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DOCUMENT RESUEE
02779 - [A1993056]
Outer Continental Shelf Sale 40: Inadequate Data Used to Select
and Evaluate Lands to Lease. EMD-77-51; B-118678. June 28. 1977,
42 pp. + 7 appendices (11 pp.).
Report to tLe Congress; by Elmer B. Staats, Comptroller 3eiieral.
Issue Area: Energy: Role of Fossil Fuels in Meeting Future Needs
(1609) ; Energy: Executive Branch Organization and Processes
for Dealing with Energy Problems (1611).
Contact: Energy and ninerals Div.
Budget Function: Natural Resources, Environment, and Energy:
Energy (305).
Organizaticn Concerned: Department of the Interior.
Congressional Relevance: House Select Committee on Outer
Continental Shelf; Senate Committee on Energy and Natural
Resources; Congress.
Authority: Outer Continental Shelf Lands Act (43 U.S.C. 1331).
S. 9 (95th Cong.). H.R. 1614 (95th Cong.).
The Department ot Interior's policy of leasing Outer
Continental Shelf (OCS) lands -hat have not been properly
evaluated because of insufficient data has led to problems.
Findings/Conclusion-: A review of Sale 40 indicated that the
Department had insufficient data with which to value the tracts.
There was only one deep stratigraphic test off-structure for
Sale 40. The reliability rating showed that only one of the
three major parameters for resource evaluation could be
identified by seismic data. A number of tracts (49%) received
only one or two bids each. The differences in values assigned by
the Department and by industry to the minimum valued tracts
leased differed by an average of almost 2,000%.
Recommenuations: The Secretary of the Interior should direct a
geological exploration program to develop and implement a plan
for appraising OCS oil and gas resources, and then encourage
iudustry to drill with information shared with Interior on a
confidential basis. If any data are still needed, Interior
shcAd take necessary actions, including public financing of
stratigraphic drilling, to obtain it; offer for lease only those
areas adequately assessed; and determine whether it is in the
national interest to have prelease exploration be either
on-structure or off-structure. Congress should favorably
consider pending legislation on OCS leasing. (DJM)](ViewImageLocal?handle=hein.gao/gaobaacld0001&div=1&collection=&method=preview&ext=.png&size=3)