Oil Company Extends Bid Deadline for Connecticut-Size Lands in Wyoming

CHEYENNE, Wyo. (AP) — Occidental Petroleum has extended by one week a Wednesday deadline for Wyoming to bid on a swath of land and mineral rights bigger than Connecticut.

Gov. Mark Gordon's spokesman Michael Pearlman says the bid is now due July 8.

Houston-based Occidental seeks to sell 6,250 square miles of the company’s holdings mainly in southern Wyoming but also northern Colorado and Utah.

Wyoming officials haven’t said how much the land may be worth but even rock-bottom land values in the mostly desolate, high-desert landscape could push the price above $1 billion.

Wyoming's purchase money would come from state investment funds.