The Department of the Interior has announced a long-term offshore leasing schedule with 30 oil and gas lease sales in the Gulf of Mexico, also known as the Gulf of America, and six in Alaska’s Cook Inlet through 2032.
Interior officials said the schedule provides predictability for offshore operators and signals continued investment opportunities in U.S. waters.
Interior Secretary Doug Burgum said in a department statement that the new program "“strengthens American energy dominance, creates good-paying jobs and ensures we continue to responsibly develop our offshore resources.”
The Gulf remains the center of U.S. offshore production, accounting for about 14–15% of national crude oil output. Federal officials said the sales will support ongoing development of deepwater infrastructure, which provides hundreds of thousands of jobs and contributes tens of billions of dollars annually to the economy.
The first Gulf lease sale under the new law “Big Beautiful Gulf 1” is scheduled for Dec. 10. The Bureau of Ocean Energy Management will issue a final notice at least 30 days before the sale. Following the Dec. 10 sale, Gulf offshore lease sales will continue in March and August in subsequent years through 2040.
Cook Inlet lease sales are scheduled for March of 2026, 2027, 2028, 2030, 2031, and 2032. Federal officials said these sales will create new jobs and investment opportunities in Alaska while supporting the state’s long history of energy development. Cook Inlet is positioned as both a local energy source and a strategic hub for U.S. Arctic interests, the department said.
Interior officials said the predictable schedule aligns with the Trump administration’s broader energy priorities of expanding domestic production, reducing reliance on imports, and maintaining the U.S. role as a global energy supplier.
