US Plans New Offshore Oil and Gas Lease Sales
April 21, 2025
US Secretary of the Interior Doug Burgum has directed the Bureau of Ocean Energy Management (BOEM) to begin a public engagement process to develop a new schedule for offshore oil and gas lease sales on the U.S. Outer Continental Shelf.
“Launching the process to develop the 11th National Outer Continental Shelf Program marks a decisive step toward securing American Energy Dominance,” said Secretary of the Interior Doug Burgum. “Through a transparent and inclusive public engagement process, we are reinforcing our commitment to responsible offshore energy development—driving job creation, bolstering economic growth and strengthening American energy independence.”
BOEM’s jurisdiction on the OCS has recently changed. A new planning area offshore Alaska—the High Arctic—is being established as the 27th OCS planning area. Additionally, boundaries of other existing planning areas are being updated to align with BOEM’s revised jurisdiction.
Once finalized, the 11th National OCS Program will replace the current 10th Program (2024–2029), which includes three lease sales over five years—all located in the Gulf of America.
As of April 1, 2025, BOEM manages 2,227 active oil and gas leases covering approximately 12.1 million acres in OCS regions. Of these, 469 leases are currently producing oil and gas.
The OCS holds vast quantities of undiscovered energy resources. BOEM’s most recent assessment estimates a mean of 68.79 billion barrels of oil and 229.03 trillion cubic feet of natural gas.
National Ocean Industries Association President Erik Milito said: "We applaud Secretary Burgum and the administration for taking decisive action to launch the 11th National Outer Continental Shelf Oil & Gas Leasing Program—a critical step toward restoring long-term certainty and stability for the Gulf of America’s offshore energy sector.
"The Gulf of America—and the broader American offshore—plays an essential role in powering the nation, contributing nearly $33 billion to the U.S. economy each year, supporting close to 400,000 jobs, and reinforcing our energy security.”
