Bureau of Ocean Energy Management

Mission

BOEM's stated mission is to "manage development of U.S. Outer Continental Shelf (OCS) energy, mineral, and geological resources in an environmentally and economically responsible way."

Offshore energy

The Outer Continental Shelf (OCS) is a significant source of oil and gas for the nation's energy supply. As of May 1, 2021, BOEM managed about 2,287 active oil and gas leases on approximately 12.1 million OCS acres.

In 2009, the Department of the Interior announced the final regulations for the Outer Continental Shelf (OCS) Renewable Energy Program, which was authorized by the Energy Policy Act of 2005 (EPAct). These regulations provide a framework for issuing leases, easements and rights-of-way for OCS activities that support production and transmission of energy from sources other than oil and natural gas.

Marine minerals

BOEM is the only federal agency with the authority to lease marine minerals from the OCS, including responding to commercial requests for OCS minerals such as gold, manganese, or other hard minerals.

Carbon sequestration

Carbon sequestration (CS) refers to a process of storing captured carbon dioxide (CO2) that leads to a reduction of CO2 in the atmosphere. Carbon sequestration activities can take many forms. One form of long-term storage is injection of captured CO2 into suitable underground geologic formations.

On November 15, 2021, the Infrastructure Investment and Jobs Act was signed into law and gave the Department of the Interior the authority to grant a lease, easement, or right-of-way on the Outer Continental Shelf (OCS) for long-term sequestration of carbon dioxide that would otherwise go into the atmosphere and contribute to further climate change. BOEM is working with the Bureau of Safety and Environmental Enforcement (BSEE) on a draft rule to implement this authority over the OCS CS projects.

Environmental studies

BOEM's environmental program ensures that environmental protection is a foremost and indispensable consideration in BOEM's decision-making.

BOEM uses science and law to inform our environmental analyses, conduct consultations, and design and conduct research. The environmental program informs three major areas that BOEM regulates on the outer continental shelf: oil and gas, renewable energy, and non-energy minerals such as sand and gravel or hard minerals.

Directors

The agency's first director, serving from June 2010 to May 2014, was Tommy Beaudreau. The second director was Abigail Ross Hopper, serving from January 2015 to January 2017. From 2017 to 2021, deputy director Walter Cruickshank served as the acting director.

From February 2021 to January 2023, the director was Amanda Lefton. In an announcement with United States Secretary of Energy Jennifer Granholm on April 27, 2022, Lefton said that her agency would focus on efforts to promote offshore wind projects, saying that BOEM would work to "inspire confidence and demonstrate commitment" for lease planning and calling it her "number-one priority," National Fisherman reported. In January 2023, Lefton announced her resignation, effective January 19.

Shipwrecks

BOEM keeps records of shipwrecks, to ensure the Nation's important historical sites are protected when offshore activities take place on the OCS. These shipwrecks, particularly when over fifty years old, may be eligible for listing on the National Register of Historic Places, and any new wells or pipelines have to be studied for their potential effect on archaeological sites on the outer continental shelf.

List of shipwrecks

The BOEM maintains a list of shipwrecks and the location.

• Northern Eagle (built 1857), a fishing schooner lost 1908-03-01
• Carrie Strong (lost 1916)
• W.H. Marston (lost 1927)
• Western Empire was abandoned during a hurricane on September 18, 1875. Further research ruled out the wreck as the Western Empire, and it is now believed to be a naval ship (now referred to as the BOEMRE Vessel ID No. 359) that may have been used as a merchant vessel.
• Nokomis (lost 1905)

World War II shipwrecks

There were over 100 attacks on ships in the Gulf of Mexico by German U-boats. Several were listed by the MMS and maintained by the BOEM.

• SS Gulfoil (built 1912, lost 1942-05-17), sunk by German submarine U-506
• SS Gulfpenn (built 1921, lost 1942-05-13), sunk by German submarine U-506
• SS Robert E. Lee (built 1924, lost 1942-07-30), sunk by German submarine U-166
• SS Alcoa Puritan (built 1941, lost 1942-06-05), sunk by German submarine U-507
• SS Carrabulle (built 1920, lost 1942-05-26), sunk by German submarine U-106.
• SS Amapala (built 1924, lost 1942-05-16), sunk by German submarine U-507

The only known German U-boat to be sunk in the Gulf is U-166. After sinking the SS Robert E. Lee, the United States Navy patrol craft PC-566 reported hitting and sinking the submarine. This was questioned, and the sinking was attributed to a United States Coast Guard Grumman G-44 Widgeon that reported an attack over 100 miles away, thought to be the U-166. In 2001 the wreckage of U-166 was identified near the wreckage of the Robert E. Lee, and in 2014 the record was set straight that PC-566 had actually sunk U-166. In 2014 the position, , was designated a war grave.

References

References

1. https://www.boem.gov/about-boem/reorganization/reorganization-former-mms {{Bare URL inline. (August 2025)
2. https://www.boem.gov/about-boem {{Bare URL inline. (August 2025)
3. https://www.boem.gov/oil-and-gas-energy {{Bare URL inline. (August 2025)
4. https://www.boem.gov/marine-minerals {{Bare URL inline. (August 2025)
5. https://www.boem.gov/about-boem/regulations-guidance/carbon-sequestration {{Bare URL inline. (August 2025)
6. https://www.boem.gov/environment/environment {{Bare URL inline. (August 2025)
7. "Past Directors".
8. "Abigail Ross Hopper, Director".
9. "Director". BOEM.
10. "BOEM issues offshore wind call areas for central Atlantic, Oregon waters".
11. Volcovici, Valerie. (January 10, 2023). "U.S. Interior Department names Elizabeth Klein to oversee offshore energy".
12. (September 30, 2011). "Interior Department Completes Reorganization of the Former MMS". DOI.
13. (May 16, 2014). "Cruickshank takes lead at BOEM". Offshore Engineer.
14. (December 18, 2014). "Secretary Jewell Names Maryland Energy Administrator Abigail Ross Hopper as Director of Bureau of Ocean Energy Management". DOI.
15. (February 5, 2021). "BOEM Announces Amanda Lefton as New Director". BOEM.
16. (January 10, 2023). "Elizabeth Klein Named Director of Bureau of Ocean Energy Management". DOI.
17. Ferry, Tim. (February 12, 2025). "Federal Bureau of Ocean Energy Management confirms deputy now in charge and that it is preparing to carry out new president's reviews".
18. Danenberger, Elmer Peter III. (June 10, 2025). "Congratulations Walter Cruickshank!". Bud's Offshore Energy (BOE).
19. (April 2, 2025). "Trump to Appoint Oil and Gas Lobbyist to Oversee Offshore Drilling".
20. Lefebvre, Ben. (2025-04-01). "Interior replaces longtime head of offshore energy agency with lobbyist".
21. "36 CFR § 60.4".
22. link. (2022-10-17 : pp 3-179 & 3-180 (table 3-39 and 3-40), ''Proposed Use of Floating Production, Storage, and Offloading Systems On the Gulf of Mexico Outer Continental Shelf'' - Retrieved 2017-02-19)
23. [http://wrecksite.eu/wreck.aspx?215018 FV Northern Eagle] - Retrieved 2017-02-19
24. [https://www.promare.org/western-empire-shipwreck/ "Western Empire" Shipwreck] {{Webarchive. link. (2021-10-16. Retrieved 2021-05-28.)
25. [http://wrecksite.eu/wreck.aspx?14894 SS Gulfoil]- Retrieved 2017-02-19
26. [http://wrecksite.eu/wreck.aspx?14892 SS Gulfpenn]- Retrieved 2017-02-19
27. [http://wrecksite.eu/wreck.aspx?14925 SS Robert E. Lee] {{Webarchive. link. (2021-08-16 - Retrieved 2017-02-19)
28. [http://wrecksite.eu/wreck.aspx?14887 SS Alcoa Puritan] {{Webarchive. link. (2008-05-06 - Retrieved 2017-02-19)
29. [http://wrecksite.eu/wreck.aspx?14914 SS Amapala]- Retrieved 2017-02-19
30. [https://www.boem.gov/BOEM-Newsroom/Press-Releases/2001/010615-pdf.aspx ''MMS Ensures Nation's Historic Shipwrecks are Protected as Archaeologists Share in U-Boat Discovery''] {{Webarchive. link. (2016-12-27 - Retrieved 2017-02-19)