WASHINGTON, DC — As a result of the order issued by the US Court of Appeals for the Fifth Circuit on Nov. 14, the Bureau of Ocean Energy Management (BOEM) has scheduled Lease Sale 261 for Dec. 20, 2023.
The Gulf of Mexico (GoM) oil and gas lease sale was originally scheduled for Sept. 27 and later scheduled for Nov. 8 in response to judicial orders.
BOEM will include lease blocks that were previously excluded due to concerns regarding potential impacts to the Rice’s whale population in the GoM. BOEM will also remove portions of a related stipulation meant to address those potential impacts from the lease terms for any leases that may result from Lease Sale 261.
A final notice of sale will be published in the federal register on Nov. 20, and will be available for public inspection on Nov. 17.
BOEM will live stream the opening of bids at 9 a.m. CDT on Dec. 20.
