The United States Department of the Interior (DOI) on Tuesday released a 2025-40 schedule for oil and gas area auctions consisting of at least 30 bidding rounds for the Gulf of America and at least six for Alaska’s Cook Inlet.
“The predictable schedule meets the law’s requirements while advancing the Trump administration’s priorities of growing the economy, reducing dependence on foreign energy and keeping America a global energy leader”, DOI said in a statement on its website, referring to the One Big Beautiful Bill, signed into law July 4.
The first auction under the law is set for December 10, involving only the Gulf of America. Next year will see at least three auctions for the Gulf of America, scheduled for March and August, and Cook Inlet, scheduled for March.
“The inclusion of at least 30 lease sales in the Gulf of America underscores the region’s indispensable role in America’s energy ecosystem, accounting for roughly 14-15 percent of U.S. crude oil production and serving as the linchpin of offshore energy output”, DOI said.
“These scheduled sales offer the oil and gas sector much-needed clarity and stability, encouraging continued investment in deepwater infrastructure, which is foundational to national energy resilience.
“The Gulf supports hundreds of thousands of jobs, contributes tens of billions to GDP annually and generates substantial federal and state revenues. The economic and energy-security gains from these sales are both immediate and long-lasting.
“Alaska plays a vital role in America’s energy future, and Cook Inlet, along Alaska’s south-central coast near Anchorage, is at the center of that opportunity. By including six lease sales in Cook Inlet through 2032, the plan ensures Alaskans benefit from new jobs, stronger local economies and long-term investment in their communities.
“Alaska’s unique position as both a strategic energy hub and a gateway to the Arctic makes it essential to U.S. energy security”.
The new offshore leasing plan under the One Big Beautiful Act is in addition to the 2024-29 National Outer Continental Shelf Oil and Gas Leasing Program, under which the DOI’s Bureau of Ocean Energy Management proposed a sale of 15,000 blocks last June.
Lease Sale 262, the first of three for the Gulf under the 2024-29 program, covers about 80 million acres located 3-231 miles in the Gulf’s Western, Central and Eastern Planning Areas. The proposed blocks have water depths of nine feet to over 11,100 feet.
“Leases awarded through Lease Sale 262 will be for oil and gas exploration and development only. Certain areas may be excluded from this lease sale, including blocks subject to the September 8, 2020, presidential withdrawal, blocks adjacent to or beyond the U.S. Exclusive Economic Zone in the northern portion of the Eastern Gap and blocks within the current boundaries of the Flower Garden Banks National Marine Sanctuary”, BOEM said in a press release June 25.
“BOEM is also in the process of developing a new National Outer Continental Shelf Oil and Gas Leasing Program that will include additional leasing opportunities”, BOEM said.
Lease Sale 262 was scheduled to be held December 10 but a notice on BOEM’s website says it is being deferred to give way to the first sale under the One Big Beautiful Act.
Spanning around 160 million acres, the Gulf of America outer continental shelf is estimated to hold approximately 48 billion barrels of undiscovered, recoverable oil and 141 trillion cubic feet of natural gas, according to BOEM.
To contact the author, email jov.onsat@rigzone.com
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