The federal government announced it plans to sell leases covering more than 8,800 acres of government-owned land in Oklahoma and New Mexico.
The sale, set to be held in November, involves 21 oil and gas leases in the two states. The Bureau of Land Management New Mexico State Office announced an oil and gas lease sale scheduled for Nov. 6, 2025, to offer the oil and gas parcels totaling 8,843 acres in New Mexico and Oklahoma.
The Oklahoma land involves 4 nominated parcels of federal minerals administered by the Bureau of Land Management (BLM) Oklahoma Field Office, covering 322.35 acres. Standard terms and conditions as well as lease stipulations listed in the BLM Oklahoma Field Office Resource Management Plan(s) (as amended) and U.S. Army Corps of Engineer Lease Stipulations for Federal Oil and Gas Lease Offerings would apply.
Once sold, the lease purchaser has the exclusive right to use as much of the leased lands as is necessary to explore and drill oil and gas within the lease boundaries, subject to the stipulations attached to the lease (43 CFR 3101.12).
Oil and gas leases are issued for a 10-year period and continue for as long thereafter as oil or gas is produced in paying quantities.
The BLM completed scoping on these parcels in March 2025 and held a public comment period that closed in May 2025 on the parcels and the related environmental analysis. A 30-day public protest period to receive additional public input opened today and will close Sept. 3, 2025.
Leasing is the first step in the process to develop federal oil and gas resources. Before development operations can begin, an operator must submit an application for permit to drill detailing development plans. The BLM reviews applications for permits to drill, posts them for public review, conducts an environmental analysis and coordinates with state partners and stakeholders.
All parcels that are included in a federal oil and gas lease sale include appropriate stipulations to protect important natural resources. Information on current and upcoming BLM leases is available through the National Fluid Lease Sale System. BLM lease sales are held online through EnergyNet.
The parcels BLM analyzed, as well as maps and instructions on how to submit a protest, are available on BLM National NEPA Register website at:
- Pecos District: https://eplanning.blm.gov/eplanning-ui/project/2035974/510
- Farmington and Rio Puerco field offices: https://eplanning.blm.gov/eplanning-ui/project/2035973/510
- Oklahoma Field Office: https://eplanning.blm.gov/eplanning-ui/project/2035975/510