WASHINGTON (AP) — In a significant move to ramp up U.S. fossil fuel production, oil companies offered $279 million for drilling rights in the Gulf of Mexico on Wednesday. This bid represents the first of 30 sales planned for the region as part of ongoing Republican efforts to increase domestic energy production.
The sale follows the Trump administration's recent announcement allowing new drilling off the coasts of Florida and California for the first time in decades, prompting pushback even from within Republican ranks due to concerns about negative impacts on tourism.
This sale was mandated by a sweeping tax-and-spending bill passed by Republicans over the summer, which sets a lowered royalty rate of 12.5% on oil produced from these leases—the lowest rate in over a decade for deep-water drilling.
Thirty companies participated in the bidding, including major players like Chevron, Shell, and BP. The total amount of bids was notably over $100 million less than the previous lease sale conducted during the Biden administration in December 2023.
“This sale reflects a significant step in the federal government’s efforts to restore U.S. energy dominance,” remarked Laura Robbins, acting director of the Gulf region for the Bureau of Ocean Energy Management.
Environmentalists have expressed concern that such sales could endanger wildlife in the Gulf, citing the region's history of spills, including the devastating Deepwater Horizon disaster in 2010.
While industry advocates argue that the Gulf remains an open landscape for energy development, environmental groups like Earthjustice have been vocal in their opposition, demanding more rigorous assessments of the potential risks associated with these lease sales.
Only a small fraction of the parcels offered usually attract bids, often where companies perceive existing drilling potential. Actual drilling activities may still take years to commence, as litigation currently blocks other recent lease sales, illustrating the complex interplay between regulatory frameworks and environmental safeguards.
