* Statoil wins tract with highest bid of $81.7 million
* Shell submits most high bids
* BP sits out, banned from new govt contracts
By Kristen Hays
HOUSTON, March 20 (Reuters) - Norway's Statoil submitted the highest single bid on Wednesday in the latestfederal auction of drilling rights in the Gulf of Mexico, whileRoyal Dutch Shell put in the top sum of high bids.
The sale drew $1.2 billion in high bids for tracts in thecentral Gulf. The U.S. Bureau of Ocean Energy Management said 52companies submitted 407 bids on 320 tracts.
BP Plc, the largest leaseholder in the Gulf, did notparticipate in Wednesday's sale. Last November the U.S.government banned BP from new federal contracts over integrityissues in the aftermath of its 2010 oil spill in the Gulf.
The suspension bars BP from new contracts until the companycan demonstrate that it can meet federal business standards.
BP spokesman Geoff Morrell said in a statement on Wednesdaythat given the uncertainty of the suspension and debarment ofsome BP businesses, the company decided not to participate inWednesday's lease sale.
"We hope we can reach a reasonable resolution withregulators" so BP "can once again enter into new contracts withthe U.S. government," Morrell said.
Statoil bid $81.9 million on a tract more than 200 milessouth of the Louisiana coastline in an area known as WalkerRidge, which has been attracting more interest from producersafter appraisal wells show potentially huge oil finds.
This week Anadarko Petroleum Corp said itsShenandoah-2 appraisal well in the Walker Ridge area showed thatthe reservoir could hold double or triple its initial estimates,according to analysts.
Statoil's high bid secured the tract it was after. Thecompany said it was awarded 14 other leases in Wednesday's sale.
Shell, the top oil producer in the Gulf, submitted the mosthigh bids - 38 - for $139.8 million, according to the Bureau ofOcean Energy Management. Anadarko was second with 30 bids for$42 million.
Other participants included Exxon Mobil Corp,ConocoPhillips and BHP Billiton.
