BLM Utah sold oil and gas leases bring in nearly $320,000

Bureau of Land Management

Media Contact:

JD Mallory

[email protected]

435-253-4617

Jun 4, 2025

SALT LAKE CITY – The Bureau of Land Management Utah State Office leased two parcels totaling 834 acres for $317,158 in total receipts for its quarterly oil and gas lease sale. The combined bonus bids and rentals from the leases will be distributed between the federal government and the State of Utah.

Oil and gas lease sales support domestic energy production and American energy independence, while contributing to the nation’s economic and military security. Consistent with Executive Order 14154, “Unleashing American Energy,” the BLM's lease sales help meet the energy needs of U.S. citizens and solidify the nation as a global energy leader long into the future.

Leasing is the first step in the process to develop federal oil and gas resources. The BLM ensures oil and gas development meets the requirements set forth by the National Environmental Policy Act of 1969 and other applicable legal authorities.

Oil and gas leases are awarded for a term of 10 years and as long thereafter as there is production of oil and gas in paying quantities. The federal government receives a royalty of 16.67 percent of the value of production. Information on current and upcoming BLM leases is available through the National Fluid Lease Sale System.

BLM lease sales are held online through EnergyNet. Results are available on the National Fluid Lease Sale System. After navigating to the page, filter to the sale, and select the action “View Sale Documents” to view the sale results.

The BLM manages more than 245 million acres of public land located primarily in 12 western states, including Alaska, on behalf of the American people. The BLM also administers 700 million acres of sub-surface mineral estate throughout the nation. Our mission is to sustain the health, diversity, and productivity of America’s public lands for the use and enjoyment of present and future generations.

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Bureau of Land Management

Expressions of Interests and the Inflation Reduction Act

The BLM received Expressions of Interests to sell federal oil and gas leases for two parcels encompassing 833.28 acres located within the BLM’s Vernal Field Office in Uintah County, Utah.

Future BLM leases will include updated fiscal provisions authorized in the Inflation Reduction Act: 

o   Minimum bids for all offered parcels will be $10 per acre, an increase from the $2-per-acre minimum bid set in 1987.       

o   Royalty rates will be 16.67%, up from the previous minimum of 12.5%.        

o   Rental rates will be $3 per acre for the first two years, $5 per acre for years three through year eight, and $15 per acre in years nine and 10. Prior to the Inflation Reduction Act, rates were $1.50 per acre for the first five years and $2 per acre for each year thereafter, rates originally set in 1987. 

Future information about the Inflation Reduction Act can be found here at DOI Moves Forward with Leasing Provisions in Inflation Reduction Act. 

30-Day Protest Period

How to Submit a Protest:

The BLM is offering a SECOND 30-day protest period. The protest period begins April 4, 2025, and ends on May 5, 2025, at 4:30 p.m. MT.  The BLM Utah State Office will move forward as analyzed in the Documentation of NEPA Adequacy (DOI-BLM-UT-0000-2025-0002-DNA), by offering an additional eleven (11) parcels totaling 20,888 acres in Sanpete County on public lands managed by the Richfield Field Office. These parcels were previously offered during the Quarter 3, 2023 lease sale, but failed to sell. The parcels will be re-offered for the Quarter 2 2025 lease sale. The posting of the Notice of Competitive Lease Sale (NCLS) initiates a 30-day protest period that ends on May 5, 2025. Protests on the offered parcels may only be submitted electronically through email at [email protected]; the subject line must read: “Quarter 2, 2025 Protest.” The BLM must receive all protests by 4:30 p.m., on May 5^th, 2025, and as stated, can only accept emailed protests.

The BLM is offering a 30-day protest period. The protest period begins December 18, 2024, and ends on January 17, 2025, at 4:30 p.m. MT.  The BLM Utah State Office will move forward as analyzed in the environmental assessment (DOI-BLM-UT-0000-2024-0001-EA), by offering two (2) parcels totaling 833.28  acres in Uintah County on public lands managed by the Vernal Field Office. The posting of the Notice of Competitive Lease Sale (NCLS) initiates a 30-day protest period that ends on January 17, 2025. Protests on the offered parcels may only be submitted electronically through email at [email protected]; the subject line must read: “Quarter 2, 2025 Protest.” The BLM must receive all protests by 4:30 p.m., on January 17^th, 2025, and as stated, can only accept emailed protests. 

Two parcels encompassing 833.28 acres will move forward in the Notice of Competitive Lease Sale (NCLS).

PROTEST PERIOD

To the extent you submit exhibits or attachments to any submitted protest, you must provide a summary of the attached documents, and explain why they are important for us to consider. If the submittal fails to include the requested summary, BLM may not consider any information in the exhibits or attachments during its decision-making process.

Please note that the most useful protests are those that identify issues relevant to the proposed action or contain new technical or scientific information. Protests which contain only opinions or preferences will not be specifically addressed.

Before including your address, phone number, email address, or other personal identifying information in your comment, you should be aware that your entire comment - including your personal identifying information - may be made publicly available at any time. While you can ask us in your comment to withhold your personal identifying information from public review, we cannot guarantee that we will be able to do so.

30-Day Public Comment Period

How to Submit a Scoping Public Comment:

The BLM is offering a 30-day public comment period. The public comment period begins June 24, 2024 and ends on July 24, 2024 at 4:30 p.m. MT.  Comments  must be submitted electronically via the BLM Land Use Planning and NEPA Register (ePlanning) by clicking on the green "Participate  Now."  Comments must be received by 4:30 pm on July 24, 2024.  Any scoping comments received by other methods will not be accepted.

SCOPING PERIOD

To the extent you submit exhibits or attachments to any submitted scoping comment, you must provide a summary of the attached documents, and explain why they are important for us to consider. If the submittal fails to include the requested summary, BLM may not consider any information in the exhibits or attachments during its decision-making process.

Please note that the most useful comments are those that identify issues relevant to the proposed action or contain new technical or scientific information. Comments which contain only opinions or preferences, or comments that are essentially identical to other comments will not be specifically addressed in the environmental documents, but may be considered in the decision-making process. 

Before including your address, phone number, email address, or other personal identifying information in your comment, you should be aware that your entire comment - including your personal identifying information - may be made publicly available at any time. While you can ask us in your comment to withhold your personal identifying information from public review, we cannot guarantee that we will be able to do so. 

Timeline:

The 30-day Scoping Period-February 13 - March 14, 2024

The 30-day Public Comment Period - June 24 - July 24, 2024

The 30-day Protest Period - December 18, 2024 - January 17, 2025

Second 30-day Protest Period - April 4, 2025 - May 5, 2025