Proposed Notice of Sale Issued for Western Gulf of Mexico OCS Sale 174

The U.S. Department of the Interior's Minerals Management Service (MMS) is making available the Proposed Notice of Sale for Western Gulf of Mexico (GOM) Sale 174. The sale is scheduled for August 25, 1999, in New Orleans. Sale 174 encompasses 3,642 unleased blocks, about 19.81 million acres, in the Western GOM Outer Continental Shelf Planning Area offshore Texas and in deeper waters offshore Louisiana. The blocks are located from nine to 200 miles offshore in water depths ranging from 26 ft. to more than 9,840 ft. There are 2,120 blocks in water depths of 656 ft. or more. This is the fourth sale in the Western Gulf of Mexico, and the seventh sale overall, in which blocks receiving bids in water depths of 656 ft. or more are eligible for consideration under provisions of the Deep Water Royalty Relief Act. The Proposed Notice of Sale offers all blocks in water depths of less 2,625 ft. for a minimum bid of $25 per acre. The minimum bid on blocks in water depths of 2,625 ft. or deeper has been changed to $37.50 per acre. The Proposed Notice of Sale will be posted on the MMS Website at http://www.mms.gov In addition, copies of the document are available from MMS's Gulf of Mexico Regional Office, Public Information Unit, 1201 Elmwood Park Boulevard, New Orleans, La. 70123 tel: 504-736-2519; toll free 800-200-GULF.