Input Stories

Secretary of the Interior Doug Burgum has tasked the Bureau of Ocean Energy Management with kicking off the process of developing a new schedule for offshore oil and gas lease sales on the U.S. Outer Continental Shelf (Oil & Gas Journal). 
 
What’s going on: “The 11th National OCS program will replace the current 10th program (2024–29), which includes only three oil and gas lease sales over five years—all in the Gulf, Burgum said in a release April 18. BOEM will work to complete those sales, while it begins to develop the new program, he said.”   

• BOEM’s work on the new program will begin with the forthcoming publication in the Federal Register of a request for information, which will touch off a 45-day public comment period. 
• The notice will also detail BOEM’s jurisdiction over a new planning area in the High Arctic off the Alaskan shore.  

NAM advocacy: Burgum’s announcement came just a week after the NAM called on the Interior Department to reverse the previous administration’s ban on offshore oil and gas leasing. The NAM also lauded President Trump’s January executive order revoking that ban.   

• In addition, the NAM voiced support for the department offering new lease sales. 

Why it’s important: The USOCS holds 7.04 billion barrels of oil equivalent, according to BOEM’s most recent estimate.   
 
What won’t be in it: The RFI won’t include a specific timeline for future lease sales, nor will it lay out potential sale areas.   

• “Instead, it invites stakeholders to provide recommendations for leasing opportunities and raise concerns about offshore leasing.” 

Our take: As NAM President and CEO Jay Timmons said in January: “Expanding domestic energy production drives innovation, creates jobs and powers the growth that keeps America at the forefront of the global economy.”