May 13, 2021 IPAA Statement on BOEM Refusal to Confirm Oil & Gas Leasing Will Ever Restart in the Gulf
WASHINGTON – In a Senate Energy and Natural Resources Committee hearing today on offshore energy development, Amanda Lefton, Bureau of Ocean Energy Management Director, would not confirm that leasing will ever resume in the Gulf of Mexico, only that an interim report will be issued on federal leasing. IPAA issued the following statement on BOEM director’s comments and the ongoing leasing ban.
Mallori Miller, IPAA Vice President of Government Relations: “In today’s hearing before the Senate Energy and Natural Resources Committee, BOEM gave no timeline for their plans to resume offshore leasing. This uncertainty is stifling investment for offshore energy producers, hindering not just future wells but ongoing operations as well. The Gulf of Mexico is one of the country’s most prolific oil and natural gas basins – Interior’s leasing ban is cutting off access to a critical energy source for Americans while also impacting jobs and important revenue for states.”
Watch Lefton’s dialogue with Senator Cassidy (LA) on leasing restarting here.
