DENVER—A federal oil and gas lease sale that prompted several protests beforehand netted more than $9 million in bids Thursday, including a record $26,000 per acre for one parcel.
The Bureau of Land Management sold leases on 112 parcels totaling 102,989 acres and fetching $9.6 million, to be split evenly between the state and federal governments. The total is the fifth-highest in Colorado.
BLM spokeswoman Jaime Gardner said Avalanche Energy of Larkspur paid $26,000 per acre for a 200-acre site in Garfield County, west of Rifle and north of Interstate 70.
Concerns from state wildlife officials and elected officials led the BLM to withdraw leases on tens of thousands of acres before the auction. Many of the parcels were in Jackson and Grand counties.
Some of the leases yanked from the sale are in greater sage grouse and lynx habitat. Other parcels are on split estate—the federal government owns the minerals and someone else owns the surface.
Companies that own or lease minerals have the right to reasonable use of the surface to extract the minerals.
BLM officials have said they will talk to the state Division of Wildlife and officials in Grand County, who said they weren’t notified of the lease sale.
The leases pulled from the sale could be offered at later auctions.
The leases sold are spread across the state, although many are in western Colorado, which is experiencing a boom in natural gas development.
Protests were filed on all but three of the parcels offered. The BLM won’t issue leases until the protests are decided.
The BLM holds quarterly auctions on leases nominated by companies or individuals.
———
On the Net: Colorado Bureau of Land Management energy programs:
