Noble Energy has announced that it was the apparent high bidder on 24 deepwater lease blocks in the Central Gulf of Mexico Lease Sale 208. Of the high bids, Noble Energy bid alone on 21 and joined with partners on the remaining three with an average working interest for the partnered bids of 77.5%.
The company’s share of the lease bonuses on its apparent high bids totaled approximately $55 million. The 24 high bid blocks cover in excess of 119,000 net acres in water depths up to 8,300ft.
Prior to the lease sale, Noble Energy held an interest in 93 deepwater Gulf of Mexico leases, representing approximately 315,000 net acres. All high bids are subject to approval by the Minerals Management Service (MMS) of the US Department of the Interior.
Charles Davidson, chairman, president, and CEO of Noble Energy, said: We are pleased with the results of the lease sale, where we continued to increase our exposure to resource opportunities in the deepwater Gulf of Mexico. The addition of these blocks fits in nicely with Noble Energy’s growing inventory of exploration opportunities.
Noble Energy is an independent energy company engaged in worldwide oil and gas exploration and production. The company operates primarily in the Rocky Mountains, Mid-Continent, and deepwater Gulf of Mexico areas in the United States, with international operations offshore Israel, UK and West Africa.
