Newfoundland Plans Offshore Oil-Drilling Auction

Newfoundland, Canada's second largest oil- producing province, plans the third-largest auction of offshore drilling rights in its history after ending a territorial dispute with neighboring Nova Scotia. The province plans to sell rights to more than 4.23 million acres of oil and natural-gas exploration properties, including three parcels in the formerly disputed Sydney Basin, Bloomberg reported. Bids are due in November. The auction will include 11 parcels that are being offered at the request of producers. The Sydney Basin concessions account for about 45 percent of the acreage. The province has only twice sold rights to more than 4.23 million acres, in 1990 and 2003. About 741,000 acres of properties were sold in last year's Newfoundland auction for $34 million. The province sought to sell almost double that total. (Source: Bloomberg)