SANTA FE, N.M. (KRQE) – On Mar. 17, the New Mexico Bureau of Land Management (NMBLM) released two environmental assessments and the sale notice for the May 2023 competitive oil and gas lease sale. For the first time, the BLM is applying an increased royalty rate of 16.67% for the leases sold in the competitive lease sales.
The BLM notice includes recommendations made in the Department of the Interior’s (DOI) Report on the Federal Oil and Gas Leasing Program. For the full DOI report click here. The notice also includes other reports issued by the Governmental Accountability Office and Congressional Budget Office.
The BLM will offer 45 parcels, totaling 10,123 acres, in Chaves, Eddy, and Lea counties in New Mexico; and Cheyenne County in Kansas. The parcels can be viewed in ten days on the BLM New Mexico oil and gas webpage. The parcels will be for sale at the online oil and gas lease sale on May 25, 2023, and can be accessed at energynet.com.
Protests to the May 2023 sales can be submitted until Apr. 17 to the email BLM_NM_Q2_2023_protest@blm.gov with the subject line “May 2023 Protest” or can be delivered in person to the BLM state office in Santa Fe. All other information regarding the releases can be found on blm.gov.
