An interagency task force was formed to review the Nevada Bureau of Land Management (BLM) oil and gas leasing process and develop recommendations to increase customer service and program efficiencies. The task force is comprised of representatives from the Nevada Minerals Commission, Nevada Division of Minerals, the oil and gas industry operating in Nevada, and the Bureau of Land Management. One of the recommendations the task force made to accomplish these objectives is to revise the Expression of Interest (EOI) procedures which both industry and BLM will follow. These revisions will result in public lands becoming available for sale on a more consistent basis. This notice outlines these revised procedures.

 

An EOI is an informal nomination to request that certain lands be included in an oil and gas competitive lease sale. This request must be made in writing to the address listed above. No filing fee or rental is required with an EOI. We are required by 43 CFR 3120.4-2 to post the Notice of Competitive Sale 45 days prior to the sale.

 

Nevada guidelines for submitting an Expression of Interest (EOI):

• The total area nominated by a company or individual which we will process for any one sale typically will not exceed 30,000 acres. If the total acreage nominated exceeds 30,000 acres, BLM may elect to offer the lands over more than one sale. Therefore, it is to your benefit to inform us which lands are a priority if you nominate more than 30,000 acres.

• The EOI must describe each parcel by specific legal land description (township, range, section, county, acreage and aliquot part, such as NENW).

• The size of each parcel can not exceed 2,560 acres or be smaller than 40 acres.

• If the EOI contains all lands in a former lease, you must provide that lease number in addition to the legal land description.

 

 

If the lands nominated are eligible and available for oil and gas leasing, they will be listed on the next available sale. EOIs are not automatically placed on a sale when received, and we cannot guarantee that the requested lands will always be included on a particular sale notice. The parcels must be reviewed for availability and environmental concerns prior to being placed on a sale. Sale parcels will normally be configured as requested; however, BLM reserves the right to adjust the parcel size as needed.

 

Prior to submitting your EOI, please review BLM public records to make certain that the lands are available for leasing. Examples of lands not available for leasing are:

• Lands included in an active oil and gas lease

• Lands with non-Federally owned minerals

• Lands within city limits

• Lands withdrawn from mineral leasing

• Lands located in designated or proposed wilderness areas (WSA/DWA)

• Lands within an Indian Reservation

• Lands with pending mineral entry applications

• Lands with patented mining claims

• Lands offered for sale within the last two years

When reviewing the public records, you may wish to check with BLM to determine if::

• Expired leases have been extended beyond their expiration date by either diligently drilling wells, unit approval, or voluntary unit termination

• Terminated leases are in the process of being reinstated

 

You may obtain copies of the sale notices and oil and gas plats from our Information Access Center located in the Nevada State Office or by calling (775) 861-6500. If you are interested in receiving Sale Notices or Results Lists, you should establish a declining deposit account with our Accounts Section. It is your responsibility to check the sale notices for the posting of your parcel(s). We will not notify you when parcels are posted.