Offshore Energy and Minerals
Management (OEMM)
The Bureau plays a key role in America’s energy supply by
managing the mineral resources on 1.7 billion acres of the
Outer Continental Shelf (OCS). This includes
managing Renewable
Energy Programs as well as
Offshore Oil and Gas Leasing in Federal waters.
The
OCS is a significant
source of oil and gas for the Nation’s energy
supply. The approximately 43 million leased OCS acres
generally accounts for about 15 percent of America’s
domestic natural gas production and about 27 percent of
America’s domestic oil production. The Bureau’s oversight and
regulatory framework ensure
production and drilling are done in an
environmentally responsible manner, and done safely.
In addition, the Bureau has finalized regulations to guide
Renewable Energy endeavors located on the OCS. Examples of
potential renewable energy projects include wind energy,
wave
energy, ocean current energy, and more.
The
offshore areas of the United States are estimated to contain
significant quantities of resources in yet-to-be-discovered
fields. The Bureau
estimates of oil and gas resources in undiscovered
fields on the OCS (2006, mean estimates) total 86 billion
barrels of oil and 420 trillion cubic feet of gas. These
volumes represent about 60 percent of the oil and 40 percent
of the natural gas resources estimated to be contained in
remaining undiscovered fields in the United States.
The
OCS Lands Act (286.05 KB
PDF) requires the
Department of the Interior (DOI) to prepare a
5-year program that specifies the size, timing and
location of areas to be assessed for Federal offshore
natural gas and oil leasing. It is the role of DOI to ensure
that the U.S. government receives
fair market value for acreage made available for
leasing and that any oil and gas activities conserve
resources,
operate safely, and take maximum steps to protect
the environment.
OCS oil and gas lease sales
are currently held on an areawide basis with annual sales in
the Central and Western Gulf of Mexico with less frequent
sales held in the Eastern Gulf of Mexico and offshore
Alaska. The program
operates along all the coasts of the United States - with
oil and gas production occurring on the
Gulf of Mexico,
Pacific,
Atlantic and
Alaska OCS. The Bureau is
also responsible for other mineral production offshore,
which currently includes using
sand and gravel for coastal restoration projects.
The Offshore Energy and
Minerals Management Program operates under the leadership of
Deputy Associate Director Bob LaBelle.
BOEMRE Director Michael
R. Bromwich speaks about drilling safety during his opening remarks
recently at the Forum on
Offshore Drilling in Santa Barbara, California. Director Bromwich
is hosting eight forums in the Gulf Coast states, California and Alaska,
to collect information and input from experts in the fields of deepwater
drilling safety reforms, well containment, and oil spill response.
Members of the public who wish to comment on the same topic areas may
list their thoughts
online.
Deepwater Horizon Information
Deepwater Horizon Response
On April 20, 2010 while
working on an exploratory well approximately 50 miles offshore Louisiana,
the semi-submersible drilling rig Deepwater Horizon experienced an
explosion and fire. The cause of the incident is under investigation. The
Bureau is working with the U.S. Coast Guard
and the operator of the drilling rig in securing the well and protecting the
environment. Updates regarding response operations can be found at
Deepwater
Horizon Response.
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