The new federal program envisions a record expansion, between Alaska, the Gulf of Mexico, and the coasts of California and Florida, sparking immediate political and environmental reactions
Washington – The Trump administration has presented a new, vast five-year plan for offshore drilling that will replace the 2024–2029 program launched under the Biden presidency. The Department of the Interior (Doi) aims to launch the 11th National Ocs Leasing Program by October 2026, with a drastic expansion of available areas.
The document provides for up to 34 lease sales in 21 existing planning areas on the Outer Continental Shelf, for a total of over 5 million km². The areas involved include 21 areas in Alaska, 7 in the Gulf of Mexico, and 6 along the Pacific coast.
Simultaneously, the administration announced its intention to reopen areas that have been protected for decades to drilling, such as the coasts of California and Florida, marking a historical discontinuity. In particular, California could see six lease sales between 2027 and 2030, while in the Gulf of Mexico a new territorial subdivision will be used to circumvent political resistance from Florida.
The plan also assigns a central role to Alaska, with over 20 lease sales planned and the introduction of a new exploration area in the High Arctic, more than 200 miles from the coast.
According to Boem data, as of September 1, 2025, 2,073 offshore leases were active, equivalent to approximately 45,300 km², generating about 15% of U.S. oil production. The estimated resources of the Ocs would amount to 68.8 billion barrels of oil equivalent and 229 trillion cubic feet of gas yet to be discovered.
However, the plan has provoked a wave of bipartisan criticism. California Governor Gavin Newsom called it “dangerous,” while Florida officials expressed concern about the impacts on tourism, ecosystems, and military activities. Environmental groups have denounced the risks to marine fauna and sensitive areas like the Santa Barbara Channel, a known feeding habitat for several whale species.
The Doi will open a 60-day public consultation phase starting November 24. Despite political and environmental opposition, the administration aims to consolidate a new course based on a massive expansion of surfaces available for offshore extraction.
