Offshore Exploration
Learn more
Beneath the world's ocean, there is an abundance of oil and natural gas. This energy source plays a significant role in our economic growth and providing reliable, affordable energy for the United States.
Offshore drilling in federal waters is tightly regulated by the U.S. Department of the Interior's Bureau of Ocean Energy Management and Bureau of Safety and Environmental Enforcement.
- Offshore drilling supports hundreds of thousands of jobs. By 2025, it is projected that the offshore oil and gas industry will support around 401,868 jobs in the Gulf of Mexico alone.
- In 2018, offshore oil and gas operations in federal waters contributed more than $30 billion into the United States economy.
- Offshore drilling keeps energy affordable for American families.
- Investing in offshore drilling helps the United States stay a top exporter of oil and natural gas.