US offshore oil and gas development took a major step forward last week as the Department of the Interior (DOI) unveiled a draft five-year federal leasing programme that opens the door to the most expansive Outer Continental Shelf (OCS) acreage offered in more than a decade. The proposal, covering 2026-2031, includes up to 34 potential lease sales across 21 planning areas from Alaska to the Pacific and the Gulf of America.
The draft programme marks a sharp shift from the previous administration’s limited leasing schedule and immediately drew strong support from US oil and gas trade groups, who said the expanded plan could restore investment certainty, strengthen energy security and accelerate long-term offshore development.
Industry groups highlighted the Gulf of America as the central pillar of US offshore production. NOIA President Erik Milito said the region – now formally designated GOA Program Area A – remains ‘the gold standard for offshore energy,’ producing nearly 2MMbpd with some of the lowest carbon-intensity barrels in the world. He said evaluating new offshore areas alongside core Gulf acreage will keep the US competitive as global demand rises.
The proposal also introduces a new administrative planning area, the South-Central Gulf of America, and identifies 21 potential lease areas off Alaska, six along the Pacific coast and seven in the Gulf.
Independent producers also endorsed the broader scope of the plan. IPAA president and CEO Edith Naegele said a robust five-year schedule is ‘essential to national security needs,’ noting that including all OCS regions in early drafts enables competitive bidding and maximises returns to the US Treasury. Under the Outer Continental Shelf Lands Act, the programme will undergo multi-stage revisions and public comment before it is finalised.
According to the US Energy Information Administration, offshore production accounts for 14% of US crude supply, nearly 2MMbpd. Expanded leasing, industry groups say, could generate more than US$8bn in government revenue by 2040 while supporting domestic supply chains and long-term investment decisions.
For more information visit EICDataStream https://www.the-eic.com/MarketIntelligence/EICDataStream