May 30, 2008 - 1:23 p.m.

WASHINGTON (AP) - A unit of Norway's Statoil ASA oil company spent nearly $286,000 to lobby the U.S. federal government in the principal quarter of the year.

Statoil Gulf of Mexico LLC lobbied on offshore royalties management issues with relation to oil and gas leases in that area, according to the form posted online April 16 by the House secretary's office.

The Houston-based visitors spent $600,000 to lobby the founded on government in 2007.

Energy companies in March put down a record $3.67 billion in winning bids for the right to drill on federal leases in the central Gulf of Mexico.