The provinces most recent oil and gas public offering generated nearly $7.5 million, nearly half of it coming from the Estevan area.

The offering, held on December 2nd, attracted 89 bids for leases and exploration licenses.

The bids covered 17,875 hectares in all four bid areas of the province – Estevan, Lloydminster, Kindersley and Swift Current.

The Estevan area brought in $3.7 million, and also saw the highest bid amount – made by Whitecap Resources Inc. The company offered $1,047,040, or an average of $8,111 per hectare, for a 129-hectare lease southeast of Lampman.

In the Lloydminster area, bidding on 29 leases generated $1.8 million. The Swift Current and Kindersley areas each generated just under $1 million.

This month’s Crown oil and natural gas public offering was the fifth of the fiscal year, during which the province has raised over $60 million in revenue. The sixth and final offering of the fiscal year is scheduled for February 3.