Overview
- The proposed notice of sale publishes on February 20, 2026, opening the comment window and setting up a final notice at least 30 days before the auction.
- BOEM plans to offer about 15,066 unleased blocks covering roughly 80.4 million acres on the U.S. Outer Continental Shelf.
- Leases would carry a 12.5% royalty rate, which BOEM’s acting director framed as a signal of stable terms for developers.
- Blocks subject to the September 8, 2020 presidential withdrawal, areas beyond the U.S. EEZ in the Eastern Gap, and the Flower Garden Banks National Marine Sanctuary are excluded.
- The auction would be the third of 30 mandated under the One Big Beautiful Bill Act through 2040, following a December sale that drew more than $300 million in winning bids.