Delaware Basin Lease Sale Underscores Strong Demand for US Shale Investment

HOUSTON--(BUSINESS WIRE)--May 21, 2026-- Efficient Markets is pleased to announce the results of yesterday’s Bureau of Land Management’s (BLM) online federal oil and gas lease sale in New Mexico and Texas for 74 parcels covering 33,529 acres. Multiple all-time high records were achieved, including the substantial aggregate high bids of $4,007,609,288, as well as the highest per-acre bid record at $357,129.

Bidding activity remained highly competitive throughout the sale, with 100 percent of parcels receiving multiple bids. A total of 61 unique, financially vetted bidders placed a combined 1,072 bids, with the highest per-parcel bid reaching $405,761,280.

The top three bidders paid a combined $3.9 billion, accounting for 98 percent of the total revenue, to acquire 39 parcels covering 27,665 acres, or 83 percent of the acreage offered. Devon Energy Production Company LP (NYSE: DVN) acquired 24 parcels covering approximately 16,297 acres for $2.6 billion in total bids, while Federal Abstract Company paid $1.1 billion for 6 parcels totaling 5,154 acres. Buffalo Frontier LLC acquired 9 parcels with 6,214 acres for $144.1 million.

“This historic federal lease sale demonstrates what happens when world-class American resources are brought to market through a transparent, structured, and fiercely competitive process. The extraordinary bidding activity and record-setting values reflect the industry’s urgent demand for high-quality inventory and long-term confidence in the Delaware Basin. We are proud to partner with the Bureau of Land Management to help facilitate a sale of this magnitude on behalf of the American taxpayer,” said Chris Atherton, CEO of Efficient Markets.

“Efficient Markets has been a long-standing partner of US government agencies such as the BLM,” said Gus Rivero, Chief Ventures Officer. “The domestic oil and gas industry remains the cornerstone of our business, and we are pleased to have facilitated this monumental lease sale on behalf of all parties. With extraordinary bidder participation and competition, as well as record-setting values, it was truly a historic milestone at all levels. We look forward to continuing our support of the industry and delivering strong results as the one marketplace for all real asset transactions.”

Read the DOI press release here.

About Efficient Markets

Efficient Markets is a two-sided digital marketplace that specializes in facilitating the transaction of real assets: primarily oil and gas interests, mineral and royalty rights, land, alternative energy projects, and infrastructure. The company connects sellers (energy companies, landowners, and government entities) with qualified capital buyers by standardizing a transaction process that is typically fragmented, opaque, and complex. Its core value proposition lies in solving three fundamental challenges of illiquid real asset markets simultaneously: liquidity, trust, and transaction complexity, achieved through curated inventory, verified buyer qualification, standardized diligence packaging, and structured closing workflows. With over two decades of experience, Efficient Markets has built a durable, competitive moat through network effects, workflow integration, and proprietary data. In short, Efficient Markets is building the definitive digital execution platform for specialized real asset transactions, becoming the system of record for a market that has historically lacked one.

View source version on businesswire.com: https://www.businesswire.com/news/home/20260521450590/en/

Megan Larson
Vice President of Strategic Initiatives
Megan.Larson@EfficientMarkets.com

Government Resources
Government@EfficientMarkets.com

Source: Efficient Markets