Statoil bids on GoM leases

Statoil announced March 18 that it successfully bid on 14 leases of the U.S. Department of Interior’s Gulf Coast central region lease sale #235 in New Orleans. The acreage high bid “completes our ownership of the Monument prospect” and “strengthens our position in prioritised areas of the U.S. Gulf of Mexico,” says Jez Averty, Statoil’s senior VP of exploration for North America. Statoil's bids are subject to review and final approval by DOI. Statoil is an international energy company based in Norway that operates its Gulf of Mexico operations out of Houston. (Source: Statoil, 03/18/15) Gulf Coast Shipbuilding and Maritime Note: The DOI oil and gas lease sale drew $538,780,056 in high bids on 7,788 unleased blocks covering 41.2 million acres for exploration and development in the Central Planning Area, offshore of Alabama, Louisiana and Mississippi. Statoil recently joined the Gulf of Mexico Foundation’s CEO Council. By partnering with GoMF, Statoil is pledging to support the ongoing work of restoring and preserving the Gulf of Mexico, according to the Corpus Christi-based foundation.