The main purpose of an OCS planning area is to divide large OCS regions for planning and other administrative purposes for oil and gas activities. Planning areas are also used to facilitate the required analytical comparison among the OCS regions at the National OCS Oil and Gas Leasing Program development stage, as well as for coordination with state and local governments. The four OCS regions are Alaska, the Pacific, the Gulf of America, and the Atlantic.
This update follows the US Department of State’s Dec. 21, 2023, announcement regarding the outer limits of the US continental shelf as reflected in Public Notice 12244. As a result of this notice and amendments to the OCS Lands Act that were included in the Inflation Reduction Act of 2022, BOEM has reassessed the jurisdictional limits of the OCS and recalculated acreages by region.
This update to the OCS planning areas enhances BOEM’s ability to manage and analyze our nation’s vital offshore resources, ensuring sustainable development in alignment with federal policies.
For more information, see: https://www.boem.gov/oil-gas-energy/leasing/outer-continental-shelf
