters. While all artificial reef sites require a permit from
the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers, the Artificial Reefs program is
implemented through State sponsorship through the following State
Coordinators:
Alabama Mr. Steve Heath, (334) 968-7576
Florida Mr. Jon Dodrill, (904) 922-4340
Louisiana Mr. Rick Kasprzak, (504) 765-2375
Mississippi Mr. Mike Buchanan, (601) 385-5860
Texas Ms. Jan Culbertson, (281) 474-1418
For more information, on artificial reef sites, prospective bidders
should contact the above listed State Artificial Reef Coordinators for
their areas of interest.
(j) Proposed Lightering Zones. Bidders are advised that the U.S.
Coast Guard has designated certain areas of the Gulf of Mexico (60 FR
45006 of August 29, 1995), as lightering zones for the purpose of
permitting single hull vessels to off-load oil within the U.S.
Exclusive Economic Zone. Such designation may have implications for oil
and gas operations in the areas. Additional information may be obtained
from Lieutenant Commander Stephen Kantz, Project Manager, Oil Pollution
Act (OPA 90) Staff, at (202) 267-6740.
(k) Statement Regarding Certain Geophysical Data. Pursuant to
Sections 18 and 26 of the OCS Lands Act, as amended, and the
regulations issued thereunder, MMS has a right of access to certain
geophysical data and information obtained or developed as a result of
operations on the OCS. MMS is sensitive to the concerns expressed by
industry regarding the confidentiality of individual company work
products and client lists and the potential burden of responding to a
myriad of requests from MMS pertaining to the existence and
availability of these types of reprocessed geophysical data. To resolve
the concerns of both industry and MMS with respect to such cases, MMS
has worked with industry to develop the requirements contained within
paragraph 3(b) Method of Bidding above. MMS modified the previous
procedure to require that bidders who are in possession of the
requested data, now identify the specific data by line name or 3D
phase. This has helped MMS in identifying time data that may have
already been in our data base and at the same time not imposed undue
burden on industry by re-requesting it. MMS is currently considering
further modifications to the above procedures that would aid in the
identification of the data extent and at the same time hasten the
procurement and reimbursement processes to bidders who furnish MMS with
data. These changes will be available in April 1997 with the issuance
of the Proposed Notice of Sale for Western Gulf Sale 168, scheduled for
August 1997. All requirements are being imposed on a trial basis to
determine their effectiveness and are subject to further modification
in future sales.
The details of this requirement are specified in the document
``Trial Procedures for Access to Certain Geophysical Data in the Gulf
of Mexico'' (revised January 19, 1996) which is available upon request
from the MMS Gulf of Mexico Region Public Information Office (see
paragraph 14(a)). In brief, these requirements include:
(1) In the period for ninety (90) days after the sale, bidders will
allow MMS to inspect such data within seven (7) days of a written
request from MMS, and upon further written request will transmit to
MMS, within ten (10) working days, such data. After this ninety day
period, a response time of thirty (30) days following an MMS written
request will be considered adequate.
(2) Successful bidders must retain such data for three (3) years
after the sale, and unsuccessful bidders must retain such data for six
(6) months after the sale, for possible acquisition by MMS.
For the six (6) month period after the sale, based on a review of
the allowable cost of data reproduction to MMS for three-dimensional
and two-dimensional data sets, the company providing the reprocessed
data will be reimbursed at a rate of $480 per block or part thereof for
three-dimensional data and $2 per line mile for two-dimensional data.
Afterwards, reimbursement will be subject to the terms and conditions
of 30 CFR 251.13(a).
All geophysical data and information obtained and reviewed by MMS
pursuant to these procedures shall be held in the strictest confidence
and treated as proprietary in accordance with the applicable terms of
30 CFR 251.14.
For additional information, contact the MMS Gulf of Mexico Regional
Office of Resource Evaluation at (504) 736-2720.
(l) Information about Indicated Hydrocarbons. Bidders are advised
that
[[Page 4795]]
MMS makes available, about 3 months prior to a lease sale, a list of
unleased tracts having well bores with indicated hydrocarbons. Basic
information relating to production, well bores, and pay range for each
tract is included in the list. The list is available from the MMS Gulf
of Mexico Region Public Information Office (see paragraph 14(a)).
(m) Royalty Relief. The Outer Continental Shelf (OCS) Deep Water
Royalty Relief Act authorizes the Secretary of the Interior to offer
certain deepwater OCS tracts in the Central and Western Gulf of Mexico
for lease with suspension of royalties for a volume, value, or period
of production the Secretary determines. An interim rule was published
in the Federal Register (61 FR 12022; March 25, 1996) that specifies
the royalty suspension terms under which the Secretary will make tracts
available for this sale. Bidders are advised to review that document
for additional details on this matter. For further information, bidders
may contact Walter Cruickshank of the MMS Offshore Minerals Analysis
Division at (202) 208-3822.
A map titled ``Royalty Suspension Areas For The Central Gulf Of
Mexico (March 1996)'' depicting blocks in which such suspensions may
apply is currently available from the MMS Gulf of Mexico Regional
Office (see paragraph 14(a) of this Notice).
The publication ``OCS Operations Field Names Master List'' depicts
currently established fields in the Gulf of Mexico. This document is
updated monthly and reprinted quarterly. Copies may be obtained from
the MMS Gulf of Mexico Regional Office (see paragraph 14(a) of this
Notice).
(n) Lease Instrument. Bidders are advised that the lease instrument
will include royalty relief provisions (paragraph 4(c)(3) of this
Notice) and 8-year lease cancellation provisions (paragraph 14(d) of
this Notice) where applicable. Leases will continue to be issued on
Form MMS-2005 (March 1986) as amended.
(o) Electronic Funds Transfer. Bidders are advised that the \4/
5\ths and first year rental EFT instructions for lease payoff have been
revised and updated by MMS Royalty Management. Companies may now use
either the Fedwire Deposit System or the Automated Clearing House
(overnight payments). See paragraph 10(a) of this Notice.
(p) Deepwater Operations Plans. Bidders are advised that MMS Notice
to Lessees (NTL) 96-4N, which became effective on August 19, 1996,
requires that a Deepwater Operations Plan be submitted for all
deepwater development projects (water depths greater than 304.8 meters
(1,000 feet)) and for all projects utilizing subsea production
technology; projects using conventional fixed-leg projects are exempted
from this requirement. Copies of the NTL may be obtained from the MMS
Gulf of Mexico Regional Office (see paragraph 14(a) of this Notice).
Cynthia Quarterman,
Director, Minerals Management Service.
Approved: January 24, 1997.
Sylvia V. Baca,
Deputy Assistant Secretary, Land and Minerals Management.
[FR Doc. 97-2334 Filed 1-30-97; 8:45 am]
BILLING CODE 4310-MR-P
