The US Bureau of Ocean Energy Management (BOEM) will extend its public comment period for its new five-year Outer Continental Shelf (OCS) oil and gas leasing plan for 2017-2022, the agency announced on 30 July 2014.
BOEM says the decision to issue a 15-day extension followed requests from several states. The public comment period opened on 13 June and will now extend until August 15. BOEM says public involvement and extensive analysis will accompany all stages of the planning process, which will take up to three years to complete.
The National Ocean Industries Association (NOIA), an industry organization that has been critical of the current five-year plan, called the Request for Information (RFI) in June, "a long anticipated first step towards what could mean more jobs, energy and revenue."
"The current five-year program that expires in 2017 included no new access, and has put the US far behind many other nations that are actively pursuing offshore oil and natural gas energy development," said Randall Luthi, NOIA's President. Luthi explains, saying that 87% of the OCS has been off limits for decades to even geophysical and geological surveys, let alone exploratory drilling. "Today’s action is a crucial, but still only a first, step in truly adopting an all the above energy policy."
The current 2012–2017 program expires August 2017. BOEM has held five sales to date. A sixth, Western Gulf of Mexico Lease Sale 238, will take place in New Orleans on 20 August covering all available unleased areas in the western planning area in the Gulf of Mexico. The sale includes 4026 blocks, covering roughly 21.6 million acres. The blocks are located from 9-250mi offshore in water depths ranging from 16-10,975ft (5-3346m).
BOEM will accept comments online at BOEM.gov, or through mail, addressed to Ms. Kelly Hammerle, Five Year Program Manager; Bureau of Ocean Energy Management; 381 Elden Street - HM-3120; Herndon, Virginia 20170.
Image: Sally Jewell/US Department of the Interior
Subscribe
