U.S. Secretary of the Interior David Bernhardt announced that the Bureau of Ocean Energy Management (BOEM) will offer over 78 million acres for a region-wide lease sale scheduled for March 18, 2020, as part of President Trump’s America First Offshore Energy Strategy.
The sale would include all available unleased areas in the federal waters of the Gulf of Mexico (GoM).
Department of the Interior Secretary David Bernhardt said: “A strong and safe offshore energy program fuels the American economy, provide thousands of good-paying jobs and delivers affordable and reliable energy for everyday use.”
Lease Sale 254, scheduled to be live-streamed from New Orleans, will be the sixth offshore sale under the 2017 2022 Outer Continental Shelf Oil and Gas Leasing Program.
Under this program, a total of ten region-wide lease sales are scheduled for the Gulf, where resource potential and industry interest are high, and oil and gas infrastructure is well established.
Two Gulf lease sales are scheduled to be held each year and include all available blocks in the combined Western, Central and Eastern Gulf of Mexico Planning Areas.
“The Gulf of Mexico continues to be one of the most productive basins in the world and is an essential part of our Nation’s domestic energy portfolio,” said Director of BOEM’s New Orleans office Mike Celata.
“BOEM’s staff works hard to help ensure future development is done in a manner that addresses our nation's energy needs while protecting marine life and the environment in which they live. I continue to be proud of the workers who make these sales happen,” Celata added.