The proposed sale, called Lease Sale BBG2, proposes to offer about 15,000 unleased blocks covering about 80 million acres on the US Gulf’s Outer Continental Shelf.
The Bureau of Ocean Energy Management (BOEM) said Nov. 19 that it intends to hold the second of 30 federal offshore oil and gas Gulf lease sales required under the One Big Beautiful Bill Act on Mar. 11, 2026.
The proposed sale, called Lease Sale BBG2, proposes to offer about 15,000 unleased blocks covering about 80 million acres on the US Gulf’s Outer Continental Shelf. The blocks, located 3-231 miles offshore, span water depths from 9 ft to more than 11,100 ft.
BOEM said lease blocks included in a Sept. 8, 2020, presidential withdrawal, including those adjacent to or beyond the US Exclusive Economic Zone in the Eastern Gap, and parcels within the boundaries of the Flower Garden Banks National Marine Sanctuary, are excluded from the sale. The agency, a division of the Interior Department, set royalty rates at 12.5%, the lowest level allowed.
A proposed notice of sale will appear in the Federal Register on Nov. 20, starting a 60-day comment period for affected state governors and local governments. Following the review of governor input, BOEM will publish a final notice of sale in the Federal Register at least 30 days prior to the scheduled lease sale date.
Cathy Landry has worked over 20 years as a journalist, including 17 years as an energy reporter with Platts News Service (now S&P Global) in Washington and London.
She has served as a wire-service reporter, general news and sports reporter for local newspapers and a feature writer for association and company publications.
Cathy has deep public policy experience, having worked 15 years in Washington energy circles.
She earned a master’s degree in government from The Johns Hopkins University and studied newspaper journalism and psychology at Syracuse University.