The Mineral Leasing Act of 1920, as amended, the Mineral Leasing Act for Acquired Lands of 1947, as amended, and the Federal Oil and Gas Royalty Management Act of 1982 (FOGRMA) give the Bureau of Land Management (BLM) responsibility for oil and gas leasing and royalty management on about 570 million acres of BLM, national forest, and other Federally managed lands, as well as private lands where mineral rights have been retained by the Federal Government. The BLM works to assure that development of mineral resources is in the best interests of the Nation.

Regulations that govern the BLM's oil and gas leasing program may be found in Title 43, Groups 3000 and 3100, of the Code of Federal Regulations, a publication available in any BLM State Office, law libraries, and most large public libraries.