The federal oil and gas lease boundaries have been redrawn to include “high Arctic” zones and other regions under the Biden administration.
The Trump administration has announced the launch of a new five-year lease plan that lays the foundation for a significant expansion of offshore oil and gas development and could open a vast new area that includes the Arctic and some of the other restricted zones.
The program will guide future drilling auctions in federal waters. In particular, a new “Arctic” planning area off the coast of Alaska has been added to the federal government’s offshore lease map for the first time. The boundaries of other coastal zones have also been revised. It accepts ways for oil and gas companies to leverage new reserves along Atlantic, Pacific and Arctic coasts.
“Under the leadership of President Donald J. Trump, we unlock the full potential of offshore resources and benefit the American people for future generations,” Interior Secretary Doug Burgham said in a statement. He added that as the process begins to develop new programs, there is a marked “decisive” step to ensuring control of America’s energy.
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“The United States is blessed with abundant energy and natural resources that have historically promoted the economic prosperity of our country,” Trump wrote the directive. “In recent years, burden and ideologically motivated regulations have hampered the development of these resources, generating reliable and affordable electricity, reducing job creation, and reducing high energy costs for citizens.”
When launching a new offshore lease plan, the Ministry of Home Affairs has not yet announced any specific lease sales. The agency said the new planning field demonstrates the Trump administration’s intention to expand drilling opportunities outside the US Gulf, which now accounts for a large portion of federal offshore production.
According to the Department of the Interior, 2024 saw offshore oil and gas leases that generated around 14% of U.S. crude oil production in 2024. In 2024, these leases generated more than $7 billion in federal revenue.
This new program will eventually replace the current 2024-2029 lease schedule. The Ministry of Home Affairs confirmed that these sales will proceed as planned.
Next week, the Office of Marine Energy Management (BOEM) will begin a 45-day public comment period on the new program as part of the required multi-year planning process. Stakeholders are invited to consider potential leasing areas, environmental concerns, and existing marine use, such as fishing and recreation.
“Through a transparent and comprehensive public engagement process, we are strengthening our commitment to responsible offshore energy development: building job creation, strengthening economic growth, and strengthening the independence of America’s energy,” Burgham said.
There was no immediate response from environmental groups to the Ministry of Home Affairs’ announcement.
Boem currently manages 2,227 active oil and gas leases covering approximately 12.1 million acres in the OCS region, with 469 of these leases currently producing oil and gas.
