NEWS RELEASE

Three More Gulf of Mexico Deepwater Discoveries Added in 2004

NEW ORLEANS -The Minerals Management Service announced today that there were 3 additional deepwater (greater than 1,000 feet) oil and gas discoveries in the Gulf of Mexico in 2004, bringing to 15 the total number that had been discovered last year.  Twelve were drilled in water depths greater than 5,000 feet.  The discoveries demonstrate that active exploration in the deepwater Gulf of Mexico continues to help America meet her energy needs.

This list includes three discoveries (Cheyenne, South Dachshund/Mondo Northwest, and La Femme) that were not included in a previous release.

2004 Gulf of Mexico Announced Deepwater Discoveries

MMS, part of the U.S. Department of the Interior, oversees 1.76 billion acres of the Outer Continental Shelf, managing offshore energy and minerals while protecting the human, marine, and coastal environments through advanced science and technology research.  The OCS provides 30 percent of oil and 23 percent of natural gas produced domestically, and sand used for coastal restoration. MMS collects, accounts for, and disburses mineral revenues from Federal and American Indian lands, with Fiscal Year 2004 disbursements of approximately $8 billion and more than $143 billion since 1982.  The Land and Water Conservation Fund, which pays for cooperative conservation, grants to states, and Federal land acquisition, gets nearly $1 billion a year.

MMS Main Website:  www.mms.gov

***MMS:  Securing Ocean Energy and Economic Value for America***