U.S. Department of the Interior
Minerals Management Service
Office of Public Affairs

NEWS RELEASE

Secretary of the Interior Gale Norton will be the keynote speaker at the Minerals Management Service’s Annual Industry Awards ceremony in Houston, Texas on Wednesday, April 4. The Secretary will present the Mineral Revenues Stewardship Award to the top three mineral resource companies that operate on federal lands for their outstanding business practices.

The award will be presented to Devon Energy Corporation of Oklahoma City, Okla; Chevron USA Production Company of Houston, Texas; and San Juan Coal Company of Farmington, N.M.

According to Acting MMS Director Tom Kitsos, "These companies have demonstrated exceptional business performance during 2000. There are close to 2,000 companies that pay royalties for minerals extracted from federal lands. But, these are the best in the business."

The Mineral Revenues Stewardship Award recognizes companies that demonstrate exceptional compliance with mineral revenue laws and federal financial requirements. Devon is receiving this award for the fourth consecutive time. Chevron USA Production and San Juan Coal are two-time recipients.

Secretary Norton’s remarks are scheduled for 12:30 p.m. at the Westin Galleria, 5060 West Alabama, Houston, Texas. She will also present several other awards to oil and gas companies for exceptional safety performance while operating on the outer continental shelf. For more information about the awards ceremony go to http://www.mms.gov/awards/luncheon.htm.

The MMS, a bureau in the U.S. Department of the Interior, is the federal agency that manages the nation's natural gas, oil and other mineral resources on the outer continental shelf. The agency also collects, accounts for and disburses more than $5 billion per year in revenues from federal offshore mineral leases and from onshore mineral leases on federal and Indian lands.

This press release and in-depth information about MMS programs may be found on the MMS home page. To receive the latest MMS news releases automatically by email, send a request to Monica Contee.

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MMS Internet website address: http://www.mms.gov