Bureau of Ocean Energy Management (BOEM)

The US Department of the Interior’s Bureau of Ocean Energy Management (BOEM) aims to manage the development of US Outer Continental Shelf energy, mineral and geological resources in an environmentally and economically responsible way.

Articles

Photo 327360114 © Korneliia Lutso | Dreamstime.com
offshore wind
BOEM is advancing an unsolicited lease request from Hecate Energy to develop two areas offshore Texas, and BOEM also said it will not proceed with a planned GoM auction.
July 26, 2024
Photo 321240466 © Volodymyr Konko | Dreamstime.com
offshore_wind
The memorandum of understanding includes continuing current efforts to explore and identify potential areas for offshore wind leasing.
June 10, 2024
Photo 151234137 © Shane Adams | Dreamstime.com
sunset_oil_and_gas_platform_gulf_of_mexico_dreamst
Agency estimates that industry will be required to provide $6.9 billion under new rule.
April 16, 2024
Courtesy BOEM
boem_area_id_map
Agency makes Area ID available for proposed Lease Sales 262, 263, and 264.
March 29, 2024
Courtesy BOEM
gomow2
Agency plans to offer four areas, a total of 410,060 acres, off Louisiana and Texas.
March 21, 2024
Courtesy BOEM
gulf_of_maine_wea
The US Bureau of Ocean Energy Management (BOEM) has finalized its designation of a wind energy area in the Gulf of Maine.
March 18, 2024
Photo 306847689 © Cheersgroup | Dreamstime.com
offshore_wind
The US Bureau of Ocean Energy Management (BOEM) has designated two final wind energy areas offshore Oregon.
Feb. 14, 2024
Courtesy BOEM
lease_sale_261
Lease Sale 261 reported to be the largest oil and gas lease auction since 2015.
Dec. 20, 2023
Courtesy BOEM
oil platform _sale 261
The Gulf of Mexico oil and gas lease sale was originally scheduled for Sept. 27 and later scheduled for Nov. 8 in response to judicial orders.
Nov. 16, 2023
Courtesy BOEM
Lease Sale 261
The Bureau of Ocean Energy Management has announced that it is postponing Lease Sale 261, previously scheduled for Nov. 8.
Nov. 2, 2023

News

Courtesy National Renewable Energy Laboratory/US Department of Energy
BOEM rescinds designated Wind Energy Areas on the Outer Continental Shelf
The directive does not appear to affect leases that have already been awarded, but it does ensure that already-suspended lease sales will not go forward.
Aug. 6, 2025
Courtesy BOEM
BOEM proposes Lease Sale 262 in the ‘Gulf of America’
The lease sale bid reading is proposed for December 10, 2025.
June 25, 2025
Courtesy Bureau of Ocean Energy Management
US Interior Department reports ‘significant increase’ in hydrocarbon reserves in Gulf of Mexico
BOEM analysis finds a 22.6% increase in remaining recoverable reserves since 2021.
April 11, 2025
ID 331223258 © Juri Tichonow | Dreamstime.com
offshore wind
The outgoing US administration has approved the SouthCoast Wind Project offshore Massachusetts and Rhode Island.
Jan. 2, 2025
ID 326457873 © Arsenii Palivoda | Dreamstime.com
offshore wind
The US Bureau of Ocean Energy Management (BOEM) has approved the construction and operations plan for the Maryland Offshore Wind project.
Dec. 5, 2024
ID 326457873 © Arsenii Palivoda | Dreamstime.com
offshore wind
Potentially, the proposed SouthCoast Wind project offshore Massachusetts could generate up to 2.4 GW.
Nov. 15, 2024
ID 337682273 | Ai © Oleh Bilovus | Dreamstime.com
offshore wind
The US Bureau of Ocean Energy Management (BOEM) has approved the Atlantic Shores South 1 and 2 project plan to construct and operate two offshore wind energy facilities.
Oct. 2, 2024
Courtesy BOEM
The Gulf of Maine wind energy areas are highlighted in green, and the yellow represents other BOEM lease areas.
The US Bureau of Ocean Energy Management (BOEM) has made issued its final environmental assessment of the wind energy area in the Gulf of Maine.
Sept. 9, 2024

Additional content from Bureau of Ocean Energy Management (BOEM)

Courtesy BOEM
Boem Gom Wind Map 2
Creating an offshore wind industry in the GoM will take time and partnership, agency says.
Oct. 30, 2023
Photo 20348114 © Dirk Jan Mattaar | Dreamstime.com
Offshore Wind
The US Bureau of Ocean Energy Management (BOEM) identified a draft wind energy area (WEA) offshore Maine, Massachusetts and New Hampshire, opening a 30-day public review and comment...
Oct. 21, 2023
Courtesy BOEM
Lease Sale 261
Agency says that it plans to conduct sale on Nov. 8, 2023.
Oct. 5, 2023
Courtesy BOEM
Lease Sale 261
Agency says that it will hold lease sale no later than Nov. 8, 2023.
Sept. 26, 2023
Courtesy Dominion Energy
Dominion Energy Cvow
Dominion Energy's Coastal Virginia Offshore Wind commercial project remains on schedule, and the federal regulatory agency has completed its environmental analysis.
Sept. 25, 2023
Courtesy BOEM
Lease Sale 261
The Bureau of Ocean Energy Management says that it is taking steps to comply with the court order issued on Sept. 21, 2023.
Sept. 23, 2023
Courtesy BOEM
Lease Sale 261 will offer approximately 12,395 blocks in the Western, Central, and Eastern Planning Areas in the Gulf of Mexico.
Lease sale 261 to be held on Sept. 27, 2023.
Aug. 24, 2023
Photo 31044763 © Per Bjorkdahl | Dreamstime.com
Offshore Wind
BOEM announced three final wind energy areas in the Central Atlantic. If fully developed, the final WEAs could support between 4 GW and 8 GW of energy production.
July 31, 2023
Photo 41351228 © Luciano De La Rosa | Dreamstime.com
Old Offshore Platform Dreamstime M 41351228
Agency says that updated requirements would be designed to provide increased clarity, transparency.
June 29, 2023
Courtesy BOEM
Gulfofmexico Finalwindenergyareas
Environmental assessment finds ‘no significant impacts.’
June 2, 2023
Courtesy BOEM
Boem Lease Sale 261
Auction to take place in September, would offer approximately 73.4 million acres.
March 12, 2023
Photo 21560252 © Andrew Jalbert | Dreamstime.com
Shipwreck Dreamstime M 21560252
Agency says proposed rule would increase protection of cultural artifacts on the seabed.
Feb. 18, 2023
Photo 75628776 © Witoon Muenhong | Dreamstime.com
Offshore Energy
The US Interior Department has named Elizabeth Klein to head the bureau that oversees offshore oil, gas and wind development.
Jan. 11, 2023
Courtesy BOEM
Gulf of Mexico final wind energy areas
The next steps include issuing a proposed sale notice late this year or early next year.
Nov. 3, 2022