News Release

March mineral lease sale brings approximately $1.35 million

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 $1.3 million in bonuses in the sale, bringing total collections on mineral leases for the financial year that began July 1, 2008 to $194.1 million.

In all, 6 leases covering 2,681 acres were awarded, out of 45 nominated tracts covering 41,747 acres.

The Board sold leases in five parishes – Bossier, Caddo, Cameron, Plaquemines and St. Mary. The majority of activity in the March lease sale was in south Louisiana, with 5 of the 6 tracts leased located south of I-10. That includes two tracts each in Cameron and Plaquemines parishes.

CLASSIFICATION	NOMINATED TRACTS	NOMINATED ACREAGE	LEASES AWARDED	NO. OF ACRES	AMOUNT OF CASH PAYMENTS
Lease Sale March 11, 2009
State Offshore Leases	5	5,133.400	0	0.000	$0.00
State Onshore Leases	20	24,593.040	5	2,006.060	$1,060,092.40
State Dedicated Leases	5	11,481.610	1	675.810	$296,680.59
State Agency Leases	15	539.080	0	0.000	$0.00
Total Sale	45	41,747.130	6	2,681.870	$1,356,772.99
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.
2008-2009 Fiscal Year
State Offshore Leases	89	134,004.309	36	12,710.680	$6,004,173.54
State Onshore Leases	516	477,703.536	229	48,241.802	$130,843,426.22
State Dedicated Leases	71	128,708.440	10	2,941.930	$1,427,739.21
State Agency Leases	210	21,564.413	43	3,613.922	$55,854,890.93
Total Year to Date	886	761,980.698	318	67,508.334	$194,130,229.90
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.