99-25830. Announcement of Posting of Invitation for Exchange of Natural Gas From Federal Properties in the Gulf of Mexico  

  • [Federal Register Volume 64, Number 192 (Tuesday, October 5, 1999)]
    [Notices]
    [Page 54054]
    From the Federal Register Online via the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]
    [FR Doc No: 99-25830]
    
    
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    DEPARTMENT OF THE INTERIOR
    
    Minerals Management Service
    
    
    Announcement of Posting of Invitation for Exchange of Natural Gas 
    From Federal Properties in the Gulf of Mexico
    
    AGENCY: Minerals Management Service, Interior.
    
    ACTION: Notice of invitation for exchange of Federal royalty gas.
    
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    SUMMARY: The Minerals Management Service will post on MMS's Internet 
    Home Page, and make available in hard copy, a public competitive 
    offering of approximately 260 million cubic feet per day of natural 
    gas, to be taken as royalty-in-kind from Federal properties in the Gulf 
    of Mexico Region (GOMR) under an Invitation For Exchange (IFE), Number 
    MMS-RIK-2000-GOMR-001.
    
    DATES: The IFE will be posted on MMS's Internet Home Page on or about 
    October 8, 1999. Bids will be due to MMS, at the posted receipt 
    location, on or about October 22, 1999. MMS will notify successful 
    bidders on or about October 29, 1999. The Federal Government will begin 
    actual taking of awarded royalty gas volumes for delivery to successful 
    bidders for a 4-month period beginning on December 1, 1999. A 
    preliminary list of properties from which MMS is considering taking 
    royalty gas was posted September 27, 1999, on MMS's Internet Home Page.
    
    ADDRESSES: The IFE will be posted on MMS's Home Page at http://
    www.mms.gov under the icon ``What's New.'' The IFE may also be obtained 
    by contacting Mr. Michael Del-Colle at the address in the FURTHER 
    INFORMATION section. Bids should be submitted to the address provided 
    in the IFE.
    
    FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT: For additional information on MMS's 
    RIK pilots, contact.Mr. Bonn J. Macy, Minerals Management Service, 1849 
    C Street, N.W., MS-4230, Washington D.C. 20240; telephone number (202) 
    208-3827; fax (202) 208-3918; e-mail Bonn.Macy@mms.gov. For additional 
    information concerning the IFE document, terms, and process for Federal 
    leases, contact Mr. Michael Del-Colle, Minerals Management Service, MS-
    2510, 381 Elden Street, Herndon, VA 20170-4817; telephone number (703) 
    787-1375; fax (703) 787-1009; e-mail Michael.Del-Colle@mms.gov.
    
    SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION: This offering of natural gas in the IFE 
    begins the third of MMS's three planned RIK pilots and will involve 
    Federal properties in the Gulf of Mexico Region (GOMR). The first Pilot 
    involved crude oil from Federal and State of Wyoming properties in 
    Wyoming and the second was limited to Federal properties in the 8(g) 
    zone of the GOMR, offshore of Texas. MMS's objective in this third 
    pilot, as in all its pilots, is to identify the circumstances in which 
    taking oil and gas royalties as a share of production (RIK) is a viable 
    alternative to its usual practice of collecting oil and gas royalties 
    as a share of the value received by the lessee for sale of the 
    production. This third pilot is expected to last 2 to 3 years.
        This IFE will offer approximately 260 million cubic feet per day of 
    natural gas from about 146 Federal properties located in the High 
    Island, East and West Cameron, and Sabine Pass areas of the GOMR. The 
    royalty gas flows through about 75 facility measurement points (FMP's) 
    on five pipeline systems.
        Purchasers may bid on production from individual properties and/or 
    on groups of properties. Under the terms of the offer, successful 
    bidders would take the royalty gas from specified properties and 
    locations near the lease and, in return, deliver natural gas in 
    equivalent amounts and qualities to a specified location. Bids will be 
    due as specified in the IFE on October 22, 1999; successful bidders 
    will be notified on or about October 29, 1999.
        The following are some of the additional details regarding the 
    offering that will be posted in the IFE on or about October 8, 1999.
         List of specific properties;
         For each property--FMP location and identification number, 
    average daily royalty volume, quality, current operator; and other 
    pipeline information.
         Bid basis;
         Reporting requirements;
         Terms and conditions; and
         Contract format.
        Information on the internet posting and availability of the IFE in 
    hard copy are being made available to oil and gas trade journals as 
    well as in this Federal Register notice.
    
        Dated: September 29, 1999.
    Walter D. Cruickshank,
    Associate Director for Policy and Management Improvement.
    [FR Doc. 99-25830 Filed 10-4-99; 8:45 am]
    BILLING CODE 4310-MR-P