News Release

February mineral lease sale brings approximately $604,000

The state Mineral Board on Wednesday conducted its monthly lease sale in the LaBelle Room of the LaSalle Office Building in Baton Rouge.

The board collected more than $604,000 in bonuses in the sale, bringing total collections on mineral leases for the financial year that began July 1, 2008 to $192.7 million

In all, 16 leases covering 1,612 acres were awarded, out of 28 nominated tracts covering 34,140 acres.

The Board sold leases touching on eight parishes – Bienville, Bossier, Cameron, Iberville, Lafourche, Plaquemines, Red River and Terrebonne. The majority of activity in the February lease sale was in south Louisiana, with 14 of the 16 tracts leased located south of I-10. That includes five tracts in Terrebonne Parish and four in Plaquemines Parish.

CLASSIFICATION	NOMINATED TRACTS	NOMINATED ACREAGE	LEASES AWARDED	NO. OF ACRES	AMOUNT OF CASH PAYMENTS
Lease Sale February 11, 2009
State Offshore Leases	0	0.000	0	0.000	$0.000
State Onshore Leases	20	19,121.840	14	1,593.750	$591,937.820
State Dedicated Leases	6	14,999.390	0	0.00	$0.00
State Agency Leases	2	19.000	2	19.000	$12,350.000
Total Sale	28	34,140.230	16	1,612.750	$604,287.820
NOTE: The totals for this sale do not reflect any options that may be exercised or revisions to acreage and cash amounts that may take place after this sale date which may cause these totals to change. NOTE: Due to Hurricane Gustav, the September Sale was postponed and is now included in the October sale.
2008-2009 Fiscal Year
State Offshore Leases	84	128,870.909	36	12,710.680	$6,004,173.54
State Onshore Leases	496	453,100.496	224	46,235.742	$129,783,333.82
State Dedicated Leases	71	117,226.830	9	2,266.120	$1,131,058.62
State Agency Leases	210	21,025.333	43	3,613.922	$55,854,890.93
Total Year to Date	861	720,223.568	312	64,826.464	$192,773,456.91
NOTE: The Fiscal Year totals include this sale totals and also options exercised and revisions to acreage and cash amounts that may have taken place from the date of the last sale to this state lease sale.