BOEM releases proposed five-year offshore drilling plan

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March 18, 2016

The Bureau of Ocean Energy Management (BOEM) has released the second of three proposals for the 2017–2022 Outer Continental Shelf (OCS) Oil and Gas Leasing Program. The five-year program will succeed the current 2012-2017 program that has held lease sales in both the Arctic Ocean and the Gulf of Mexico. Regulated under the Outer Continental Shelf Lands Act (OCSLA), BOEM is required to perform an extensive review every five years to produce a new leasing sale for offshore oil and gas exploration and development.

The proposed program includes 13 total potential lease sales, with 10 sales in the Gulf of Mexico, and 1 sale each in the Chukchi Sea, Beaufort Sea, and Cook Inlet within the Arctic Ocean. Currently, no lease sales are proposed for the Pacific or Atlantic OCS. Earlier proposals for lease sales in the Atlantic region generated strong reactions from some states, stakeholders, and the public. The proposed program also includes details on the specific location, size, and timing of each lease for 2017-2022.

Pursuant to the National Environmental Policy Act (NEPA), and in conjunction with the proposed program, BOEM has also released a Draft Programmatic Environmental Impact Statement (EIS) for the proposed five-year program. The EIS provides information on potential environmental impacts as a result of oil and gas exploration, development, and production within the lease areas. Both the EIS and proposed program are available for public comment at Regulations.gov.

Sources: Federal Register, Bureau of Ocean Energy Management (BOEM)