Thousands of acres of Eddy County could be sold to oil industry. Here's how to participate.
Thousands of acres of public land in southeast New Mexico were being offered up to the oil and gas industry via an auction planned for November.
The Bureau of Land Management planned to lease 2,525 acres on six parcels, with two in Eddy County and four in Rawlins County, Kansas.
The agency opened a 30-day public scoping period, seeking input on the nominated parcels between Feb. 5 and March 6.
More: Here's the latest oil and gas drilling rig count in Permian Basin, New Mexico and Texas
Here’s how you can participate in the BLM’s oil and gas lease sale.
How much New Mexico land is included in the sale?
The two Eddy County parcels accounted for about 48 percent of the sale, about 1,201 acres.
Those are located near Carlsbad, with a 921-acre parcel north of the city along U.S. Highway 285, and the other, a 280-acre parcel, southeast along Standpipe Road.
Both are within the Permian Basin region, the U.S.’ busiest oilfield which spans from southeast New Mexico in Eddy and Lea counties, into West Texas.
More: Lawmakers look to send more state funds to clean up New Mexico's abandoned oil wells
How can I participate in the lease sale?
The list of parcels is available on the BLM New Mexico’s website, under 2024 oil and gas lease sales.
Comments for the public scoping period can be submitted online using the available portal.
Future environmental analysis, using the public scoping comments, will be posted on the sale’s webpage, along with future comment and protest periods when additional testimonial can be submitted.
More: Too far or not far enough? Industry, environmentalist unite to opposed oil and gas reforms
What other lease sales does the BLM plan in 2024?
In December 2023, the BLM said completed a public comment period for lease sale in June.
Of the about 6,180 acres total acres offered in the sale, about 75 percent or 4,608 acres were offered in New Mexico.
Most of that was 3,113 acres offered on 10 parcels in Eddy County.
More: Oil and gas supported by NM, federal subsidies in Permian Basin
Another 1,136 acres on seven parcels were offered in Lea County, and 359 acres on two parcels were set to be auctioned in Chaves County.
In the second quarter of 2024, the BLM also planned to auction 27 parcels on 6,282 acres in Eddy, Lea and Chaves counties along with Cheyenne County, Kansas.
That would include 3,112 acres in Eddy and 1,280 acres in Lea County, along with 359 acres in Chaves County.
More: $175 million in oil and gas assets bought by Permian Resources
How much has the BLM made by selling land to oil and gas?
Most recently, the BLM sold about $22 million in oil and gas leases of public through an auction held Nov. 30, 2023.
About 78 percent of the acreage leased was in New Mexico on six parcels, drawing about $22.4 million of the $22.5 million total revenue from the sale.
Four were in Eddy and two were in Lea County, records show.
What happens after land is leased?
After the BLM leases the land to an oil and gas company, the operator must still file and application to permit drilling before extraction can begin.
Further environmental analysis of the specific APD will be conducted and it will be made available for public review, read the announcement of the sale.
The leases are active for 10 years, or as long as oil and gas is produced on the land.
Does the State of New Mexico plan to lease land to oil and gas this year?
The New Mexico State Land Office holds monthly auctions of State Trust land to the industry.
In January, the land office reported it made about $21 million for an auction of lands in Eddy and Lea counties, totaling 2,709 acres.
The office plans to hold another lease sale in February, offering 3,157 acres for sale.
Adrian Hedden can be reached at 575-628-5516, achedden@currentargus.com or @AdrianHedden on the social media platform X.
This article originally appeared on Carlsbad Current-Argus: How to comment on Eddy County lands offered to oil and gas industry
