Wyoming’s Bureau of Land Management garnered more than $6.17 million for leasing rights and rental fees offered at its bimonthly federal oil and gas lease auction held in Cheyenne Aug. 1. That marks a more than 40% increase over proceeds from the state’s previous sale in June. By comparison, the June sale garnered $4.4 million. The state gets half of the sale proceeds.

Oil and gas leases on 10 parcels in the Bridger-Teton National Forest sold for $905,852. Bits totaling nearly $5.93 million ranged from the federally mandated minimum of $2 per acre to a high of $2,700 per acre. Successful bidders also pay $130 per parcel as an administrative fee and yearly rental of $1.50 per acre. It is the U.S. Forest Service that decides which of its parcels will be sold at BLM lease sales.

Overall, 147,428 acres in 196 parcels were leased. Parcels that didn’t receive bids at auction are available non competitively for the yearly rental fee and a $335 administrative fee.

Oil and gas operations on BLM-administered public lands and federal mineral estate in Wyoming produced more nearly 29.82 million bbl of oil and more than 1.41 Tcf of gas and generated about $799.22 million in federal royalties last year. Half of the payments were disbursed within Wyoming.

The next sale will be Oct. 3 in Cheyenne.

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