BOEM Announces Next Steps in National Outer Continental Shelf Oil and Gas Leasing Program

The Bureau of Ocean Energy Management (BOEM) today announced the Notice of Availability of the Area Identification (Area ID) for proposed Gulf of Mexico (GOM) Oil and Gas Lease Sales 262, 263, and 264. The Area ID will publish in the Federal Register on April 1, 2024, and is available for viewing and downloading on BOEM's website.

On Dec. 14, 2023, the Interior Department announced the 2024-2029 National Outer Continental Shelf Oil and Gas Leasing Program (National OCS Program). The first proposed sale under that program, Lease Sale 262, is tentatively scheduled for 2025. Details of the 2024-2029 National OCS Program can be found on BOEM's website.

On Oct. 2, 2023, BOEM published a call for information and nominations (Call) on the GOM area identified in the 2024-2029 National OCS Program. The Call solicited industry nominations for areas of leasing interest and sought input from the public. Using the input received from the Call, BOEM created the Area ID.

The Area ID is not a decision to lease and is not a prejudgment by the Department of the Interior on how or whether to proceed with proposed Lease Sales 262, 263, and 264 under the National OCS Program. The Area ID simply determines which areas identified in the Call will receive further consideration and analyses.

A decision to lease must be preceded by several steps, including completion of environmental analyses pursuant to the National Environmental Policy Act; consultation under environmental and other statutes; opportunities for federally recognized Tribes, governors of affected states, local government leaders, and other interested parties to provide comment; and the issuance of proposed and final notices of sale.

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The Department of the Interior's Bureau of Ocean Energy Management (BOEM) manages development of U.S. Outer Continental Shelf (OCS) energy, mineral, and geological resources in an environmentally and economically responsible way.