Bureau of Ocean Energy Management

Our mission continues...now under the Marine Minerals Administration. This account is transitioning to the official MMA LinkedIn page. To stay up to date on the latest news and information, follow the Marine Minerals Administration on LinkedIn. This page will no longer be updated. Thank you for following us over the years. We look forward to continuing the conversation and sharing our work with you on the new MMA platform. Learn more about MMA at https://lnkd.in/dZNTGwP7

What could the future of offshore infrastructure look like? We are seeking public input on the potential use of the federal waters for offshore space launch and re-entry activities. Through a Request for Information (RFI), our agency is gathering broad, non-project-specific feedback from industry, researchers, stakeholders, and the public. The RFI is an early step intended to help inform future discussions about emerging offshore uses and technologies. Input received will help us better understand opportunities, challenges, and considerations associated with offshore space launch and re-entry concepts. The public comment period ends Aug. 7, 2026 Learn more and submit comments: [LINK]

Today, we announced the Final Notice of Sale (FNOS) for Gulf of America Lease Sale BBG3—the third of 30 offshore oil and gas lease sales required by the One Big Beautiful Bill Act. Scheduled for Aug. 12, 2026, BBG3 advances President Trump's America First energy agenda and supports Executive Order 14154, Unleashing American Energy, by expanding responsible offshore development, strengthening American energy independence, and reinforcing our nation's economic and national security. The sale will offer approximately 15,100 unleased blocks covering approximately 80.4 million acres across the Gulf of America Outer Continental Shelf. Lease areas span the Western, Central, and Eastern Planning Areas, ranging from 3 to 231 miles offshore in water depths from 9 feet to more than 11,100 feet. As America commemorates Freedom 250, this lease sale reflects our continued commitment to unlocking the nation's abundant offshore resources, creating high-paying American jobs, and ensuring the United States remains the world's energy leader for generations to come. Learn more: https://lnkd.in/grSks4rs

From all of us at BOEM and BSEE, we wish everyone a safe, happy, and enjoyable Independence Day!

BOEM is seeking public input on a potential marine minerals lease sale offshore Virginia. Through a Request for Information (RFI), the agency is gathering feedback to help inform planning and evaluate considerations associated with a potential future lease sale in the Atlantic Outer Continental Shelf. Public input is an important part of the planning process and helps support informed decision-making as BOEM evaluates future opportunities for offshore resource development. The official RFI 30-day comment period will be open from June 23 through July 23, 2026 Submit comments by July 23, 2026: https://ow.ly/1fQh50Zfmn6

Did you know? Polymetallic nodules — round, potato-sized mineral formations — sit on the deep seafloor at depths of 4,000 to 7,000 meters. They grow incredibly slowly and provide habitat for deep-sea ecosystems.    These nodules are rich in critical minerals like nickel, copper, cobalt, manganese, and rare earth elements, with possible traces of titanium, tellurium, and lithium. These materials are essential for our nation’s economy, energy systems, and national security.    As we mark 250 years of American progress, we are using science to support informed decisions about offshore mineral resources—ensuring resilience for the next generation. #Freedom250 #CriticalMinerals #OceanScience #ScienceBasedDecisions 

What can Arctic nations learn from one another about offshore safety?   Representatives from across the Arctic recently gathered in Stavanger, Norway, for the Arctic Offshore Regulators Forum (AORF), where regulators shared lessons learned, discussed emerging challenges, and exchanged best practices related to offshore energy operations and emergency preparedness.   As the current Chair of AORF, the Bureau of Safety and Environmental Enforcement represented the United States and the Department of the Interior, helping facilitate discussions focused on strengthening offshore safety and preparedness across the Arctic region.   While each nation faces unique operating conditions, many of the challenges associated with offshore energy development are shared. Forums like AORF provide an opportunity to exchange expertise, improve coordination, and support safe and responsible offshore operations.  

Have you ever heard of a polymetallic sulfide deposit?    These underwater mineral deposits form when superheated water escapes from cracks in the Earth’s crust—typically found 100 to 7,000 meters deep at undersea volcanoes and mid-ocean ridges.    They contain #criticalminerals like copper, zinc, and silver—and may also include antimony, bismuth, gallium, tellurium, and germanium. These elements are essential to powering modern technologies, clean energy systems, and national defense.    As part of the #Freedom250 initiative, BOEM is investing in science that helps us understand these marine mineral resources—supporting informed decisions that protect ecosystems and secure vital supplies for America’s next 250 years.     Learn more: https://lnkd.in/eheE_HBE    Photo by Dr. Paul Knorr, BOEM

Phosphorites are sedimentary rocks rich in calcium phosphate. They are found on the seafloor at depths less than 1,000 meters along continental shelves, slopes, and seamounts in the Atlantic and Pacific Oceans.    These formations may contain rare earth elements and uranium—minerals essential to national defense systems, nuclear energy, medical technology, and high-tech manufacturing.    As we commemorate 250 years of American strength and independence through the #Freedom250 campaign, we are advancing science to better understand offshore mineral resources like phosphorites. This knowledge supports long-term U.S. mineral security, economic competitiveness, and strategic planning for the next 250 years.    #CriticalMinerals #NationalSecurity  

Heavy mineral sands are found in shallow coastal waters and contain valuable critical minerals such as titanium, tin, platinum, silver, and rare earth elements—materials essential to U.S. defense, aerospace, and strategic manufacturing.    Found in waters less than 200 meters deep, these deposits also support soft-sediment marine habitats, including burrowing invertebrates and bottom-dwelling fish. BOEM incorporates these considerations into science-based resource management.    As part of the #Freedom250 campaign, we are focused on securing America’s mineral independence while supporting responsible, informed stewardship for the next 250 years of national strength.    #CriticalMinerals #EnergySecurity #ScienceForTheFuture