US Denies Atlantic Seismic G&G Permits
The U.S. Bureau of Ocean Energy Management (BOEM) has denied six pending geophysical and geological (G&G) permit applications to conduct airgun seismic surveys in the Mid- and South Atlantic Planning Areas of the Atlantic Ocean. In announcing its decision BOEM cited a number of factors, including a diminished need for additional seismic survey information because the Atlantic Program Area has been removed from the 2017-2022 Outer Continental Shelf Oil and Gas Leasing Program. “In the present circumstances and guided by an abundance of caution…
BOEM Oil and Gas Lease Sale: 48m Acres
The Bureau of Ocean Energy Management (BOEM) Director Abigail Ross Hopper announced the bureau will offer more than 48 million acres offshore Louisiana, Mississippi, and Alabama for oil and gas exploration and development, in a lease sale that will include all available unleased areas in the Central Planning Area (CPA). “As one of the most productive basins in the world, the Gulf of Mexico remains an important component of our domestic energy strategy to create jobs, foster economic opportunities, and reduce America’s dependence on foreign oil,” Hopper said. BOEM will livestream Central Gulf of Mexico Lease Sale 247 on March 22, 2017.
79,000 Acres Offshore New York Auctioned for Wind Energy Development
Furthering President Obama’s comprehensive Climate Action Plan to create American jobs, develop domestic clean energy resources and cut carbon pollution, Secretary of the Interior Sally Jewell and Bureau of Ocean Energy Management (BOEM) Director Abigail Ross Hopper today announced the completion of the nation’s sixth competitive lease sale for renewable energy in federal waters. Today’s lease sale offered 79,350 acres offshore New York for potential wind energy development. The provisional winner of today’s lease sale is Statoil Wind US LLC, which bid $42,469,725 for lease area OCS-A 0512.
New Task Force for California Offshore Renewables
The Bureau of Ocean Energy Management (BOEM) and the State of California held the inaugural meeting of the California Intergovernmental Renewable Energy Task Force today in Sacramento, Calif., to begin planning for future renewable wind and wave energy development opportunities in federal offshore waters along the Golden State. California is the 14th U.S. coastal state to form a renewable energy task force to provide critical information to the decision-making process, including how to resolve potential conflicts between development and environmental concerns and other uses.
Central Gulf of Mexico Acreage up for Grabs - BOEM
As part of the Obama Administration's continued commitment to safe and responsible domestic energy production, Bureau of Ocean Energy Management (BOEM) Director Abigail Ross Hopper today announced the bureau will offer approximately 47 million acres offshore Louisiana, Mississippi, and Alabama for oil and gas exploration and development in a lease sale that will include all available unleased areas in the Central Planning Area (CPA). Proposed Central Gulf of Mexico Lease Sale 247, scheduled to take place in New Orleans in March of 2017…
US Offshore Lease Sale Yields $18 Mln in High Bids
Today’s U.S. oil and gas Lease Sale 248 garnered $18,067,020 in high bids for 24 tracts covering 138,240 acres in the Western Gulf of Mexico Planning Area, announced Bureau of Ocean Energy Management (BOEM) Director Abigail Ross Hopper. A total of three offshore energy companies participated in 24 bids. The sum of all bids received totaled $18,067,020. In this sale, part of the Obama Administration's continued commitment to safe and responsible domestic energy production, BOEM offered 23.8 million acres in federal waters offshore Texas for oil and gas exploration and development.
Another Step toward Wind Energy off California
BOEM assessing competitive interest in proposed floating wind turbine project site offshore Morro Bay, Calif. Signaling a major step forward in supporting wind energy development in federal waters offshore California, U.S. Bureau of Ocean Energy Management (BOEM) Director Abigail Ross Hopper announced that the department is issuing a Request for Interest in a lease area requested by Trident Winds, LLC for its proposed 765 megawatt (MW) floating wind energy project. “This announcement represents a significant step in facilitating the responsible development of offshore renewable energy to help California meet its energy needs…
Wind Energy Development Offshore North Carolina Gets a Boost
As part of President Obama’s Climate Action Plan to create American jobs, develop domestic clean energy sources and cut carbon pollution, U.S. Secretary of the Interior Sally Jewell and Bureau of Ocean Energy Management (BOEM) Director Abigail Ross Hopper today announced a proposed lease sale for 122,405 acres offshore North Carolina for commercial wind energy leasing. The proposed lease is for the Kitty Hawk Wind Energy Area, which BOEM identified in consultation with members of its North Carolina Intergovernmental Renewable Energy Task Force. The task force includes membership from federal, state, tribal, and local government partners.
Lease Sale Proposed for Wind Energy Off North Carolina
A new lease sale has been proposed for 122,405 acres for commercial wind energy leasing offshore North Carolina. The proposed lease, announced today by U.S. Secretary of the Interior Sally Jewell and Bureau of Ocean Energy Management (BOEM) Director Abigail Ross Hopper as part of President Obama’s Climate Action Plan, is for the Kitty Hawk Wind Energy Area, which BOEM identified in consultation with its North Carolina Intergovernmental Renewable Energy Task Force and outreach with stakeholders. “This is an important and exciting milestone in our ongoing efforts to tap the vast wind energy resources along the Atlantic Coast,” said Secretary Jewell.
Plan to Develop Wind Energy Offshore Hawaii Announced
As part of President Obama’s Climate Action Plan to create American jobs, develop clean energy sources and cut carbon pollution, U.S. Secretary of the Interior Sally Jewell today announced the first step to support wind energy development in federal waters offshore Hawaii, by issuing a call for information and nominations to gauge the wind industry’s interest in commercial wind leases in two areas offshore Oahu. “Today's announcement marks another milestone in the President's plan to support clean, renewable energy from the Nation’s vast wind and solar resources,” said Secretary Jewell.
California Task Force Will Examine Offshore Renewables
Planning is underway for establishing an Intergovernmental Renewable Energy Task Force between the Bureau of Ocean Energy Management (BOEM) and the State of California to examine development opportunities for offshore renewable energy along the Golden State. California Governor Jerry Brown requested formation of the task force in a May 12 letter to Interior Secretary Sally Jewell. The announcement was made during a BOEM-sponsored Offshore Wind Roundtable that brought together representatives from foreign governments, state policymakers, experts in offshore wind, and members of industry to share information on offshore wind development.
BOEM, BSEE Find No Significant Impact from OCS Well Stimulation
The Bureau of Ocean Energy Management (BOEM) and Bureau of Safety and Environmental Enforcement (BSEE) today published a joint environmental assessment on the use of well stimulation treatments in federal waters off California. BOEM and BSEE completed a comprehensive environmental analysis evaluating the potential impacts from the use of well stimulation treatments on the 23 oil and gas platforms currently in operation on the Pacific Outer Continental Shelf (OCS), and based on the analysis in the Programmatic Environmental Assessment (EA)…
Denmark, US to Partner on Offshore Wind
Denmark and the United States have signed a memorandum to strengthen cooperation on offshore wind energy projects, the U.S. Bureau of Ocean Energy Management (BOEM) announced. On May 4, 2016 at the Embassy of Denmark in Washington, D.C., Danish Ambassador Lars Gert Lose and BOEM Director Abigail Ross Hopper signed a Memorandum of Understanding (MOU) to recognize their countries' common interests in developing offshore wind as a clean and sustainable energy source. “This is a historic event for our respective countries as we work together to share knowledge, experiences, data and best practices relevant to offshore wind energy development,” said Director Hopper.
BOEM Approves Virginia’s Offshore Wind Research
The Bureau of Ocean Energy Management (BOEM) announced its approval of the first wind energy Research Activities Plan (RAP) for a facility to be located in U.S. federal waters, as part of President Obama’s Climate Action Plan to create American jobs, develop clean energy sources and cut carbon pollution. Last year, BOEM awarded a research lease to the Virginia Department of Mines, Minerals and Energy (DMME) on the Outer Continental Shelf off the coast of Virginia. Today’s action clears the way for the installation and operation of two 6-megawatt (MW) turbines and associated cabling to shore, pending final engineering review of the project.
BOEM Pushes Wind Energy Development Offshore NY
As part of President Obama’s Climate Action Plan to create American jobs, develop domestic clean energy sources and cut carbon pollution, U.S. Secretary of the Interior Sally Jewell and Bureau of Ocean Energy Management (BOEM) Director Abigail Ross Hopper today announced a major step in spurring wind energy development in federal waters offshore New York. BOEM has defined a Wind Energy Area totaling approximately 81,130 acres for potential commercial wind energy development. The area is located about 11 miles south of Long Island.
Final Notices of Sale for GoM Planning Areas
As part of the Obama Administration's continued commitment to safe and responsible domestic energy production, Bureau of Ocean Energy Management (BOEM) Director Abigail Ross Hopper announced that the bureau will offer approximately 45 million acres for oil and gas exploration and development in the Gulf of Mexico in two March lease sales. “These lease sales continue the President's commitment to create jobs through the safe and responsible exploration and development of the Nation's domestic energy resources,” said Hopper. “As an important component of the U.S.
Celata Heads BOEM's Gulf of Mexico Office
Bureau of Ocean Energy Management (BOEM) Director Abigail Ross Hopper today announced Mike Celata as the Regional Director of the Gulf of Mexico Outer Continental Shelf (OCS) Region. Celata, who starts his position immediately, has been with BOEM and its predecessors since 1988. He has been acting Regional Director since March. The Gulf of Mexico Region is responsible for managing more than 4,600 active leases over 25 million acres of land on the OCS. “Mike has many years of service with the agency, working on aspects of the OCS energy program and on regional and national ocean policy initiatives,” said BOEM Director Abigail Ross Hopper. After receiving a B.A.
NJ Offshore Wind Lease Sale Moves Ahead
As part of President Obama’s comprehensive Climate Action Plan to create American jobs, develop domestic clean energy resources and cut carbon pollution, the Interior Department’s Bureau of Ocean Energy Management (BOEM) yesterday held the nation’s fifth competitive lease sale for renewable energy in federal waters, which offered nearly 344,000 acres offshore New Jersey for potential wind energy development. The provisional winners of today’s lease sale are RES America Developments Inc., which bid $880,715 for lease area OCS-A 0498 (160,480 acres), and US Wind Inc., which bid $1,006,240 for OCS-A 0499 (183,353 acres).
US to Sell Offshore Leases for New Jersey Wind Farms
As part of President Obama’s Climate Action Plan to develop domestic clean energy resources, cut carbon pollution and create American jobs, U.S. Secretary of the Interior Sally Jewell and Bureau of Ocean Energy Management (BOEM) Director Abigail Ross Hopper announced that 343,833 acres offshore New Jersey will be offered for commercial wind energy development in a competitive lease sale on November 9, 2015. If fully developed, the New Jersey Wind Energy Area could support at least 3,400 megawatts of commercial wind generation, enough to power an estimated 1.2 million homes, according to the Department of Energy’s National Renewable Energy Laboratory.
Offshore Wind Energy Within Reach for North Carolina
As part of President Obama’s Climate Action Plan to create American jobs, develop domestic clean energy sources and cut carbon pollution, the Bureau of Ocean Energy Management (BOEM) today announced it completed an important environmental review, allowing BOEM to move forward with its process for considering a renewable energy lease sale offshore North Carolina. BOEM’s revised environmental assessment (EA), which was conducted according to National Environmental Policy Act (NEPA) requirements, found there would be no significant environmental or socioeconomic impacts from issuing wind energy leases within three Wind Energy Areas (WEAs) offshore North Carolina.
