An Auction of the Leases to Drill for Natural Gas

An auction of the leases to drill for natural gas on about 55,000 acres on the Roan Plateau in western Colorado in August 2008 generated nearly $114 million, a record for onshore energy lease sales in the lower 48 states. What is the most likely reason companies are leasing this land?

A) Increasing natural gas prices lead to an increased value of marginal product for an acre on the Roan Plateau.
B) Increasing natural gas prices lead to an increased supply of acres on the Roan Plateau.
C) The future price of natural gas is expected to increase leading to an increased supply of acres on the Roan Plateau,
D) The value of marginal product of natural gas is diminishing.