Overview
- The Bureau of Ocean Energy Management issued two Calls for Information and Nominations for Southern and Central California waters, starting the formal review process.
- Industry and the public have 30 days to submit comments, and BOEM has signaled possible lease auctions in 2027.
- California officials and environmental groups denounced the action and warned of legal challenges to any steps toward new drilling.
- In a separate effort, the Bureau of Land Management released new environmental analyses to reopen nearly 2 million acres of California public lands to leasing, with comments due March 6 and a final decision expected by July.
- No Pacific offshore lease auction has occurred since 1984, the region’s current output is minimal, and analysts question whether companies will pursue new leases given costs and regulatory hurdles.