DOI STEWARDSHIP AWARDS TO TOP MINERAL RESOURCE COMPANIES (#30026)

FOR RELEASE:  May 21, 1993         CONTACT:   Thomas C. DeRocco
                                                 (202) 208-3983
                                                       or
                                             Michael L. Baugher
                                                 (303) 231-3162

    DEPARTMENT OF THE INTERIOR PRESENTS ANNUAL STEWARDSHIP AWARDS 
              TO TOP MINERAL RESOURCE COMPANIES(#30026)


     Four American mineral resource companies were honored today by
the Department of the Interior for their outstanding business
performances with the federal government during the last year.

     El Paso Natural Gas Company, Zia Data Search Corporation,
Anadarko Petroleum Corporation and Linmar Petroleum Corporation
were presented the Secretary of the Interior's Mineral Revenues
Stewardship Awards at the 1993 North American Petroleum Accounting
Conference in Dallas, Texas. 

     In presenting the awards, Minerals Management Service's
Royalty Management Program Associate Director Jim Shaw stated, "It
is a pleasure to recognize these outstanding companies today, and
especially to do so before an audience of industry peers."

     "While many companies maintain particularly good records in
meeting payment and reporting responsibilities, these four
companies are examples of performance excellence," said Shaw. 
"Their dedicated effort saves the American taxpayer money and
assists us in meeting our obligation to responsibly manage the
revenues from mineral resources of our nation's public lands."

     Since 1987, the Interior Department has been commending
exceptional performance by companies that report production and pay
royalties for federal and Indian minerals leases to MMS's Royalty
Management Program (RMP).  More than 1,600 companies submit reports
of mineral sales and production and pay royalties for minerals that
are sold or removed from these leases. 

     The awards are given to one large and one small company in
each of two reporting categories: production reporting and royalty
reporting.  They are based on the accuracy and timeliness of
submissions to MMS, as well as cooperation in problem resolution
and other actions to improve the process.

     During Fiscal Year 1992, El Paso Natural Gas Company and Zia
Data Search Corporation recorded the lowest error rates among
royalty payors in their size categories. 

     Among production reporters, Anadarko Petroleum Corporation and
Linmar Petroleum Corporation had the lowest error rates.

     Through its Royalty Management Program, the Interior
Department's Minerals Management Service is responsible for
collecting, accounting for and distributing revenues associated
with minerals produced from federal onshore and Outer Continental
Shelf lands -- an amount that totalled $3.6 billion in 1992. 
States having federal onshore leases within their borders receive
approximately 50% of the revenues, except for Alaska which receives
90%.  States adjacent to certain federal offshore tracts also
receive a share of those revenues. 

     MMS is also charged with similar responsibilities for revenues
from minerals leases produced from Indian lands--more than $150
million in 1992.  Indian tribes and individual allottees receive
100% of the royalties derived from their lands.
 
                           --MMS-RMP--