Interior auctioned 81 million Gulf of Mexico acres Wednesday, but bidders claimed just 0.4% of the acreage in the third of 30 mandated sales.

Interior auctioned 81 million Gulf of Mexico acres Wednesday, but bidders claimed just 0.4% of the acreage in the third of 30 mandated sales.

Just 12 oil companies participated in the auction, submitting a total of 69 bids on 330,000 acres — less than 1% of what was offered.