The provincial government raising $1.7 million this week from the sale of petroleum and natural gas rights.

This raises the total for the 2016-17 fisical year to $50 million.

A spokesperson for the Ministry of Economy said this is a good indication things are continuing to move in the oil industry in the province, and in comparison to Alberta.

"For us it shows that industry is still drilling, they're still developing the lands they have, maybe not acquiring things at a high clip," said Paul Mahnick, executive director of the lands and mineral tenure branch in the Ministry of Economy.

However, Mahnick said that this most recent sale is one of the lowest the province has seen since the early 1990's.

"And that's basically due to the price of oil sort of maintaining this $50 range," he said.

The public offerings saw four leases north of Lampman receive bonus bids of more than $537,079 for 583 hectares. The government said these areas are prospective for multiple targets in the Midale and Frobisher-Alida Beds of the Madison Group as well as the Bakken Formation.

The highest bid was in northern Saskatchewan near St. Walburg, where 48.5 hectares was purchased for $3,201.87. 

The next public offering of petroleum and natural gas rights will be held on April 11.