In a release posted on its website recently, the U.S. Department of the Interior (DOI) announced the 11th national outer continental shelf oil and gas leasing program.
The DOI revealed in the release that the Secretary of the Interior, Doug Burgum, had directed the Bureau of Ocean Energy Management (BOEM) “to initiate the first step in a robust public engagement process to develop a new schedule for offshore oil and gas lease sales on the U.S. outer continental shelf”.
In its release, the DOI said BOEM will soon publish in the Federal Register a Request for Information and Comments on the preparation of the 11th national OCS oil and gas leasing program, adding that this publication will initiate a 45 day public comment period and serve as the initial step in the multi year planning process.
As mandated by the Outer Continental Shelf Lands Act, the Department of the Interior must solicit input from interested and affected parties during development of the national OCS program, the DOI stated in its release.
“Once finalized, the 11th national OCS program will replace the current 10th program (2024–2029), which includes just three lease sales over five years – all located in the Gulf of America,” the DOI highlighted in the release.
“While BOEM continues work to complete those sales, development of the 11th program will proceed concurrently,” it said.
The DOI noted in its release that the RFI does not propose a specific timeline for future lease sales or make any early determinations regarding which areas may be included.
“Instead, it invites stakeholders to provide insight and recommendations for leasing opportunities, raise concerns, and identify other existing uses that may be affected by offshore leasing,” it highlighted.
The DOI stated in its release that 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,” the DOI said in the release.
“Additionally, boundaries of other existing planning areas are being updated to align with BOEM’s revised jurisdiction,” it added.
In the DOI release, Burgum said, “launching the process to develop the 11th national outer continental shelf program marks a decisive step toward securing American energy dominance”.
The DOI described the OCS as a “vital national resource” in its release. As of April 1, 2025, BOEM manages 2,227 active oil and gas leases covering approximately 12.1 million acres in OCS regions, the DOI highlighted in the release, adding that, of these, 469 leases are currently producing oil and gas.
“These leases generate billions of dollars in revenue for the U.S. treasury and state governments while supporting hundreds of thousands of American jobs,” the DOI said in its release.
“In fiscal year 2024 alone, production from OCS leases accounted for approximately 14 percent of domestic oil production and two percent of domestic natural gas production, yielding $7 billion in federal revenues,” it added.
, in a statement posted on its site recently.
In a statement posted on its site earlier this month, the DOI said Burgum had “directed the Bureau of Ocean Energy Management to hold the next scheduled oil and gas lease sale in the Gulf of America” and revealed that BOEM anticipates publishing a proposed notice of sale in June 2025.
In a statement sent to Rigzone on Friday, National Ocean Industries Association (NOIA) President Erik Milito said, “we applaud Secretary Burgum and the administration for taking decisive action to launch the 11th national outer continental shelf oil and gas leasing program”.
“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,” he added.
“We look forward to working closely with policymakers to advance this process and secure a strong, reliable energy future for all Americans,” Milito went on to state.
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