CALGARY, Alberta, Nov 20 (Reuters) - Canadian regulators said on Friday that four big companies were among the winning bidders for rights to explore for offshore oil in the province of Newfoundland and Labrador, as a package of exploration lands raised C$47 million ($44 million) in commitments.
Included in the list of winners was the first investment in the region from BHP Billiton, the world's largest mining company, which, along with partner ConocoPhillips, committed C$9 million for rights to explore two parcels in the Laurentian basin, south of the main island of Newfoundland, Canada's easternmost province.
The two parcels contain 364,000 hectares (899,000 acres) of explorations lands in the basin.
The package of Laurentian properties was the first offered since the Canada-Newfoundland and Labrador Offshore Petroleum Board, which regulates exploration in the region, was formed in 1986, though ConocoPhillips has properties in the region obtained prior to the board's formation.
Husky Energy Inc and Suncor Energy Inc were the largest bidders in the 2009 round, teaming up with a C$36.8 million commitment for a 9,558 hectare (23,600 acre) parcel in the Jeanne d'Arc basin southeast of the province.
All of Newfoundland's current oil production comes from three projects in the Jeanne d'Arc. The three include the Hibernia project, the Terra Nova project operated by Suncor, and Husky's White Rose field. Those three pumped out about 205,500 barrels of oil per day in September.
The bids represent how much the winners intend to pay to explore the properties.
The fourth parcel in the 2009 round, a 142,210 hectare (351,000 acre) block off western Newfoundland, was awarded to closely held Ptarmigan Energy Inc, which bid C$1 million.
($1=$1.07 Canadian)
(Reporting by Scott Haggett; editing by Rob Wilson) Keywords: CANADA ENERGY/NEWFOUNDLAND
(scott.haggett@thomsonreuters.com; Reuters Messaging: scott.haggett.reuters.com@reuters.net; +1 403 531-1622)
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