Frequently Asked Questions
Questions and answers for the 11th National Program.
What does the Bureau of Ocean Energy Management (BOEM) do?
BOEM is the agency in the Department of the Interior (DOI) that oversees science-informed management of oil and gas, renewable energy, and mineral resources on the Outer Continental Shelf (OCS). BOEM manages thousands of oil and gas leases covering millions of acres on the OCS, the vast majority of which are in the Gulf of America. For more information on recent leasing statistics, please see https://www.boem.gov/oil-gas-energy/leasing/outer-continental-shelf-lease-sale-statistics
What is the National Outer Continental Shelf Oil and Gas Leasing Program (National OCS Program)?
As governed by the statutory requirements of the OCS Lands Act, each National OCS Program establishes a schedule of oil and gas lease sales indicating the size, timing, and location of proposed leasing activity that the Secretary of the Interior determines will best meet national energy needs for a five-year period following the new National OCS Program’s approval and effective date.
What is an oil and gas lease sale?
A lease sale is the process by which BOEM provides oil and gas companies an opportunity to bid on and acquire leases for the exploration, development and production of oil and gas contained within the OCS. A lease is an agreement that authorizes exploration for, and development and production of, oil and gas in the leased area. Typically, a lease consists of a single OCS block covering an area that is 3 miles x 3 miles, or 5,760 acres.
Before authorizing any activities on a lease, BOEM conducts reviews under the National Environmental Policy Act (NEPA) and other environmental laws, as appropriate, to ensure that the activities will be conducted in a safe and environmentally sound manner, and that the interests of key stakeholders are considered.
For more information, visit the https://www.boem.gov/oil-gas-energy/leasing.
Can you describe the National OCS Program Development Process?
The OCS Lands Act prescribes the major steps for developing a National OCS Program, including three rounds of analysis and opportunities for public comment. The National OCS Program development process begins with the broadest consideration of areas available for leasing (all 27 OCS planning areas under the Request for Information and Comment [RFI]) and can be narrowed throughout the National OCS Program development and lease sale processes.
There are five steps to National Program Development:
- Request for Information and Comment (45-day public comment period)
- Draft Proposed Program (1st Analysis and Proposal, 60-day comment period)
- Proposed Program (2nd Analysis and Proposal, 90-day comment period)
- Proposed Final Program (3rd and Final Analysis and Proposal), Submission to the President and Congress with a 60-day waiting period)
- Program approval
Visit https://www.boem.gov/National-Program for more information.
What lease sales are included in the 1st Analysis and Proposal for the 11th National OCS Program?
After careful consideration of the OCS Lands Act Section 18(a)(2) factors, as well as input from governors, industry, and the public, the Secretary’s 1st Proposal includes a schedule of 34 lease sales in three of the four OCS regions. The areas included in the 1st Proposal will now become “program areas” for further consideration. The 1st Proposal does not include any potential lease sales in the North Aleutian Basin Planning Area, Washington/Oregon Planning Area, or any of the Atlantic planning areas. Additionally, the Secretary has decided to remove a significant portion of the Eastern GOA Planning Area from further consideration for leasing. Visit https://www.boem.gov/National-Program for more information.
Are the lease sales proposed for the 11th National OCS Program the same lease sales included in the One Big Beautiful Bill Act (OBBBA)?
No, the oil and gas lease sales proposed for the 11th National OCS Program are separate and would be in addition to the Congressionally mandated offshore oil and gas lease sales in OBBBA. BOEM will be conducting each OBBBA oil and gas lease sale over a 15-year period pursuant Section 50102 of OBBBA as directed by Congress.
The Secretary of the Interior is required by OCSLA (43 U.S.C. § 1344(a)) to prepare and maintain a leasing program that consists of proposed lease sales the Secretary determines will best meet national energy needs over a five-year period. Although some of the lease sales proposed in the 11th National Program are proposed in areas where BOEM will also hold OBBBA lease sales, the OBBBA lease sales and any lease sale held under the 11th National Program will be separate, additional sales.
DOI (BOEM & the Bureau of Safety and Environmental Enforcement (BSEE)) has an extensive regulatory and inspection program; can you describe this a bit more?
After obtaining a lease, a company must file an exploration plan before drilling any wells, and that plan is subject to a technical and environmental review by BOEM and regulatory supervision by BSEE. Once an oil and gas resource discovery is made that the company is interested in developing, it must file a development and production plan for BOEM to again conduct a technical and environmental review before production can begin. For major facilities, BSEE conducts an onsite inspection before allowing production to begin. Often this is a joint inspection with the U.S. Coast Guard. Air emissions permits and water discharge permits must also be obtained as required by law. BSEE has inspectors that fly daily offshore to conduct safety and environmental inspections.
What is the lifetime of a typical OCS Oil and Gas lease?
The timeline of an oil and gas lease can vary depending on whether hydrocarbons are found on the lease. By statute, a lease is granted for a primary term of 5 years, unless DOI determines that the lease is in unusually deep water or involves other unusually adverse conditions, in which case the maximum primary term is 10 years.
Where can I find the history of lease sales in each National OCS Program?
The first National OCS Program took effect in 1980 and covered the years 1980-1985. Any sales prior to 1980 were done on a sale-by-sale basis. Information on all ten past programs are available at https://www.boem.gov/oil-gas-energy/national-program/past-national-ocs-oil-and-gas-leasing-programs
How does BOEM work with the Department of War on other uses of the OCS?
The Department of War conducts training, testing, and operations in offshore operating and warning areas, undersea warfare training ranges, and special use or restricted airspace on the OCS. These activities are critical to military readiness and to national security. The U.S. Navy uses the airspace, sea surface, subsurface, and the OCS seafloor for events ranging from instrumented equipment testing to live-fire exercises. The U.S. Air Force conducts flight training and systems testing over extensive areas on the OCS. The U.S. Marine Corps amphibious warfare training extends from offshore waters to the beach and inland.
The Department of War and USDOI will continue to coordinate extensively under a 1983 Memorandum of Agreement, which states that the two parties shall reach mutually acceptable solutions when the requirements for mineral exploration and development and defense-related activities conflict. Military operations and oil and gas exploration and production have coexisted for many years in the GOA, Alaska, and Pacific regions.
What are the next steps for the 11th National OCS Program?
The publication of the 1st Analysis and Proposal (Draft Proposed Program) initiated a 60-day comment period is anticipated to begin on Nov. 24, 2025, and will end on Jan. 23, 2026.
See How to Submit Comments section of BOEM’s National OCS Program website (https://www.boem.gov/National-Program) for more information.
BOEM will analyze the Secretary’s 1st Proposal in its 2nd Analysis. After consideration of all comments and analysis, the Secretary will determine his 2nd Proposal (Proposed Program). The 2nd Analysis and Proposal will be published with a 90-day public comment period. This is the final public comment period before the Secretary makes his final 11th National Program decision.