BOEM RFI will gauge interest in Alaska offshore minerals

The Bureau of Ocean Energy Management (BOEM) is to publish a Request for Information and Interest (RFI) to evaluate industry interest and gather public input that could inform a potential lease sale for minerals on the Outer Continental Shelf off the coast of Alaska. The request is an early step in BOEM’s competitive leasing process and is not a decision to hold a sale.

“Alaska’s offshore holds strategic potential for the minerals that drive American industry, defense and next-generation technologies,” said BOEM’s Acting Director Matt Giacona. “This Request for Information is a practical first step to gauge interest and identify areas where development could make sense for jobs, investment and national supply chains.”

If a sale is ultimately held, it would be the first Outer Continental Shelf minerals lease sale offshore Alaska.

To be published in the Federal Register on Jan. 29, opening a 30-day window for input, the RFI invites all parties, including the public, companies, governments, and Alaska native tribes and other organizations to submit information about potential lease areas, uses and conflicts, and other factors that could inform BOEM’s planning. Among other items, BOEM seeks input on minerals of interest, potential tract configurations and interactions with other ocean uses.

The Request for Information area encompasses the Alaska Outer Continental Shelf as a whole; responses will help BOEM narrow and shape any areas for further analysis.

If BOEM receives indications of interest and proceeds, the bureau would follow its minerals leasing regulations, including Area Identification, a Proposed Leasing Notice (at least 60 days before a Leasing Notice), and a Leasing Notice (at least 30 days before any sale). BOEM would then evaluate bids under competitive cash-bonus procedures.

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