BOEM Proposes BBG3, Third Gulf of America Lease Sale
February 19, 2026
The Bureau of Ocean Energy Management announced a Proposed Notice of Sale for the third offshore oil and gas lease sale under the One Big Beautiful Bill Act. The proposed lease sale, known as Lease Sale Big Beautiful Gulf 3, or BBG3, is scheduled to take place on Aug. 12, 2026.
This sale is the third of 30 Gulf of America oil and gas lease sales required by the One Big Beautiful Bill Act (Public Law No: 119-21). By committing to a predictable sale schedule, the Department is delivering on President Trump’s promise to expand American energy production and strengthen U.S. energy dominance.
“Lease Sale BBG3 marks another major milestone in the Gulf of America,” said BOEM Acting Director Matt Giacona. “Building on the momentum of BBG1 and BBG2, this proposed sale reinforces BOEM’s commitment to regular offshore leasing as required under the One Big Beautiful Bill Act. By offering leases with a competitive 12.5% royalty rate, BBG3 sends a clear signal that the era of regulatory uncertainty is behind us, and a new phase of responsible energy leadership has begun.”
Lease Sale BBG3 proposes to offer approximately 15,066 unleased blocks covering 80.4 million acres on the U.S. Outer Continental Shelf in the Gulf of America. The blocks located 3 to 231 miles offshore, span water depths from 9 feet to more than 11,100 feet.
The Gulf of America Outer Continental Shelf spans approximately 160 million acres and is estimated to contain 29.59 billion barrels of undiscovered, technically recoverable oil and 54.84 trillion cubic feet of natural gas.
Certain areas will be excluded from the sale, including blocks subject to the Sep. 8, 2020, presidential withdrawal; blocks adjacent to or beyond the U.S. Exclusive Economic Zone in the Eastern Gap; and blocks within the boundaries of the Flower Garden Banks National Marine Sanctuary.
The Proposed Notice of Sale will be published in the Federal Register on Feb. 20, 2026, initiating a 60-day comment period for affected state governors and local governments. Following the review of governor input, BOEM will publish a final notice of sale in the Federal Register at least 30 days prior to the scheduled lease sale date on Aug. 12, 2026. More information, including the PNOS package and a detailed map of the proposed lease sale area, is available on BOEM’s website.
