High Arctic planning area included in latest U.S. offshore oil & gas lease plan
With energy security continuing to be a key issue in the U.S., the Trump administration is moving forward with plans to expand offshore oil and gas drilling, including in the Arctic, in an effort to boost the country’s energy independence.
The Bureau of Ocean Energy Management (BOEM) said Friday it will launch public consultations to establish a new schedule for offshore lease sales.
Secretary of the Interior Doug Burgum said more drilling means reducing reliance on foreign oil, creating jobs, and bolstering energy independence.
“Launching the process to develop the 11th National Outer Continental Shelf Program marks a decisive step toward securing American Energy Dominance,” Burgum said in a statement.
BOEM will begin by publishing a Request for Information (RFI), opening a 45-day public comment period.
The government is asking for feedback from energy companies, environmentalists, and state officials. No decisions will be made yet on where or when drilling will occur, with the Department of Interior news release saying it will be a multi-year process to decide which offshore areas should be opened up for drilling.
New High Arctic planning area being established
A key change in the plan is the addition of the High Arctic, a new offshore area off the coast of Alaska, bringing the total number of offshore planning areas to 27. The government said it is also revising the boundaries of existing areas, with details to be announced in future.
Currently, their are a limited number of offshore leases in place, with three planned sales in the Gulf of Mexico under the existing program.
- Active leases: 2,227
- Total area: 12.1 million acres
- Oil production: 14% of U.S. total in 2024
Source: Department of the Interior
The U.S. Outer Continental Shelf could hold up to 69 billion barrels of oil and 229 trillion cubic feet of natural gas, the Department of the Interior said.
The Trump administration has made expanding energy exploration on federal lands and waters a key focus of its energy policy.
On January 20, he signed Executive Order 14154 “Unleashing American Energy,” calling for increased drilling as part of an effort to reduce U.S. dependence on foreign oil and strengthen the country’s position in global energy markets.
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Related stories from around the North:
Canada: Community in northern Quebec to make the jump from diesel to hydroelectricity, CBC News
Finland: The world could transition entirely to cheap, safe renewable energy before 2050: Finnish study, Yle News
Norway: Chinese rig finds oil in Barents Sea, The Independent Barents Observer
Russia: Production comes to halt at Novatek’s Arctic LNG 2: Bloomberg, The Independent Barents Observer
Sweden: Swedish developer GRANGEX buys iron ore mine on Norway’s border to Russia, The Independent Barents Observer
United States: Alaska governor asks Trump to roll back restrictions on oil and gas drilling, The Associated Press
