The Bureau of Ocean Energy Management is postponing Gulf of Mexico Outer Continental Shelf Oil and Gas Lease Sale 261.

As a result of the United States Court of Appeals for the Fifth Circuit ruling on Sept. 25  BOEM will not hold Lease Sale 261 on Thursday as originally planned. The order allows time for a more orderly lease sale process.

BOEM will include lease blocks that were previously excluded due to concerns regarding potential impacts to the Rice’s whale distribution in the Gulf of Mexico. BOEM will also remove portions of a related stipulation meant to address potential impacts to Rice’s whale from the lease terms for the leases that may be issued as a result of Lease Sale 261.

BOEM plans to hold Lease Sale 261 no later than Nov. 8, to comply with the Appeals Court ruling. A revised Final Notice of Sale will be issued in the coming days.