FOR RELEASE:  September 15, 1993        CONTACT:  John Barclay
                                                  (202) 208-3983
                                                       OR
                                                  Barney Congdon
                                                  (504) 736-2595


                   HIGH BIDS TOTAL $64 MILLION
        IN WESTERN GULF OF MEXICO LEASE SALE 143 (#30042)


     High bids totaling $64,338,759 were offered today in a
federal offshore natural gas and oil lease sale in the Western
Gulf of Mexico.  A total of 48 companies participated in Sale
143, held in New Orleans, Louisiana.

     The Department of the Interior's Minerals Management Service
(MMS) received 197 bids on 157 tracts, comprising approximately
848,686.12 acres located offshore Texas and Louisiana.  The total
of all bids submitted was $80,134,112.

     "An environmentally sound and strong domestic energy
industry is good news for the global environment, our nation's
economy, our trade deficit and employment throughout the
country," said MMS Director Tom Fry.

     "This administration is committed to making natural gas the
energy of the decade," he said, "and to producing both gas and
oil where possible from more mature production areas.  The
results of this sale prove the wisdom of that plan."

     Sale 143 is the third federal mineral resource sale under
the 1992-1997 Comprehensive Natural Gas and Oil Resource
Management Program.  Western Gulf Sale 141, held last August in
New Orleans, was the first.  Sale 142, in the Central Gulf in
March of this year, was the second.
  
     The Department's 5-Year program targets offshore areas with
the highest potential for recovery of hydrocarbon resources while
protecting marine and coastal habitats.  Estimated recoverable
hydrocarbons expected to be developed through Sale 143 are about
50 million barrels of oil and 740 billion cubic feet of gas.

     The highest bid received was $5,055,000, submitted by Hall-
Houston Oil Co. for Mustang Island Area Block 783.  That block,
located approximately 30 miles offshore Texas in Federal waters,
received the highest number of bids, six.

     The highest bid on each block will go through a two-phase
evaluation process to assure the receipt of fair market value
before a lease is awarded.  Each block is approximately nine
square miles in area.
                              -MMS-
Subject: PR-9/15/93 Sale 143/High Bids Total $64M in Western Gulf
of Mexico Lease Sale 143 (#30042)