March 20 (Reuters) - A major auction of oil and gas leasesin the U.S. Gulf of Mexico on Wednesday received $244.3 millionin high bids, government officials said.
The revenue generated by the sale was higher than similarsales held last year. Royal Dutch Shell and Equinorwere among the high bidders for the leases, officialsfrom the Bureau of Ocean Energy Management said in a conferencecall with reporters following the sale.(Reporting by Nichola Groom)