tlantic OCS Area
The MMS Gulf of Mexico Regional Office conducts all leasing and resource
management functions on the Outer Continental Shelf (OCS) for the Gulf of Mexico
Region and the
Atlantic OCS Area.
The Atlantic OCS Area is divided into four planning areas along the Atlantic
seaboard:
- North Atlantic
- Mid-Atlantic
- South Atlantic
- Straits of Florida
New Activity Proposed
As part of the recently announced
Draft Proposed Program
for the Five-Year Plan, MMS has proposed a single potential lease sale in the
Federal waters off the coast of Virginia. Additional information on the proposed
2007-2012 Atlantic OCS Leasing Program is available
here.
The Draft Proposed Program is open for a 60-day comment period that began
on February 10, 2006. MMS will
accept comments
on the entire plan through April 11, 2006.
Additional information on oil and gas leasing activities in the Atlantic can
be found within Frequently Asked Questions.
Historical Background
Ten oil and gas lease sales were held in the Atlantic between 1976 and 1983.
Forty-nine exploratory wells were drilled; only five wells discovered
hydrocarbons. These five wells were offshore New Jersey and were abandoned as
non-commercial. A
summary document of
the eight wells drilled in the North Atlantic is currently available.
Reports on each of the eight
wells drilled in the North Atlantic Planning Area are available.
Sand Resources
There is also interest in non-energy OCS resources (sand) for beach
renourishment projects. MMS's Marine Minerals Program provides policy direction
and guidance for the development of marine mineral resources on the OCS.
The
Marine Minerals Program is focusing on integrating geologic and environmental
information developed through partnerships with coastal states to identify sand
deposits in Federal waters suitable for beach nourishment. One such example is a
negotiated lease agreement made possible by a new Federal Law (P.L. 103-426);
MMS provided the city of Jacksonville, Florida, with access to 1.24 million
cubic yards of sand on the OCS. Other States have also entered into cooperative
agreements with MMS. For more on this subject, see OCS Sand and Gravel Mining
below.
Atlantic OCS Fast Facts and Figures
Atlantic OCS Area Resource Information
Atlantic OCS Lease Status Information
Historic Atlantic OCS Drilling Activity
North Carolina Manteo Unit Summary
OCS Sand and Gravel Mining
Publications
Related to the Atlantic Coast
