California Oil and Gas Leasing Activities

Central California Map
Central CA Map

What’s New?

On Jan. 26, 2026, BOEM announced the issuance of two Calls for Information and Nominations to solicit industry nominations and public comments on areas of interest for potential offshore oil and gas leasing in the Central and Southern California Planning Areas.

Calls for Information and Nominations

The Calls for Information and Nominations (Calls) cover areas that were proposed in the Department of the Interior’s Draft Proposed 11th National Outer Continental Shelf (OCS) Oil and Gas Leasing Program (2026–2031), which BOEM announced on November 20, 2025.  

Southern California Map
Southern CA Map
  • Southern California Call: Covers potential lease sales offshore in the Southern California planning area. The first sale is tentatively scheduled for 2027.  
  • Central California Call: Covers potential lease sales offshore in the Central California planning area. The first sale is tentatively scheduled for 2027.  

Publishing these Calls in the Federal Register marks the first step in BOEM’s offshore oil and gas leasing process under 30 CFR 556.301. 

Issuing the Calls does not constitute a decision to lease and does not prejudge whether or how the Department of the Interior will move forward with a potential lease sale or the final proposed national leasing program.

The Calls request information on and interest in and around the Call Areas to inform determinations to continue the pre-sale steps required to hold a lease sale, assuming the sale remains in the in the final proposed national leasing program.  

The publication of the Calls initiates a 30-day public comment period, during which all interested parties are encouraged to submit feedback through Regulations.gov. The comment period closes at 11:59 pm Eastern Standard Time on Feb. 26, 2026.

Background

The Calls cover the first two proposed Pacific lease sales in 2027 that were included in the Draft Proposed Program (DPP) for the 11th National Outer Continental Shelf (OCS) Oil and Gas Leasing Program (11th Program or National OCS Program), which BOEM published on Nov. 20, 2025.

Issuing a Call is the first step in BOEM’s oil and gas leasing process (30 CFR 556.301).  The purpose of the Call is to solicit industry nominations for areas of leasing interest, as well as gather comments and information from the public on the area being considered for potential oil and gas leasing.  Publication of a Call does not constitute a decision concerning areas to be made available for leasing under the National OCS Program.

Given that the lease sales are proposed to occur in 2027, and the long lead time needed to prepare, BOEM must initiate the planning process before the National OCS Program has been finalized.  Should any portion of the Call areas remain in the approved National OCS Program, a final determination regarding the area will be made taking into consideration the information gathered from the Call, analysis undertaken during BOEM’s environmental review, and consultations required under the National Environmental Policy Act, and in accordance with other requirements of applicable laws, regulations, and departmental procedures.

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