BOEM Announces Gulf of America Lease Sale BBG3

The United States===Bureau of Ocean Energy Management (BOEM), under the US Department of the Interior, has announced a Proposed Notice of Sale for Lease Sale Big Beautiful Gulf 3 (BBG3), scheduled for August 12, 2026. This is the third of 30 offshore oil and gas lease sales mandated by the One Big Beautiful Bill Act. The sale proposes to offer approximately 15,066 unleased blocks covering 80.4 million acres in the US Outer Continental Shelf in the Gulf of America, with a competitive 12.5% royalty rate. Certain areas, including those subject to a 2020 presidential withdrawal and the Flower Garden Banks National Marine Sanctuary, will be excluded. This initiative aligns with President Donald Trump's promise to expand American energy production and strengthen US energy dominance. The activities are expected to generate billions of dollars for the US Treasury and states, funding coastal restoration, hurricane protection, infrastructure, education, and public services. The proposed notice will be published in the Federal Register on February 20, 2026, initiating a 60-day comment period.