BOEM has funded a diverse array of applied and basic research about the marine, coastal, and human environments offshore California, Oregon, Washington, and Hawai'i. The environmental, social, and economic information garnered from BOEM-funded studies informs decisions about energy programs in the Pacific Outer Continental Shelf (OCS), which stretches from the U.S.-Mexico border to the U.S.-Canada border and includes the OCS of Hawai'i. Since the inception of BOEM’s Environmental Studies Program in 1973, more than 330 Pacific OCS studies have been conducted at a cost of more than $150 million. While many of these studies have been conducted to inform decisions about oil and gas development on the California OCS, regional study priorities have expanded to address information needs regarding renewable energy development throughout the Pacific OCS.
Current & Completed Studies
Information about current and completed Pacific studies can be found in a number of places, including:
- Current Pacific Studies webpage (a list of ongoing and recently awarded Pacific environmental and technical studies, with links to study profiles)
- Recently Completed Pacific Studies webpage (a list of Pacific environmental and technical studies completed since 2008, with links to study reports)
- BOEM Environmental Studies Program Hub (an ArcGIS Online tool to explore information about environmental studies funded by the BOEM Environmental Studies Program or ESP)
- BOEM Environmental Studies on GovInfo.gov (a searchable repository of reports and other documents from environmental studies funded by the BOEM ESP)
Selected Research by Activity & Area
- Selected BOEM-Funded Research Informing Renewable Energy Offshore California
- Selected BOEM-Funded Research Informing Renewable Energy Offshore Oregon
- Selected BOEM-Funded Research Informing Renewable Energy Offshore Washington
- Selected BOEM-Funded Research Informing Renewable Energy Offshore Hawaii & U.S. Pacific Territories
- Selected BOEM & BSEE-Funded Research Informing Oil & Gas Decommissioning Offshore California
Studies Plans
A Studies Development Plan (SDP) is prepared annually as part of the national planning process for the Environmental Studies Program. SDPs provide an overview of regional energy activities and projected information needs, and propose studies for funding in future fiscal years.
- FY 2025-2026 SDP -- see Pacific Region chapter on pages 24-32
- FY 2024-2025 SDP -- see Pacific Region chapter on pages 25-33
- FY 2023-2024 SDP -- see Pacific Region chapter on pages 25-33
- FY 2022-2023 SDP -- see Pacific Region chapter on pages 35-44
- FY 2021-2022 SDP -- see Pacific Region chapter on pages 39-50
- FY 2020-2022 SDP -- see Pacific Region chapter on pages 36-47
- FY 2019-2021 SDP -- see Pacific Region chapter on pages 34-44
- FY 2018-2020 SDP -- see Pacific Region chapter on pages 45-59
- FY 2017-2019 SDP -- see Pacific Region chapter on pages 49-61
- FY 2016-2018 SDP -- see Pacific Region chapter on pages 51-62
- FY 2015-2017 SDP -- see Pacific Region chapter on pages 47-100
- FY 2014-2016 SDP
- FY 2013-2015 SDP
- FY 2012-2014 SDP
- FY 2011-2013 SDP