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Oil and Gas

The Mineral Leasing Act of 1920, as amended, and the Mineral Leasing Act for Acquired Lands of 1947, as amended, give the Bureau of Land Management (BLM) responsibility for oil and gas leasing on BLM, National Forest, and other Federal lands, as well as private lands where mineral rights have been retained by the Federal Government.

Oil Mining Operation.

The U.S. Geological Survey has estimated as much as one trillion cubic feet of oil and gas occurs in the Columbia Basin of south-central Washington and north-central Oregon. They have also estimated that there are numerous small gas fields throughout the Pacific Northwest, such as the Mist Gas Field in northwestern Oregon.

Thick basalt flows overlay the potential reservoirs, making exploration and development costly. With rising gas prices, advances in technology, and the lack of previous development, there has been a dramatic interest in oil and gas leases in Oregon and Washington in the past few years. Half of the revenue derived from leasing and royalties is returned to the state where the leases are located. Currently there are more than 650 federal leases representing nearly 1 million acres in the Oregon and Washington. There are currently no active oil and gas drilling or exploration sites in Oregon or Washington.

BLM Prepares for Upcoming Oil and Gas Lease Sale more>>>

Note: June 17, 2009 Oil and Gas Lease Sale Cancelled more>>
Note: December 11, 2008 Oil and Gas Lease Sale Cancelled more>>
Note: December 6, 2007 Oil and Gas Lease Sale Cancelled more>>
Note: September 20, 2007 Oil and Gas Lease Sale Cancelled more>>

Competitive Oil & Gas Lease Sale Notices

Below are the latest Oil & Gas Lease Sale Notice and Sale Results:

Lands Available For Leasing

Public lands are available for oil and gas leasing only after they have been evaluated through the BLM's multiple-use planning process. In areas where development of oil and gas resources would conflict with the protection or management of other resources or public land uses, mitigating measures are identified and may appear on leases either as stipulations to uses or as restrictions on surface occupancy.

Lessee Qualifications and Limitations

Federal oil and gas leases may be obtained and held by any adult citizen of the United States. No lease may be acquired by a minor, but a lease may be issued to a legal guardian or trustee on behalf of a minor. Associations of citizens and corporations organized under the laws of the United States or of any State also qualify.

Aliens may hold interests in leases only by stock ownership in U.S. corporations holding leases and only if the laws of their country do not deny similar privileges to citizens of the United States. They may not hold a lease interest through units in a publicly traded limited partnership.