Atlantic OCS Area Activities

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This page last updated:
November 12, 2008

Atlantic OCS Area

The MMS Gulf of Mexico Regional Office conducts all leasing and resource management functions on the Outer Continental Shelf (OCS) for the Gulf of Mexico Region and the Atlantic OCS Area.

The Atlantic OCS Area is divided into four planning areas along the Atlantic seaboard:

Additional information on oil and gas leasing activities in the Atlantic can be found within Frequently Asked Questions.

Virginia Lease Sale 220 Information

Historical Background

Ten oil and gas lease sales were held in the Atlantic between 1976 and 1983. Fifty-one (51) wells were drilled in the Atlantic OCS; five (5) Continental Offshore Stratigraphic Test (COST) wells between 1975 and 1979, and forty-six (46) industry wells between 1977 and 1984. Five wells offshore New Jersey had successful drillstem tests of natural gas and/or condensate and can be found in mid Atlantic wells. These five wells were abandoned as non-commercial, at the time. A summary document of the eight exploratory wells drilled in the North Atlantic is currently available. Reports on each of the eight exploratory and two COST wells drilled in the North Atlantic Planning Area are available and reports on ten of the thirty-four (34) wells drilled in the Mid Atlantic Planning Area available in this release. (Accounting for the two COST wells, 32 wells were drilled in the Mid-Atlantic Planning Area).

Sand Resources

There is also interest in non-energy OCS resources (sand) for beach renourishment projects. MMS's Marine Minerals Program provides policy direction and guidance for the development of marine mineral resources on the OCS. To date, MMS has conveyed rights to about 30 million cubic yards of OCS sand for 23 coastal restoration projects in 5 states. These projects have resulted in the restoration of 125 miles of the Nation’s coastline, protecting billions of dollars of infrastructure as well as important ecological habitat. Some of these projects were done on an emergency basis, where immanent breaching of barrier islands was prevented by the rapid placement of OCS sand. Most of these projects used sand that was previously identified by the MMS through its cooperative sand evaluation program with coastal states. For more information, visit http://www.mms.gov/sandandgravel/.