69660 Federal Register / Vol. 88, No. 193 / Friday, October 6, 2023 / Notices 

1https://www.federalregister.gov/documents/ 

2023/08/25/2023-18342/gulf-of-mexico-outercontinental-shelf-oil-and-gas-lease-sale-261. 

2https://www.courtlistener.com/docket/ 

67727401/82/state-of-louisiana-v-haaland/. 

3https://www.boem.gov/sites/default/files/ 

documents/oil-gas-energy/leasing/23-30666_

order.pdf. 

DEPARTMENT OF THE INTERIOR 

Bureau of Ocean Energy Management 

[Docket No. BOEM–2023–0013] 

Gulf of Mexico Outer Continental Shelf 

Oil and Gas Lease Sale 261 

AGENCY: Bureau of Ocean Energy 

Management, Interior. 

ACTION: Revised final notice of sale. 

SUMMARY: On Wednesday, November 8, 

2023, the Bureau of Ocean Energy 

Management (BOEM) will open and 

publicly announce bids received for 

blocks offered in the Gulf of Mexico 

(GOM) Outer Continental Shelf (OCS) 

Oil and Gas Lease Sale 261 (GOM Lease 

Sale 261), in accordance with the Outer 

Continental Shelf Lands Act (OCSLA), 

as amended, and its implementing 

regulations. This revised GOM Lease 

Sale 261 Final Notice of Sale (Final 

NOS) package contains information 

essential to potential bidders and 

comprises this notice, Information to 

Lessees, and Lease Stipulations. 

DATES: BOEM will hold GOM Lease Sale 

261 at 9:00 a.m. on Wednesday, 

November 8, 2023. All times referred to 

in this document are Central time, 

unless otherwise specified. 

Bid submission deadline: BOEM must 

receive all sealed bids prior to the Bid 

Submission Deadline of 10:00 a.m. on 

Tuesday, November 7, 2023, the day 

before the lease sale. For more 

information on bid submission, see 

Section VII of this document, ‘‘Bidding 

Instructions.’’ 

ADDRESSES: Bids will be accepted by 

MAIL ONLY through any parcel 

delivery service (e.g., FedEx, UPS, U.S. 

Postal Service, DHL), prior to the bid 

submission deadline, at 1201 Elmwood 

Park Boulevard, New Orleans, 

Louisiana, 70123. Public bid reading for 

GOM Lease Sale 261 will be held at 

1201 Elmwood Park Boulevard, New 

Orleans, Louisiana. The venue will not 

be open to the general public, media, or 

industry during bid opening or reading. 

Bid opening will be available for public 

viewing on BOEM’s website at https:// 

www.boem.gov/Sale-261/ via livestreaming video beginning at 9:00 a.m. 

on the date of the sale. The results will 

be posted on BOEM’s website upon 

completion of bid opening and reading. 

Interested parties may download the 

Final NOS package from BOEM’s 

website at https://www.boem.gov/Sale261/. Copies of the sale maps can be 

obtained by contacting the BOEM GOM 

Region: Gulf of Mexico Region Public 

Information Office, Bureau of Ocean 

Energy Management, 1201 Elmwood 

Park Boulevard, New Orleans, Louisiana 

70123–2394, (504) 736–2519 or (800) 

200–GULF. 

FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT: The 

New Orleans Office Lease Sale 

Coordinator, Greg Purvis, at 

BOEMGOMRLeaseSales@boem.gov or 

504–736–1729. 

SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION: The 

Inflation Reduction Act of 2022 (IRA) 

directed BOEM to hold GOM Lease Sale 

261 by September 30, 2023. On August 

25, 2023, BOEM published in the 

Federal Register the Final NOS for 

Lease Sale 261, which originally 

scheduled GOM Lease Sale 261 for 

September 27, 2023, in compliance with 

the IRA. See 88 FR 58310.1 Two 

lawsuits then challenged the Final NOS 

in the U.S. District Court for the 

Western District of Louisiana. To 

implement the Memorandum Order 2

issued by the U.S. District Court for the 

Western District of Louisiana on 

September 21, 2023 (Case No. 2:23–CV– 

01157), and a subsequent order 3 issued 

by the U.S. Court of Appeals for the 

Fifth Circuit on September 26, 2023 

(Case No. 23–30666), BOEM is 

rescheduling the sale, revising the sale 

area to include the blocks that were the 

subject of the courts’ orders, modifying 

the Lease Stipulations to remove the 

protected species language that was the 

subject of the courts’ orders, updating 

the Information to Lessees, publishing a 

revised List of Available Blocks, and 

publishing new maps related to the sale. 

The FNOS makes no further changes to 

the FNOS published on August 25, 

2023. This revised Final NOS and 

associated documents provide notice to 

the public and potential bidders of the 

updated timing, process, and terms for 

Lease Sale 261. 

BOEM is also advising bidders that 

Lease Sale 261 remains in active 

litigation in the U.S. District Court of 

the Western District of Louisiana and 

the U.S Court of Appeals in the Fifth 

Circuit. It is possible that BOEM could 

be ordered to modify the schedule, sale 

area and terms of the sale through 

additional orders from these or other 

courts. BOEM would announce any 

such orders and changes to the sale on 

its website at https://www.boem.gov/ 

Sale-261/. 

Authority: This revised notice of sale 

is published pursuant to 43 U.S.C. 1331 

et seq. (Outer Continental Shelf Lands 

Act, as amended) and 30 CFR 

556.308(a). 

Table of Contents 

I. Lease Sale Area

II. Statutes and Regulations

III. Lease Terms and Economic Conditions

IV. Lease Stipulations

V. Information to Lessees

VI. Maps

VII. Bidding Instructions

VIII. Bidding Rules and Restrictions

IX. Forms

X. The Lease Sale

XI. Delay of Sale

I. Lease Sale Area

Blocks Offered for Leasing: BOEM

will offer for bid in this lease sale all of 

the available unleased acreage in the 

GOM OCS as identified on the map, 

‘‘Final Notice of Sale, Gulf of Mexico 

OCS Oil and Gas Lease Sale 261, 

November 2023, Final Sale Area’’ 

(https://www.boem.gov/Sale-261/), 

except those blocks listed below in 

‘‘Blocks Not Offered for Leasing.’’ Please 

note that, in compliance with the court 

orders mentioned above, the expanded 

Rice’s whale area (whole and partial 

blocks between the 100 meter (m) and 

400 m isobaths across the northern 

GOM OCS, eastward from the Mexican 

border with Texas and westward from 

the eastern edge of the Central Planning 

Area) that was previously excluded 

from the sale is now included in Lease 

Sale 261, unless such blocks are 

otherwise subject to a separate 

exclusion not addressed by the District 

Court and listed below. 

Blocks Not Offered for Leasing: BOEM 

will exclude the following whole and 

partial blocks from this sale. The BOEM 

Official Protraction Diagrams (OPDs) 

and Supplemental OPDs are available 

online at https://www.boem.gov/oil-gasenergy/mapping-and-data. 

• Whole and Partial Blocks

withdrawn from leasing by Presidential 

Withdrawal in the September 8, 2020, 

Memorandum on the Withdrawal of 

Certain Areas of the United States Outer 

Continental Shelf from Leasing 

Disposition: 


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Federal Register / Vol. 88, No. 193 / Friday, October 6, 2023 / Notices 69661 

GOM protraction areas Block 

Pensacola (Leasing Map NH 16–05) .................. Whole Blocks: 751–754, 793–798, 837–842, 881–886, 925–930, 969–975. 

Destin Dome (Leasing Map NH 16–08) .............. Whole Blocks: 1–7, 45–51, 89–96, 133–140, 177–184, 221–228, 265–273, 309–317, 353– 

361, 397–405, 441–450, 485–494, 529–538, 573–582, 617–627, 661–671, 705–715, 749– 

759, 793–804, 837–848, 881–892, 925–936, 969–981. 

DeSoto Canyon (Leasing Map NH 16–11) ......... Whole Blocks: 1–15, 45–59, 92–102. 

Partial Blocks: 16, 60, 61, 89–91, 103–105, 135–147. 

Henderson (Leasing Map NG 16–05) ................. Partial Blocks: 114, 158, 202, 246, 290, 334, 335, 378, 379, 422, 423. 

• Whole and Partial Blocks within the 

boundary of the Flower Garden Banks 

National Marine Sanctuary (East and 

West Flower Garden Banks and the 

Stetson Bank) as of the July 14, 2008, 

Memorandum on Modification of the 

Withdrawal of Areas of United States 

Outer Continental Shelf from Leasing 

Disposition: 

GOM protraction areas Block 

High Island, East Addition, South Extension 

(Leasing Map TX7C).

Whole Block: A–398. 

Partial Blocks: A–366, A–367, A–374, A–375, A–383, A–384, A–385, A–388, A–389, A–397, 

A–399, A–401. 

High Island, South Addition (Leasing Map 

TX7B).

Partial Blocks: A–502, A–513. 

• Whole and Partial Blocks that are 

adjacent to or beyond the U.S. Exclusive 

Economic Zone in the area known as the 

northern portion of the Eastern Gap: 

GOM protraction areas Block 

Lund South (Leasing Map NG 16–07) ................ Whole Blocks: 128, 129, 169—173, 208–217, 248–261, 293–305, 349. 

Henderson (Leasing Map NG 16–05) ................. Whole Blocks: 466, 508–510, 551–554, 594–599, 637–643, 679–687, 722–731, 764–775, 

807–819, 849–862, 891–905, 933–949, 975–992. 

Partial Blocks: 335, 379, 423, 467, 511, 555, 556, 600, 644, 688, 732, 776, 777, 820, 821, 

863, 864, 906, 907, 950, 993, 994. 

Florida Plain (Leasing Map NG 16–08) .............. Whole Blocks: 5–24, 46–67, 89–110, 133–154, 177–197, 221–240, 265–283, 309–327, 363– 

370. 

• Depth-restricted, segregated block 

portion(s). The current block meeting 

this criterion is: Block 299, Main Pass 

Area, South and East Addition (as 

shown on Louisiana Leasing Map 

LA10A), containing 1,125 acres from the 

surface of the earth down to a subsea 

depth of 1,900 feet with respect to the 

following described portions: 

SW1⁄4NE1⁄4; NW1⁄4SE1⁄4NE1⁄4; 

W1⁄2NE1⁄4SE1⁄4NE1⁄4; S1⁄2S1⁄2NW1⁄4NE1⁄4; 

S1⁄2SW1⁄4NE1⁄4NE1⁄4; 

S1⁄2SW1⁄4SE1⁄4NE1⁄4NE1⁄4; N1⁄2SW1⁄4SE1⁄4

NE1⁄4; SW1⁄4SW1⁄4SE1⁄4NE1⁄4; NW1⁄4SE1⁄4

SE1⁄4 NE1⁄4; N1⁄2NW1⁄4SW1⁄4SE1⁄4SE1⁄4NE1⁄4; 

N1⁄2SE1⁄4SW1⁄4SE1⁄4NE1⁄4; 

N1⁄2S1⁄2SE1⁄4SW1⁄4SE1⁄4NE1⁄4; 

S1⁄2NE1⁄4NW1⁄4; S1⁄2S1⁄2N1⁄2NE1⁄4NW1⁄4; 

N1⁄2SE1⁄4NW1⁄4;S1⁄2SE1⁄4NW1⁄4NW1⁄4; 

NE1⁄4SE1⁄4 NW1⁄4NW1⁄4; 

E1⁄2NE1⁄4SW1⁄4NW1⁄4; N1⁄2SE1⁄4SE1⁄4NW1⁄4; 

NE1⁄4SW1⁄4SE1⁄4NW1⁄4; 

N1⁄2NW1⁄4SW1⁄4SE1⁄4NW1⁄4; 

SE1⁄4SE1⁄4SE1⁄4NW1⁄4; 

E1⁄2SW1⁄4SE1⁄4SE1⁄4NW1⁄4; 

N1⁄2NW1⁄4NE1⁄4SW1⁄4NW1⁄4; 

N1⁄2S1⁄2NW1⁄4NE1⁄4SW1⁄4NW1⁄4; 

N1⁄2N1⁄2NE1⁄4NE1⁄4NE1⁄4SW1⁄4; 

N1⁄2N1⁄2N1⁄2NW1⁄4NW1⁄4SE1⁄4; 

N1⁄2N1⁄2NW1⁄4NE1⁄4NW1⁄4SE1⁄4

• Whole and Partial Blocks that were 

previously subject to the Blocks South 

of Baldwin County, Alabama, 

Stipulation: 

GOM protraction areas Blocks 

Mobile (Leasing Map NH16–04) ......................... 826–830, 869–874, 913–918, 957–962, 1001–1006. 

Viosca Knoll (Leasing Map NH 16–07) ............... 33–35. 

• Whole and Partial Blocks that were 

previously subject to the Topographic 

Features Stipulation: 

GOM protraction area Blocks 

East Breaks (Leasing Map NG 15–01) ............... 121–124, 165–168, 173, 217. 

East Cameron Area (Leasing Map LA2) ............. 361–363, 377–379. 

Eugene Island Area (Leasing Map LA4) ............. 335, 355–356, 381–383, 390–391, 397. 

Ewing Bank (Leasing Map NH 15–12) ............... 903, 932–933, 944–945, 947, 975–977 

Garden Banks (Leasing Map NG 15–02) ........... 26–31, 33, 61–63, 70–77, 81–85, 95–98, 102–110, 119–121, 126–128, 133–136, 138–146, 

148–155, 177–180, 192–198, 237–239. 

Green Canyon (Leasing Map NG 15–03) ........... 4–7, 49–50, 90. 

High Island Area, East Addition (Leasing Map 

TX7A).

A311–312, A 327–A 332, A 340, A 346–A403, A446–A448, A463–A465, A486–A488, A501– 

A503, A512–A514, A527–A529, A534–A535, A573, A578–A580, A589–A591, A596. 


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69662 Federal Register / Vol. 88, No. 193 / Friday, October 6, 2023 / Notices 

GOM protraction area Blocks 

Mississippi Canyon (Leasing Map NH 16–10) .... 316. 

Mustang Island Area (Leasing Map TX3) ........... A3–4, A9, A16, A54, A61–A62, A86–A87, A95, A117–A118, A136–A137. 

North Padre Island Area (Leasing Map TX2) ..... PN A30–A31, A40–A41, A72, A83–A84. 

South Marsh Island Area, North Addition (Leasing Map LA3D).161–163, 169–173, 176–180, 185–188, 193–197, 200–204. 

Ship Shoal Area (Leasing Map LA5) .................. 325–329, 334–339, 348–353, 356–359. 

South Timbalier Area (Leasing Map LA6) .......... 314–317. 

Vermilion Area (Leasing Map LA3) ..................... 284–286, 297–300, 303–306, 317–320, 361–363, 369–372, 382–396, 403–412. 

West Cameron Area (Leasing Map LA1) ............ 569–570, 589–592, 611–614, 633–638, 645–646, 648–663. 

West Delta Area (Leasing Map LA8) .................. 147–148. 

• Whole blocks that contain banks 

that are adjacent to blocks previously 

included in the Topographic Features 

Stipulation: 

GOM protraction area Blocks 

Garden Banks (Leasing Map NG 15–02) ........... 181. 

• Whole and Partial Blocks that were 

previously subject to the Live Bottom 

(Pinnacle Trend) Stipulation: 

GOM protraction area Blocks 

Main Pass Area, South and East Addition 

(Leasing Map LA10A).

190, 194, 198, 219–226, 244–266, 276–290. 

Viosca Knoll (Leasing Map NH 16–07) ............... 473–476, 521–522, 564–566, 610, 654, 692–698, 734, 778. 

• Whole and partial blocks identified 

as either Wind Energy Area Options 

(Areas A, B, C, D, E, F, G, H, J, K, L, and 

N) or final Wind Energy Areas (Areas I 

and M): 

GOM protraction area Blocks 

Brazos Area (Leasing Map TX5) ........................ 430, 457–459, 466–468, 572–575, 580–584, 609–614, A22, A28–A29, A3, A30–A35, A42– 

A43. 

Brazos Area, South Addition (Leasing Map 

TX5B).

A102–A105, A46–A48, A55–A58, A60–A61, A73–A74. 

East Cameron Area (Leasing Map LA2) ............. 96–106, 113–124. 

Galveston Area (Leasing Map TX6) ................... 237, 258–259, 265–268, 286–291, 293–299, 317–327, 350–356, 386–387, 427–429, 460– 

462, 464–465, A1–A9, A10–A35, A40–A49, A62–A77, A84–A86, A91–A94, A97–A99, 

A103–A105, A110–A113. 

Galveston Area, South Addition (Leasing Map 

TX6A).

A114–A119, A138–A139, A140–A148, A169–A174, A203. 

High Island Area (Leasing Map TX7) ................. 235–236, 260–261, 263–264, 292, A2–A4, A11–A15, A27–A31, A62–A64, A66–A68, A70– 

A90, A92–A99, A100–A111, A113–A116, A118–A142, A144–A152, A156–A163, A165– 

A166. 

High Island Area, East Addition (Leasing Map 

TX7A).

A170–A174, A177–A182, A187–A193, A195–A199, A202–A209, A211–A213, A216–217, 

A220–A228, A233–A241, A250–A251. 

High Island Area, South Addition (Leasing Map 

TX7B).

A404–A405, A408–A413, A420–A425, A428–A431, A434–A439, A454–A457, A480–A481. 

Matagorda Island Area (Leasing Map TX4) ........ 639–642, 646–649, 673–678, A1, A3, A4. 

Mustang Island Area (Leasing Map TX3) ........... 803–804, 810–812, 826–828, 832–834, 847–849, 853–854. 

South Padre Island Area, East Addition (Leasing Map TX1A).1078, 1097–1098, 1117–1119, A35–A36, A46–A52, A59–A64. 

West Cameron Area (Leasing Map LA1) ............ 188–190, 195–196, 205–213, 224–230, 241–245, 256. 

West Cameron Area, West Addition (Leasing 

Map LA1A).

302–303, 314–318, 328–334, 343–352, 359–360, 362–364, 372–379, 393–396, 398–400. 

• Whole and Partial BOEMdesignated Significant Sediment 

Resource Area Blocks: 


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Federal Register / Vol. 88, No. 193 / Friday, October 6, 2023 / Notices 69663 

GOM protraction area Blocks 

Bay Marchand Area (Leasing Map LA6C) .......... 2–5. 

Breton Sound Area (Leasing Map LA10B) ......... 24, 25, 39, 41–44, 53–56. 

Chandeleur Area (Leasing Map LA11) ............... 1, 4, 5, 8, 16, 28, 30–34. 

Eugene Island Area (Leasing Map LA4) ............. 10, 18–35, 37–96, 111, 112. 

Galveston Area (Leasing Map TX6) ................... 265, 290, 291, 293, 294, 295, 322. 

Galveston Area, South Addition (Leasing Map 

TX6A).

1A, 2A, 3A, 4A, 5A. 

Grand Isle Area (Leasing Map LA7) ................... 15, 25. 

High Island Area (Leasing Map TX7) ................. 19–21, 35–39, 45–49, 60–65, 69–76, 83–91, 111–119, 131–137, 158–164, 171–175, 196– 

205, 230–234, 261–264, 292, A6–A10, A16–A22, A37–A42, A60–A65. 

High Island Area, East Addition (Leasing Map 

TX7A).

6, 10, 38–42, 45, 46, 60–65, 74–76, 83, 84, 85. 

Mobile (Leasing Map NH 16–04) ........................ 765–767, 778, 779, 809–824, 826–830, 853–874, 897–918, 942, 946, 947, 954–962, 991, 

999–1006. 

Main Pass Area (Leasing Map LA10) ................. 6, 39–44, 58–60, 86–90, 92–120, 125–129, 139. 

Main Pass, South and East Addition (Leasing 

Map LA10A).

161, 162, 180, 181. 

South Pelto Area (Leasing Map LA6B) ............... 1–20, 23–25. 

Sabine Pass Area (LA) (Leasing Map LA12) ..... 8–16. 

South Marsh Island Area, North Addition (Leasing Map LA3D).207–237, 241–249, 259–261, 267, 268. 

Ship Shoal Area (Leasing Map LA5) .................. 24–26, 37, 38, 63–75, 84–100, 107–114, 119, 120. 

South Timbalier Area (Leasing Map LA6) .......... 9–11, 16–18, 34, 51, 52, 54, 55, 66, 67, 72. 

Sabine Pass Area (TX) (Leasing Map TX8) ....... 9, 17, 18, 40, 44. 

Viosca Knoll (Leasing Map NH 16–07) ............... 23, 34–38, 67, 78–82, 111, 155. 

Vermilion Area (Leasing Map LA3) ..................... 11, 30, 49, 51–54, 68–77, 86–96, 108–111. 

West Cameron Area (Leasing Map LA1) ............ 20–22, 41–45, 56–60, 78–83, 90–95, 113–118, 128–134, 146–150, 153–157, 160, 161, 162, 

168–172, 181. 

West Cameron Area, West Addition (Leasing 

Map LA1A).

154–157, 160–162, 287. 

West Delta Area (Leasing Map LA8) .................. 20–31, 32, 43–50, 56–61. 

The final list of blocks available for 

bid is posted on BOEM’s website at 

https://www.boem.gov/Sale-261/ under 

the Final NOS tab. 

II. Statutes and Regulations 

Each lease is issued pursuant to 

OCSLA, 43 U.S.C. 1331 et seq., as 

amended, and is subject to OCSLA 

implementing regulations promulgated 

pursuant thereto in 30 CFR part 556, 

and other applicable statutes and 

regulations in existence upon the 

effective date of the lease, as well as 

those applicable statutes enacted and 

regulations promulgated thereafter, 

except to the extent that the afterenacted statutes and regulations 

explicitly conflict with an express 

provision of the lease. Each lease is 

subject to amendments to statutes and 

regulations, including but not limited to 

OCSLA, that do not explicitly conflict 

with an express provision of the lease. 

The lessee expressly bears the risk that 

such new or amended statutes and 

regulations (i.e., those that do not 

explicitly conflict with an express 

provision of the lease) may increase or 

decrease the lessee’s obligations under 

the lease. 

BOEM reserves the right to reject any 

and all bids received, regardless of the 

amount offered (see 30 CFR 556.516). 

III. Lease Terms and Economic 

Conditions 

OCS Lease Form 

BOEM will use Form BOEM–2005 

(February 2017) to convey leases 

resulting from this sale. This lease form 

can be viewed on BOEM’s website at 

https://www.boem.gov/BOEM-2005. The 

lease form will be amended to include 

specific terms, conditions, and 

stipulations applicable to the individual 

lease. The final terms, conditions, and 

stipulations applicable to this sale are 

below. 

Primary Terms 

Primary terms are summarized in the 

following table: 

Water depth 

(meters) Primary term 

0 to <400 ......................................... The primary term is 5 years; the lessee may earn an additional 3 years (i.e., for an 8-year extended primary term) if a well is spudded targeting hydrocarbons below 25,000 feet True Vertical Depth Subsea 

(TVDSS) during the first 5 years of the lease. 

400 to <800 ..................................... The primary term is 5 years; the lessee will earn an additional 3 years (i.e., for an 8-year extended primary 

term) if a well is spudded during the first 5 years of the lease. 

800+ ................................................ 10 years. 

(1) The primary term for a lease in 

water depths less than 400 meters 

issued as a result of this sale is 5 years. 

If the lessee spuds a well targeting 

hydrocarbons below 25,000 feet TVDSS 

within the first 5 years of the lease, then 

the lessee may earn an additional 3 

years, resulting in an 8-year primary 

term. The lessee will earn the 8-year 

primary term when the well is drilled to 

a target below 25,000 feet TVDSS; or the 

lessee may earn the 8-year primary term 

in cases where the well targets, but does 

not reach, a depth below 25,000 feet 

TVDSS due to mechanical or safety 


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4https://www.courtlistener.com/docket/ 

67727401/82/state-of-louisiana-v-haaland/. 

reasons that are beyond the lessee’s 

control, and that are supported by 

sufficient evidence from the lessee. To 

earn the 8-year primary term, the lessee 

is required to submit a letter to the 

BOEM GOM Regional Supervisor, Office 

of Leasing and Plans, as soon as 

practicable, but no more than 30 days 

after completion of the drilling 

operation, providing the well number, 

spud date, information demonstrating a 

target below 25,000 feet TVDSS and 

whether that target was reached, and if 

applicable, any safety or mechanical 

reasons encountered that prevented the 

well from reaching a depth below 

25,000 feet TVDSS. In the letter, the 

lessee must request confirmation from 

BOEM that the lessee earned the 8-year 

primary term. The BOEM GOM Regional 

Supervisor for Leasing and Plans will 

confirm in writing, within 30 days of 

receiving the lessee’s letter, whether the 

lessee has earned the extended primary 

term and accordingly update BOEM’s 

records. The extended primary term is 

not effective unless and until the lessee 

receives confirmation from BOEM. A 

lessee that has earned the 8-year 

primary term by spudding a well with 

a hydrocarbon target below 25,000 feet 

TVDSS during the standard 5-year 

primary term of the lease will not be 

granted a suspension for that same 

period under the regulations at 30 CFR 

250.175 because the lease is not at risk 

of expiring. 

(2) The primary term for a lease in 

water depths ranging from 400 to less 

than 800 meters issued as a result of this 

sale is 5 years. If the lessee spuds a well 

within the 5-year primary term of the 

lease, the lessee may earn an additional 

3 years, resulting in an 8-year primary 

term. To earn the 8-year primary term, 

the lessee is required to submit a letter 

to the BOEM GOM Regional Supervisor, 

Office of Leasing and Plans, as soon as 

practicable, but no more than 30 days 

after spudding a well, providing the 

well number and spud date, and 

requesting confirmation from BOEM 

that the lessee earned the 8-year 

extended primary term. Within 30 days 

of receipt of the request, the BOEM 

GOM Regional Supervisor for Leasing 

and Plans will provide written 

confirmation of whether the lessee has 

earned the extended primary term and 

accordingly update BOEM’s records. 

The extended primary term is not 

effective unless and until the lessee 

receives confirmation from BOEM. 

(3) The primary term for a lease in 

water depths 800 meters or deeper 

issued as a result of this sale is 10 years. 

Minimum Bonus Bid Amounts 

BOEM will not accept a bonus bid 

unless it provides for a cash bonus in an 

amount equal to or exceeding the 

specified minimum bid, as described 

below. 

• $25 per acre or fraction thereof for 

blocks in water depths less than 400 

meters; and 

• $100 per acre or fraction thereof for 

blocks in water depths 400 meters or 

deeper. 

Rental Rates 

Annual rental rates, per acre or 

fraction thereof, are summarized in the 

following table: 

Water Depth 

(meters) Years 1–5 Year 6 Year 7 Year 8+ 

0 to <200 .......................................................................................................... $10 $20 $30 $40 

200 to <400 ...................................................................................................... 16 32 48 64 

400+ ................................................................................................................. 16 22 22 22 

Escalating Rental Rates for Leases With 

an 8-Year Primary Term in Water 

Depths Less Than 400 Meters 

Any lessee with a lease in less than 

400 meters water depth who earns an 8- 

year primary term will pay an escalating 

rental rate as shown above. The rental 

rates after the fifth year for blocks in less 

than 400 meters water depth will 

become fixed and no longer escalate if 

another well is spudded targeting 

hydrocarbons below 25,000 feet TVDSS 

after the fifth year of the lease, and 

BOEM concurs that such a well has 

been spudded. In this case, the rental 

rate will become fixed at the rental rate 

in effect during the lease year in which 

the additional well was spudded. 

Royalty Rate 

• 183⁄4 percent for all leases. 

Minimum Royalty Rate 

• $10 per acre or fraction thereof per 

year for blocks in water depths less than 

200 meters; and 

• $16 per acre or fraction thereof per 

year for blocks in water depths 200 

meters or deeper. 

Royalty Suspension Provisions 

The Department may issue leases with 

Royalty Suspension Volumes (RSVs) 

and other forms of royalty relief under 

30 CFR part 560, which BOEM 

administers. The specific details relating 

to eligibility and implementation of 

RSVs and other royalty relief programs 

are found at 30 CFR part 203, which the 

Bureau of Safety and Environmental 

Enforcement administers. In this sale, 

the only royalty relief program being 

offered involves RSVs for the drilling of 

ultra-deep wells in water depths of less 

than 400 meters, as described in the 

following section. 

Royalty Suspension Volumes on Gas 

Production From Ultra-deep Wells 

Pursuant to 30 CFR part 203, certain 

leases issued as a result of this sale may 

be eligible for RSV incentives on gas 

produced from ultra-deep wells. Under 

this program, wells on leases in less 

than 400 meters water depth and 

completed to a drilling depth of 20,000 

feet TVDSS or deeper receive an RSV of 

35 billion cubic feet on the production 

of natural gas. This RSV incentive is 

subject to applicable price thresholds 

set forth in the regulations at 30 CFR 

part 203. These regulations implement 

the requirements of the Energy Policy 

Act of 2005 (Pub. L. 109–58, 119 Stat. 

594 (2005)). 

IV. Lease Stipulations 

On September 21, 2023, the U.S. 

District Court for the Western District of 

Louisiana issued an order 4 requiring 

BOEM to modify, for purposes of this 

sale, the version of Stipulation No. 4 

originally published in the August 2023, 

Final NOS package. To comply with this 

order, Stipulation No. 4 no longer 

contains the enhanced protection 

measures for the Rice’s whale that 

previously appeared under paragraph 

(B)(4). BOEM has published a revised 

Lease Stipulations document for this 

sale on its website, available at https:// 

www.boem.gov/Sale-261/. 

One or more of the stipulations below 

may be applied to leases issued as a 

result of this sale. The applicable blocks 

for each stipulation are identified on the 

map ‘‘Final Notice of Sale, Gulf of 

Mexico OCS Oil and Gas Lease Sale 261, 

November 2023, Stipulations and 

Deferred Blocks’’ included in the Final 


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NOS package. The full text of the 

following stipulations is contained in 

the ‘‘Lease Stipulations’’ section of the 

Final NOS package. BOEM has posted 

the final list of blocks available for bid 

and the applicable stipulations that 

apply to those blocks on its website at 

https://www.boem.gov/Sale-261/ under 

the Final NOS tab. 

(1) Military Areas 

(2) Evacuation 

(3) Coordination 

(4) Protected Species 

(5) United Nations Convention on the 

Law of the Sea Royalty Payment 

(6) Agreement Between the United 

States of America and the United 

Mexican States Concerning 

Transboundary Hydrocarbon 

Reservoirs in the Gulf of Mexico 

(7) Restrictions due to Rights-of-Use and 

Easement for Floating Production 

Facilities 

(8) Royalties on All Produced Gas 

V. Information to Lessees 

Information to Lessees (ITLs) provide 

detailed information on certain issues 

pertaining to specific oil and gas lease 

sales. The full text of the ITLs for this 

sale is contained in the ‘‘Information to 

Lessees’’ section of the Final NOS 

package and covers the following topics. 

(1) Navigation Safety 

(2) Ordnance Disposal Areas 

(3) Existing and Proposed Artificial 

Reefs/Rigs-to-Reefs 

(4) Lightering Zones 

(5) Indicated Hydrocarbons List 

(6) Military Areas 

(7) Bureau of Safety and Environmental 

Enforcement Inspection and 

Enforcement of Certain U.S. Coast 

Guard Regulations 

(8) Significant Outer Continental Shelf 

Sediment Resource Areas 

(9) Notice of Arrival on the Outer 

Continental Shelf 

(10) Bidder/Lessee Notice of Obligations 

Related to Criminal/Civil Charges and 

Offenses, Suspension, or Debarment; 

Disqualification Due to a Conviction 

Under the Clean Air Act or the Clean 

Water Act 

(11) Protected Species 

(12) Expansion of the Flower Garden 

Banks National Marine Sanctuary 

(13) Communication Towers 

(14) Deepwater Port Applications (DWP) 

for Offshore Oil and Liquefied Natural 

Gas Facilities 

(15) Ocean Dredged Material Disposal 

Sites 

(16) Rights-of-Use and Easement 

(17) Industrial Waste Disposal Areas 

(18) Gulf Islands National Seashore 

(19) Air Quality Permit/Plan Approvals 

(20) Provisions Pertaining to Certain 

Transactions by Foreign Persons 

Involving Real Estate in the United 

States 

(21) Inflation Reduction Act of 2022 

VI. Maps 

The maps pertaining to this lease sale 

can be viewed on BOEM’s website at 

https://www.boem.gov/Sale-261/. The 

following maps also are included in the 

Final NOS package: 

Sale Area Map 

The sale area is shown on the map 

entitled, ‘‘Final Notice of Sale, Gulf of 

Mexico OCS Oil and Gas Lease Sale 261, 

November 2023, Final Sale Area.’’ 

Lease Terms and Economic Conditions 

Map 

The lease terms and economic 

conditions associated with leases of 

certain blocks are shown on the map 

entitled, ‘‘Final Notice of Sale, Gulf of 

Mexico Oil and Gas Lease Sale 261, 

November 2023, Lease Terms and 

Economic Conditions.’’ 

Stipulations and Deferred Blocks Map 

The lease stipulations and the blocks 

to which they apply are shown on the 

map entitled, ‘‘Final Notice of Sale, Gulf 

of Mexico OCS Oil and Gas Lease Sale 

261, November 2023, Stipulations and 

Deferred Blocks.’’ 

VII. Bidding Instructions 

BOEM is returning, unopened, all 

bids submitted by bidders under the 

previously issued Final NOS. Bidders 

wishing to participate in Lease Sale 261 

must submit new bids or resubmit their 

returned bids in accordance with the 

terms and conditions contained in this 

revised Final NOS. 

Bids may be submitted BY MAIL 

ONLY through any parcel delivery 

service (e.g., FedEx, UPS, USPS, DHL) at 

the address below in the ‘‘Mailed Bids’’ 

section. Bidders should be aware that 

BOEM has eliminated in-person bidding 

for GOM Lease Sale 261. Instructions on 

how to submit a bid, secure payment of 

the advance bonus bid deposit (if 

applicable), and the information to be 

included with the bid are as follows: 

Bid Form 

For each block bid upon, a separate 

sealed bid must be submitted in a sealed 

envelope (as described below) and 

include the following items: 

• Total amount of the bid in whole 

dollars only; 

• Sale number; 

• Sale date; 

• Each bidder’s exact name; 

• Each bidder’s proportionate 

interest, stated as a percentage, using a 

maximum of five decimal places (e.g., 

33.33333 percent); 

• Typed name and title, and signature 

of each bidder’s authorized officer. 

Electronic signatures are acceptable. 

The typed name, title, and signature 

must agree exactly with the name and 

title on file in the BOEM Gulf of Mexico 

OCS Region Adjudication Section; 

• Each bidder’s BOEM qualification 

number; 

• Map name and number or OPD 

name and number; 

• Block number; and 

• Statement acknowledging that the 

bidder(s) understands that this bid 

legally binds the bidder(s) to comply 

with all applicable regulations, 

including the requirement to post a 

deposit in the amount of one-fifth of the 

bonus bid amount for any tract bid upon 

and make payment of the balance of the 

bonus bid and first year’s rental upon 

BOEM’s acceptance of high bids. 

The information required for each bid 

is specified in the document ‘‘Bid 

Form’’ that is available in the Final NOS 

package, which can be found at https:// 

www.boem.gov/Sale-261/. A blank bid 

form is provided in the Final NOS 

package for convenience and can be 

copied and completed with the 

necessary information described above. 

Bid Envelope 

Each bid must be submitted in a 

separate sealed envelope labeled as 

follows: 

• ‘‘Sealed Bid for GOM Lease Sale 

261, not to be opened until 9 a.m. 

Wednesday, November 8, 2023’’; 

• Map name and number or OPD 

name and number; 

• Block number for block bid upon; 

• Acreage, if the bid is for a block that 

is split between the Central and Eastern 

Planning Areas; and 

• The exact name and qualification 

number of the submitting bidder only. 

The Final NOS package includes a 

sample bid envelope for reference. 

Mailed Bids 

Please address the envelope 

containing the sealed bid envelope(s) as 

follows: Attention: Leasing and 

Financial Responsibility Section, BOEM 

New Orleans Office, 1201 Elmwood 

Park Boulevard MS–266A, New Orleans, 

Louisiana 70123–2394, Contains Sealed 

Bids for GOM Lease Sale 261, Please 

Deliver to Mr. Greg Purvis, 2nd Floor, 

Immediately. 

Please Note: Bidders are advised to 

inform BOEM by email at 

BOEMGOMRLeaseSales@boem.gov 

immediately after placing bid(s) in the 

mail. This provides advance notice to 

BOEM regarding pending bids prior to 

the bid submission deadline. In the 

email, please state the tracking number 


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of the bid package, the number of bids 

being submitted, and the email address 

of the person who should receive the 

bid receipt for signature. If BOEM 

receives bids later than the bid 

submission deadline, the BOEM GOM 

Regional Director (RD) will return those 

bids unopened to bidders. Please see 

Section XI, ‘‘Delay of Sale,’’ regarding 

BOEM’s discretion to extend the Bid 

Submission Deadline in the case of an 

unexpected event (e.g., flooding) and 

how bidders can obtain more 

information on such extensions. 

Advance Bonus Bid Deposit Guarantee 

Bidders that are not currently an OCS 

oil and gas lease record title holder or 

designated operator, or those that have 

ever defaulted on a one-fifth bonus bid 

deposit, must guarantee (secure) the 

payment of the one-fifth bonus bid 

deposit, by Electronic Funds Transfer 

(EFT) or otherwise, prior to bid 

submission using one of the following 

four methods: 

• Provide a third-party guarantee; 

• Amend a development stage areawide bond via bond rider; 

• Provide a letter of credit; or 

• Provide a lump sum payment in 

advance via EFT. 

Please provide, at the time of bid 

submittal, a confirmation or tracking 

number for the payment, the name of 

the company submitting the payment as 

it appears on the payment, and the date 

the payment was submitted so that 

BOEM can confirm payment with the 

Office of Natural Resources Revenue 

(ONRR). Bidders should submit 

payments to their financial institution at 

least 5 business days prior to bid 

submittal to ensure that the Office of 

Foreign Assets Control and the U.S. 

Department of the Treasury (U.S. 

Treasury) have time to screen and 

process payments and that payments are 

posted to ONRR prior to placing the bid. 

ONRR cannot confirm payment until the 

monies have been moved into 

settlement status by the U.S. Treasury. 

Bids will not be accepted if BOEM 

cannot confirm payment with ONRR 

before 10:00 a.m. on Tuesday, 

November 7, 2023. 

If providing a third-party guarantee, 

amending a development stage areawide bond via bond rider, or providing 

a letter of credit to secure your one-fifth 

bonus bid deposit, bidders are urged to 

file these documents with BOEM well in 

advance of submitting the bid. This 

allows processing time and ensures 

bidders have time to take any necessary 

curative actions prior to bid submission. 

For more information on EFT 

procedures, see Section X, ‘‘The Lease 

Sale.’’ 

Affirmative Action 

Prior to bidding, each bidder should 

file the Equal Opportunity Affirmative 

Action Representation Form BOEM– 

2032 (February 2020, available on 

BOEM’s website at https://

www.boem.gov/BOEM-2032/) and Equal 

Opportunity Compliance Report 

Certification Form BOEM–2033 

(February 2020, available on BOEM’s 

website at https://www.boem.gov/ 

BOEM-2033/) with the BOEM GOM 

Adjudication Section. This certification 

is required by 41 CFR part 60 and 

Executive Order (E.O.) 11246, issued 

September 24, 1965, as amended by E.O. 

11375, issued October 13, 1967, and by 

E.O. 13672, issued July 21, 2014. Both 

forms must be on file for the bidder(s) 

in the GOM Adjudication Section prior 

to the execution of any lease contract. 

Geophysical Data and Information 

Statement (GDIS) 

The GDIS is composed of three parts: 

(1) A ‘‘Statement’’ page that includes 

the company representatives’ 

information and separate lists of blocks 

bid on that used proprietary data and 

those blocks bid upon that did not use 

proprietary data; 

(2) A ‘‘Table’’ listing the required data 

about each proprietary survey used (see 

below); and 

(3) ‘‘Maps’’ that contain the live trace 

maps for each proprietary survey that is 

identified in the GDIS statement and 

table. 

Every bidder submitting a bid on a 

block in GOM Lease Sale 261 or 

participating as a joint bidder in such a 

bid must submit at the time of bid 

submission all three parts of the GDIS. 

A bidder must submit the GDIS even if 

a joint bidder or bidders on a specific 

block also have submitted a GDIS. 

Please specify on the outside of the 

GDIS envelope if the information 

provided is for a joint bid, and if so, 

include the block number and primary 

bidder (company submitting the bid). 

Any speculative data that has been 

reprocessed externally or ‘‘in-house’’ is 

considered proprietary due to the 

proprietary processing and is no longer 

considered to be speculative. 

The bidder and joint bidder must 

submit the GDIS in a separate and 

sealed envelope and must identify all 

proprietary data; reprocessed 

speculative data, and/or any Controlled 

Source Electromagnetic surveys, 

Amplitude Versus Offset (AVO) data, 

gravity data, and/or magnetic data; or 

other information used as part of the 

decision to bid or participate in a bid on 

the block. The bidder and joint bidder 

must also include a live trace map (e.g., 

pdf and ArcGIS shapefile) for each 

proprietary survey identified in the 

GDIS illustrating the actual areal extent 

of the proprietary geophysical data in 

the survey (see the ‘‘Example of 

Preferred Format’’ that is included in 

the Final NOS package for additional 

information). The shape file must not 

include cultural resources information; 

only the live trace map of the survey 

itself. 

The GDIS statement must include the 

name, phone number, and full address 

for a contact person and an alternate 

who are both knowledgeable about the 

geophysical information and data listed 

and who are available for 30 days after 

the sale date. The GDIS statement must 

also include a list of all blocks bid upon, 

including those blocks where no 

proprietary or reprocessed geophysical 

data and/or proprietary information was 

used, as a basis for the bidder’s decision 

to bid or to participate as a joint bidder 

in the bid. All GDIS statements must be 

included with any submitted bids in a 

separate envelope identified as GDIS. 

All bidders must submit the GDIS 

statement, even if no proprietary 

geophysical data or information was 

used in its bid preparation for the block. 

An example of the preferred format of 

the table is included in the Final NOS 

package, and a blank digital version of 

the preferred table can be accessed on 

the GOM Lease Sale 261 website at 

https://www.boem.gov/Sale-261/. The 

GDIS table should have columns that 

clearly state the following: 

• The sale number; 

• The bidder company’s name; 

• The joint bidder’s company’s name 

(if applicable); 

• The company that will provide the 

proprietary geophysical survey data to 

BOEM; 

• The block area and block number 

bid upon; 

• The owner of the original data set 

(e.g, TGS, PGS, WGC, CGG, etc.); 

• The industry’s original name of the 

survey (e.g., E Octopus); 

• The BOEM permit number for the 

survey; 

• Whether the data set is a fast-track 

version (intermediate product that is not 

final); 

• Whether the data is speculative or 

proprietary; 

• The data type (e.g., 2–D, 3–D, or 4– 

D; pre-stack or post-stack; time or 

depth); 

• The migration algorithm (e.g., 

Kirchhoff migration, wave equation 

migration, reverse migration, reverse 

time migration) of the data and areal 

extent of bidder survey (i.e., number of 

line miles for 2–D or number of blocks 

for 3–D); 


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• The live proprietary survey 

coverage (2–D miles 3–D blocks); 

• The computer storage size, to the 

nearest gigabyte, of each seismic data 

and velocity volume used to evaluate 

the lease block; 

• Who reprocessed the data; 

• The date on which the final 

reprocessing was completed (month and 

year); 

• If the data was previously sent to 

BOEM, list the sale number and date of 

the sale for which it was used; 

• Whether proprietary or speculative 

AVO/AVA (PROP/SPEC) was used; 

• The date on which AVO or AVA 

was sent to BOEM, if sent prior to the 

sale; 

• Whether AVO/AVA is time or 

depth (PSTM or PSDM); 

• Which angled stacks were used 

(e.g., NEAR, MID, FAR, ULTRAFAR); 

• Whether the company used Gathers 

to evaluate the block in question; and 

• Whether the company used Vector 

Offset Output (VOO) or Vector Image 

Partitions (VIP) to evaluate the block in 

question. 

BOEM will use the computer storage 

size information to estimate the 

reproduction costs for each data set, if 

applicable. BOEM will determine the 

availability of reimbursement of 

production costs consistent with 30 CFR 

551.13. 

BOEM reserves the right to inquire 

about alternate data sets, to perform 

quality checks, and to compare the 

listed and alternative data sets to 

determine which data set most closely 

meets the needs of the fair market value 

determination process. See the 

‘‘Example of Preferred Format’’ that is 

included in the Final NOS package. 

The GDIS maps are live trace maps 

(e.g., pdf and ArcGIS shapefiles) that 

bidders should submit for each 

proprietary survey identified in the 

GDIS table. The maps should illustrate 

the actual areal extent of the proprietary 

geophysical data in the survey (see the 

‘‘Example of Preferred Format’’ that is 

included in the Final NOS package for 

additional information). As previously 

stated, the shapefile must not include 

cultural resources information, only the 

live trace map of the survey itself. 

Pursuant to 30 CFR 551.12 and 

556.501, as a condition of the sale, the 

BOEM GOM Regional Director requests 

that all bidders and joint bidders submit 

the proprietary data identified on their 

GDIS within 30 days after the lease sale 

(unless notified after the lease sale that 

BOEM has withdrawn the request). This 

request only pertains to proprietary data 

that is not commercially available. 

Commercially available data should not 

be submitted to BOEM unless 

specifically requested by BOEM. No 

reimbursement will be provided for 

unsolicited data sent to BOEM. The 

BOEM GOM RD will notify bidders and 

joint bidders of any withdrawal of the 

request, for all or some of the 

proprietary data identified on the GDIS, 

within 15 calendar days of the lease 

sale. Where the BOEM GOM RD has 

notified bidders and joint bidders that 

the request for such proprietary data has 

been withdrawn, reimbursement will 

not be provided. Pursuant to 30 CFR 

part 551 and 30 CFR 556.501, as a 

condition of this sale, all bidders that 

are required to submit data must ensure 

that the data are received by BOEM no 

later than the 30th day following the 

lease sale, or the next business day if the 

submission deadline falls on a weekend 

or Federal holiday. Please do not submit 

proprietary geophysical survey data in 

the GDIS envelope. 

The proprietary geophysical survey 

data must be submitted to BOEM at the 

following address within 30 days of the 

sale as stated above: Bureau of Ocean 

Energy Management, Resource Studies, 

GM 881A, 1201 Elmwood Park Blvd., 

New Orleans, Louisiana 70123–2304. 

The GDIS must be submitted along 

with your bid envelope to: Leasing and 

Financial Responsibility Section, BOEM 

New Orleans Office, 1201 Elmwood 

Park Boulevard MS–266A, New Orleans, 

Louisiana 70123–2394, Contains Sealed 

Bids for GOM Lease Sale 261, Please 

Deliver to Mr. Greg Purvis, 2nd Floor, 

Immediately. 

BOEM recommends that bidders mark 

the GDIS submission’s external 

envelope as ‘‘Deliver Immediately to 

DASPU.’’ BOEM also recommends that 

bidders submit the GDIS in an internal 

envelope, or otherwise marked, with the 

following designation: ‘‘Geophysical 

Data and Information Statement for Oil 

and Gas Lease Sale 261’’, Company 

Name, GOM Company Qualification 

Number, and ‘‘Proprietary Data.’’ 

In the event a person supplies any 

type of data to BOEM, that person must 

meet the following requirements to 

qualify for reimbursement: 

(1) Must be registered with the System 

for Award Management (SAM), formerly 

known as the Central Contractor 

Registration (CCR). CCR usernames will 

not work in SAM. A new SAM user 

account is needed to register or update 

an entity’s records. The website for 

registering is https://usfcr.com/registerrenew/. 

(2) Must be enrolled in the U.S. 

Treasury’s Invoice Processing Platform 

(IPP) for electronic invoicing; to enroll 

go to https://www.ipp.gov/. Access then 

will be granted to use the IPP for 

submitting requests for payment. When 

submitting a request for payment, the 

assigned Purchase Order Number must 

be included. 

(3) Must have a current On-line 

Representations and Certifications 

Application at https://usfcr.com/. 

Please Note: Digital copies and 

duplicate hardcopies should be 

submitted for the GDIS Statement, Table 

and Maps. The GDIS Statement should 

be sent as a digital PDF. The GDIS 

Information Table must be submitted 

digitally as an Excel spreadsheet. The 

Proprietary Maps should be sent as PDF 

files and the live trace outline of each 

proprietary survey should also be 

submitted as a shapefile. Please flatten 

all layered PDF files, since layered PDFs 

can have many objects. Layered PDFs 

can cause problems opening or printing 

the file correctly. Bidders may submit 

the digital files on a CD, DVD, or any 

USB external drive (formatted for 

Windows). If bidders have any 

questions, please contact Ms. Dee Smith 

at (504) 736–2706 or Ms. Teree 

Campbell at (504) 736–3231. 

Bidders should refer to the 

‘‘Acceptance, Rejection, or Return of 

Bids’’ heading under Section X, ‘‘The 

Lease Sale,’’ regarding a bidder’s failure 

to comply with the requirements of the 

Final NOS, including any failure to 

submit information required in the Final 

NOS package. 

Telephone Numbers/Addresses of 

Bidders 

BOEM requests that bidders provide 

this information in the suggested format 

prior to or at the time of bid submission. 

The suggested format is included in the 

Final NOS package. The form must not 

be enclosed inside the sealed bid 

envelope. 

Additional Documentation 

BOEM may require bidders to submit 

other documents in accordance with 30 

CFR 556.107, 556.401, 556.501, and 

556.513. 

VIII. Bidding Rules and Restrictions 

Restricted Joint Bidders 

On May 4, 2023, BOEM published the 

Spring 2023 List of Restricted Joint 

Bidders in the Federal Register at 88 FR 

28610. Potential bidders are advised to 

refer to the List of Restricted Joint 

Bidders that is in place at the time of the 

lease sale. BOEM intends to publish the 

Fall 2023 List of Restricted Joint Bidders 

in the Federal Register in the coming 

weeks. Please refer to the joint bidding 

provisions at 30 CFR 556.511–556.515. 

Authorized Signatures 

All signatories executing documents 

on behalf of the bidder(s) must execute 


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the same in conformance with the 

BOEM qualification records. Bidders are 

advised that BOEM considers the signed 

bid to be a legally binding obligation on 

the part of the bidder(s) to comply with 

all applicable regulations, including that 

requiring payment of one-fifth of the 

bonus bid on all high bids. A statement 

to this effect is included on each bid 

form (see the document ‘‘Bid Form’’ that 

is included in the Final NOS package). 

Unlawful Combination or Intimidation 

BOEM warns bidders against violation 

of 18 U.S.C. 1860, which prohibits 

unlawful combination or intimidation of 

bidders. 

Bid Withdrawal 

Bids may be withdrawn only by 

written request delivered to BOEM prior 

to the bid submission deadline via any 

parcel delivery service. Withdrawals 

will not be accepted in person or via 

email. The withdrawal request must be 

on company letterhead and must 

contain the bidder’s name, its BOEM 

qualification number, the map name/ 

number, and the block number(s) of the 

bid(s) to be withdrawn. The withdrawal 

request must be executed by one or 

more of the representatives named in 

the BOEM qualification records. The 

name and title of the authorized 

signatory must be typed under the 

signature block on the withdrawal 

request. The BOEM GOM RD, or the 

RD’s designee, will indicate approval by 

signing and dating the withdrawal 

request. 

Bid Rounding 

Minimum bonus bid calculations, 

including rounding, for all blocks are 

shown in the document ‘‘List of Blocks 

Available for Leasing’’ that is included 

in the Final NOS package. The bonus 

bid amount must be stated in whole 

dollars. If the acreage of a block contains 

a decimal figure, then prior to 

calculating the minimum bonus bid, 

BOEM will round up to the next whole 

acre. The appropriate minimum rate per 

acre will be applied to the whole 

(rounded up) acreage. The bonus bid 

amount must be greater than or equal to 

the minimum bonus bid, as calculated 

and stated in the Final NOS package. 

IX. Forms 

The Final NOS package includes 

instructions, samples, and/or the 

preferred format for the items listed 

below. BOEM strongly encourages 

bidders to use the recommended 

formats. If bidders use another format, 

they are responsible for including all the 

information specified for each item in 

the Final NOS package. 

(1) Bid Form 

(2) Sample Completed Bid 

(3) Sample Bid Envelope 

(4) Sample Bid Mailing Envelope 

(5) Telephone Numbers/Addresses of 

Bidders Form 

(6) GDIS Form 

(7) GDIS Envelope Form 

X. The Lease Sale 

Bid Opening and Reading 

Sealed bids received in response to 

the Final NOS will be opened at the 

place, date, and hour specified under 

the DATES and ADDRESSES sections of the 

Final NOS. The venue will not be open 

to the public. Instead, the bid opening 

will be available for the public to view 

on BOEM’s website at https:// 

www.boem.gov via live streaming. The 

opening of the bids is for the sole 

purpose of publicly announcing and 

recording the bids received; no bids will 

be accepted or rejected at that time. 

Bonus Bid Deposit for Apparent High 

Bids 

Each bidder submitting an apparent 

high bid must submit a bonus bid 

deposit to ONRR equal to one-fifth of 

the bonus bid amount for each such bid. 

A copy of the notification of the high 

bidder’s one-fifth bonus bid amount can 

be obtained on the BOEM website at 

https://www.boem.gov/Sale-261/ under 

the heading ‘‘Notification of EFT 1⁄5

Bonus Liability’’ after 1:00 p.m. on the 

day of the sale. All payments must be 

electronically deposited into an interestbearing account in the U.S. Treasury by 

1:00 p.m. Eastern Time the day 

following the bid reading (no 

exceptions). Account information is 

provided in the ‘‘Instructions for 

Making Electronic Funds Transfer 

Bonus Payments’’ found on the BOEM 

website identified above. 

Bidders must submit payment to their 

financial institution as soon as possible 

on the day of bid reading and no later 

than 7:00 p.m. Eastern Time on the day 

of bid reading. This will help ensure 

that deposits have time to process 

through the U.S. Treasury and post to 

ONRR. ONRR cannot confirm payment 

until the monies have been moved into 

settlement status by the U.S. Treasury. 

BOEM requires bidders to use EFT 

procedures for payment of one-fifth 

bonus bid deposits for GOM Lease Sale 

261, following the detailed instructions 

contained on the ONRR Payment 

Information web page at https:// 

www.onrr.gov/paying. Acceptance of a 

deposit does not constitute, and will not 

be construed as, acceptance of any bid 

on behalf of the United States. 

Withdrawal of Blocks 

The United States reserves the right to 

withdraw any block from this lease sale 

prior to issuance of a written acceptance 

of a bid for the block. 

Acceptance, Rejection, or Return of Bids 

The United States reserves the right to 

reject any and all bids, regardless of the 

amount offered. Furthermore, no bid 

will be accepted, and no lease for any 

block will be awarded to any bidder, 

unless: 

(1) The bidder has complied with all 

applicable regulations and requirements 

of the Final NOS, including those set 

forth in the documents contained in the 

Final NOS package; 

(2) The bid is the highest valid bid; 

and 

(3) The amount of the bid has been 

determined to be adequate by the 

authorized officer. 

Any bid submitted that does not 

conform to the requirements of the Final 

NOS, OCSLA, or other applicable 

statutes or regulations will be rejected 

and returned to the bidder. The U.S. 

Department of Justice and the Federal 

Trade Commission will review the 

results of the lease sale for any antitrust 

issues prior to the acceptance of bids 

and issuance of leases. 

Bid Adequacy Review Procedures for 

GOM Lease Sale 261 

To ensure that the U.S. Government 

receives fair market value for the 

conveyance of leases from this sale, 

BOEM will evaluate high bids in 

accordance with the bid adequacy 

procedures that are effective on the date 

of the sale. The bid adequacy 

procedures are available on BOEM’s 

website at https://www.boem.gov/oilgas-energy/leasing/bid-adequacyprocedures. 

Lease Award 

Leases issued as a result of GOM 

Lease Sale 261 are expressly limited to 

oil and gas exploration and 

development. As noted in Section 19 of 

the lease form, all rights in the leased 

area not expressly granted to the Lessee 

by the Act, the regulations, or this lease 

are hereby reserved to the Lessor. 

BOEM requires each bidder that is 

awarded a lease to complete the 

following: 

(1) Execute all copies of the lease 

(Form BOEM–2005 [February 2017], as 

amended); 

(2) Pay by EFT the balance of the 

bonus bid amount and the first year’s 

rental for each lease issued in 

accordance with the requirements of 30 

CFR 1218.155 and 556.520(a); and 


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Federal Register / Vol. 88, No. 193 / Friday, October 6, 2023 / Notices 69669 

(3) Satisfy the bonding requirements 

of 30 CFR part 556, subpart I, as 

amended. 

ONRR requests that bidders use only 

one transaction for payment of the 

balance of the bonus bid amount and 

the first year’s rental. Once ONRR 

receives such payment, the bidder 

awarded the lease may not request a 

refund of the balance of the bonus bid 

amount or first year’s rental payment. 

XI. Delay of Sale 

The BOEM GOM RD has the 

discretion to change any date, time, 

and/or location specified in the Final 

NOS package if the RD deems that an 

emergent event could interfere with a 

fair and orderly lease sale. Such events 

could include, but are not limited to, 

natural disasters (e.g., earthquakes, 

hurricanes, floods), wars, riots, acts of 

terrorism, fires, strikes, civil disorder, or 

other events of a similar nature. 

Furthermore, the RD may change the 

date, time, and/or location of the lease 

sale to comply with court orders. In case 

of such events, bidders should call (504) 

736–0557 or access the BOEM website 

at https://www.boem.gov/ for 

information regarding any changes. 

Laura Daniel-Davis, 

Principal Deputy Assistant Secretary, Land 

and Minerals Management, Department of the 

Interior. 

The action taken herein is pursuant to an 

existing delegation of authority. 

[FR Doc. 2023–22316 Filed 10–5–23; 8:45 am] 

BILLING CODE 4310–98–P 

INTERNATIONAL TRADE 

COMMISSION 

[Investigation No. 337–TA–1330] 

Notice of Request for Submissions on 

the Public Interest; Certain Audio 

Players and Components Thereof (II) 

AGENCY: International Trade 

Commission. 

ACTION: Notice. 

SUMMARY: Notice is hereby given that on 

September 15, 2023, the presiding 

administrative law judge (‘‘ALJ’’) issued 

an Initial Determination on Violation of 

section 337. The ALJ also issued a 

Recommended Determination on 

remedy and bonding should a violation 

be found in the above-captioned 

investigation. The Commission is 

soliciting submissions on public interest 

issues raised by the recommended relief 

should the Commission find a violation. 

This notice is soliciting comments from 

the public and interested government 

agencies only. 

FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT: 

Amanda P. Fisherow, Esq., Office of the 

General Counsel, U.S. International 

Trade Commission, 500 E Street SW, 

Washington, DC 20436, telephone (202) 

205–2737. Copies of non-confidential 

documents filed in connection with this 

investigation may be viewed on the 

Commission’s electronic docket (EDIS) 

at https://edis.usitc.gov. For help 

accessing EDIS, please email 

EDIS3Help@usitc.gov. General 

information concerning the Commission 

may also be obtained by accessing its 

internet server at https://www.usitc.gov. 

Hearing-impaired persons are advised 

that information on this matter can be 

obtained by contacting the 

Commission’s TDD terminal on (202) 

205–1810. 

SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION: Section 

337 of the Tariff Act of 1930 provides 

that, if the Commission finds a 

violation, it shall exclude the articles 

concerned from the United States 

unless, after considering the effect of 

such exclusion upon the public health 

and welfare, competitive conditions in 

the United States economy, the 

production of like or directly 

competitive articles in the United 

States, and United States consumers, it 

finds that such articles should not be 

excluded from entry. (19 U.S.C. 

1337(d)(1)). A similar provision applies 

to cease and desist orders. (19 U.S.C. 

1337(f)(1)). 

The Commission is soliciting 

submissions on public interest issues 

raised by the recommended relief 

should the Commission find a violation, 

specifically: a limited exclusion order 

directed to certain audio players and 

components thereof imported, sold for 

importation, and/or sold after 

importation by respondent Sonos, Inc.; 

and cease and desist orders directed to 

Sonos, Inc. Parties are to file public 

interest submissions pursuant to 19 CFR 

210.50(a)(4). 

The Commission is interested in 

further development of the record on 

the public interest in this investigation. 

Accordingly, members of the public and 

interested government agencies are 

invited to file submissions of no more 

than five (5) pages, inclusive of 

attachments, concerning the public 

interest in light of the ALJ’s 

Recommended Determination on 

Remedy and Bonding issued in this 

investigation on September 15, 2023. 

Comments should address whether 

issuance of the recommended remedial 

orders in this investigation, should the 

Commission find a violation, would 

affect the public health and welfare in 

the United States, competitive 

conditions in the United States 

economy, the production of like or 

directly competitive articles in the 

United States, or United States 

consumers. 

In particular, the Commission is 

interested in comments that: 

(i) explain how the articles potentially 

subject to the recommended remedial 

orders are used in the United States; 

(ii) identify any public health, safety, 

or welfare concerns in the United States 

relating to the recommended orders; 

(iii) identify like or directly 

competitive articles that complainant, 

its licensees, or third parties make in the 

United States which could replace the 

subject articles if they were to be 

excluded; 

(iv) indicate whether complainant, 

complainant’s licensees, and/or thirdparty suppliers have the capacity to 

replace the volume of articles 

potentially subject to the recommended 

orders within a commercially 

reasonable time; and 

(v) explain how the recommended 

orders would impact consumers in the 

United States. 

Written submissions must be filed no 

later than by close of business on 

November 1, 2023. 

Persons filing written submissions 

must file the original document 

electronically on or before the deadlines 

stated above. The Commission’s paper 

filing requirements in 19 CFR 210.4(f) 

are currently waived. 85 FR 15798 (Mar. 

19, 2020). Submissions should refer to 

the investigation number (‘‘Inv. No. 

337–TA–1330’’) in a prominent place on 

the cover page and/or the first page. (See 

Handbook for Electronic Filing 

Procedures, https://www.usitc.gov/ 

secretary/fed_reg_notices/rules/ 

handbook_on_electronic_filing.pdf). 

Persons with questions regarding filing 

should contact the Secretary (202–205– 

2000). 

Any person desiring to submit a 

document to the Commission in 

confidence must request confidential 

treatment by marking each document 

with a header indicating that the 

document contains confidential 

information. This marking will be 

deemed to satisfy the request procedure 

set forth in Rules 201.6(b) and 

210.5(e)(2) (19 CFR 201.6(b) & 

210.5(e)(2)). Documents for which 

confidential treatment by the 

Commission is properly sought will be 

treated accordingly. Any non-party 

wishing to submit comments containing 

confidential information must serve 

those comments on the parties to the 

investigation pursuant to the applicable 

Administrative Protective Order. A 

redacted non-confidential version of the 


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