Trump Administration Finalizes Major Offshore Oil And Gas Auctions For Gulf of America, Alaska Leases

• The Gulf auction is expected to take place on Dec. 10, 2025, while the Alaska lease sale is scheduled for March 4, 2026.
• The Gulf auction entails nearly 80 million acres for exploration and development. 
• Cook Inlet 1 in Alaska will see the auction of one million acres.

The Trump administration announced plans to hold a large-scale offshore oil and gas auction next month in the Gulf of America, along with a proposed lease sale in Alaska’s Cook Inlet, according to the Bureau of Ocean Energy Management (BOEM).

The initiatives aim to expand U.S. energy production, strengthen energy security, and reduce reliance on foreign sources.

Gulf Of America Auction

The Gulf auction is expected to take place on Dec. 10, 2025, offering nearly 80 million acres for exploration and development. It is the first of 30 planned lease sales across the Gulf through 2040.

The BOEM estimates the region holds 29.6 billion barrels of undiscovered oil and 54.8 trillion cubic feet of natural gas. Certain environmentally sensitive areas, including the Flower Garden Banks National Marine Sanctuary, will remain off-limits.

Alaska Auction

Simultaneously, BOEM has proposed the “Big Beautiful Cook Inlet 1” sale, which would make one million acres available in southern Alaska.

The sale, scheduled for March 4 next year, marks the first of at least six planned Cook Inlet lease auctions, to be held annually from 2026 to 2028 and again from 2030 to 2032, according to a Reuters report.

Trump’s Fossil Fuel Drive

The initiative aligns with Trump’s energy policy, which prioritizes expanding oil, gas, and coal production while reducing regulations on fossil fuels and scaling back subsidies for renewable energy.

“BOEM is now moving forward with a predictable, congressionally mandated leasing schedule that will support offshore oil and gas development for decades to come,” said Matt Giacona, BOEM’s Acting Director.

The bureau set a 12.5% royalty rate for both shallow and deepwater leases in both places, the lowest allowed by statute, to “encourage strong industry participation.”

During his trip to Asia last month, Trump stated that he had reached agreements with Chinese President Xi Jinping and South Korean President Lee Jae Myung to increase the purchase of U.S. energy by both nations. He also hinted at a “very large-scale” energy transaction involving Alaskan oil and gas, though specific details were not undisclosed.

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