Land

Multiple environmental groups are suing the Bureau of Land Management (BLM) for authorizing Bill Barrett Corp. to conduct the Stone Cabin 3-D seismic gas exploration project on the West Tavaputs Plateau of eastern Utah this summer, possibly endangering cultural resources, such as rock art, cliff dwellings and other structures in nearby Nine Mile Canyon.

Amerex Energy, based in Sugar Land, TX, announced Tuesday it had joined the Committee of Chief Risk Officers (CCRO), as the first brokerage firm to be invited to join the organization since its inception in late 2002.

Sempra Energy Global Enterprises announced Friday that one of its subsidiaries has acquired land and associated rights for the development of a new, salt-cavern gas storage facility in Evangeline Parish, LA, near the Henry Hub from SG Resources Louisiana, LLC.

A special master in a long-running lawsuit brought by the Native Americans against the Interior Department resigned in disgust last Monday, citing repeated efforts by Interior to disqualify him from the case to prevent damaging evidence from surfacing about agency mismanagement of trust monies for oil and natural gas and other activities on Indian lands.

A special master in a long-running lawsuit brought by the Native Americans against the Interior Department resigned in disgust Monday, citing repeated efforts by Interior to disqualify him from the case to prevent from surfacing damaging evidence about agency mismanagement of trust monies for oil and natural gas and other activities on Indian lands.

Sixteen of 19 oil and gas leases were sold Thursday by the Bureau of Land Management’s Eastern States division in Springfield, VA, netting more than $65,275. Bonus bids, filing fees, and rental revenue amounting to $47,000 will go to the U.S. Treasury and $18,275 will be shared with the states where the leases are located on lands managed by the BLM. The BLM has responsibility for leasing the federally owned minerals located in the 31 states east of and adjoining the Mississippi River and offers selected parcels at quarterly competitive auctions. Regulations require the bidding to open at $2/acre. Cyberoil Corp. paid $16,320 for a 1709 acre parcel in Johnson County, AK. Its bid of $8/acre was the highest per-acre bid of the auction. Leases are awarded for a term of 10 years and as long thereafter as there is production of oil and gas in paying quantities. The federal government receives a royalty of 12.5% of the value of production. Also, each state government receives a 25% minimum share of the bonus bid and the royalty revenue from each lease issued in that state. The next competitive oil and gas lease sale will be held in March 2004. Visit the web site at www.es.blm.gov for more information about oil and gas lease sales.

While supplier choice is catching on across the land, Edinburg,TX, Pop. 29,885, is suing its local distribution company forproviding transportation-only service to large end-users.

Increased access to U.S. resources, “including wilderness and national park areas, for exploration and production could save $300 billion in natural gas bills over 20 years,” an Energy Department official said Thursday.

The Bureau of Land Management (BLM) has approved permits for Gunnison Energy Corp. (GEC) to explore for natural gas at two sites near Somerset, CO. The Denver-based producer, which has been fighting criticism from environmental groups that had held up the permitting process, wants to explore for gas and coalbed methane (CBM).