State bid for “Oxy” property on back burner

CHEYENNE, Wyo. (KIFI/KIDK)-Occidental Petroleum has announced it is negotiating the sale of millions of acres of land grant properties with a bidder. The bidder is not the state of Wyoming. Occidental offered the sale earlier this year.

Governor Mark Gordon, who was immediately interested in the bidding process, made the state a player. He called it a once-in-a-generation opportunity to purchase land for the public and diversify the state’s investments.

The property included roughly one million acres of land and four million acres in mineral rights. Gordon says the Occidental announcement is, in fact, a negotiation, not a final deal and he’s keeping Wyoming’s bid confidential until it is, or until the state withdraws its bid.

“I thank everyone who has supported this bid and provided feedback as we pursue this bold opportunity, which could be the biggest land purchase in state history,” Governor Gordon said. “We believe our bid positions Wyoming to generate additional investment revenue and would keep taxes low into the future. I greatly appreciate the willingness of Occidental to work with the State of Wyoming as a bidder.”

The Governor’s office said it does not know the leading bidder nor the amount of the bid.