Coastal restoration, beach nourishment, and levee reconstruction are crucial to mitigate future coastal erosion, land loss, flooding, and storm damage in the Gulf of Mexico. The success of that long-term effort depends on locating and securing significant quantities of OCS sediment resources that are compatible with the target environments being restored.
Offshore sand resources, like upland sources, are extremely scarce where most needed. Additionally, vast areas of these relatively small offshore sand resources are not extractable because of the presence of oil and gas infrastructure, archaeologically sensitive areas, and biologically sensitive areas. BOEM is implementing several measures to help safeguard the most significant OCS sediment resources, reduce multiple use conflicts, and minimize interference with oil and gas operations under existing leases or rights-of-way.
| Gulf of Mexico Lease Blocks with Significant Sediment Resources | |
|---|---|
| GOM Lease Area | Blocks with Significant Sediment Resources |
| Bay Marchand Area | BM 2-5 |
| Breton Sound Area | BS 24, 25, 39, 41-44, 53-56 |
| Chandeleur Area | CA 1, 4, 5, 8, 16, 28, 30-34 |
| Charlotte Harbor | CH 518, 561-563, 605-607, 649-653, 701, 744-746, 788-790, 832-834, 875-878, 919-922, 964-966, 1011 |
| Destin Dome | DD 1-7, 45-51 |
| Eugene Island Area | EI 10, 18-35, 37-96, 111, 112 |
| Galveston Area | GA 265, 290, 291, 293, 294, 295, 322 | GA A1, A2, A3, A4, A5 |
| Grand Isle Area | GI 15, 25 |
| High Island Area | HI 19-21, 35-37, 47-49, 69-73, 83, 86-91, 111-119, 131-137, 158-164, 171-175, 196-205, 230-234, 261, 264, 292, A7-A9, A16-A22, A37-A39 |
| High Island Area, East Addition | HIA 6, 10, 38-42, 45, 46, 60-65, 74-76, 84, 85, 88 |
| Miami | MA 89, 269-271 |
| Mobile | MO 765-767, 778, 779, 809-824, 826-830, 853-874, 897-918, 942, 946, 947, 954-962, 991, 999-1006 |
| Main Pass Area | MP 6, 39-41, 42-44, 58-60, 86-90, 92-114, 115-117, 118-120, 125-129, 139, 161, 162, 180, 181 |
| St. Petersburg | PB 19-21, 65, 417, 418, 461-463, 506-508, 775, 820, 864 |
| Pensacola | PE 751, 752, 793-796, 753, 754, 797, 798, 837-842, 881-886, 925-930, 969-975 |
| South Pelto Area | PL 1-5, 6-15, 16, 17-20, 23-25 |
| Pulley Ridge | PR 43, 87 |
| Sabine Pass Area (LA) | SA 8-16 |
| South Marsh Island Area, North Addition | SM 207-237, 241-249, 259-261, 267, 268 |
| Ship Shoal Area | SS 24-26, 37, 38, 63, 64, 65-70, 71-75, 84-100, 107-110, 111-114, 119, 120 |
| South Timbalier Area | ST 9-11, 16-18, 34, 51, 52, 54, 55, 66, 67, 72 |
| Sabine Pass Area (TX) | SX 9, 17, 18, 40, 44 |
| Tarpon Springs | TP 810-812, 854-856, 899, 900, 987-989 |
| Viosca Knoll | VK 23, 34-38, 67, 78-82, 111, 155 |
| Vermilion Area | VR 11, 30, 49, 51-54, 68-77, 86-96, 108-111 |
| West Cameron Area | WC 20-22, 41-45, 56-60, 78-83, 90-95, 113-118, 128-134, 146-150, 153, 168-172, 181 |
| West Cameron Area, West Addition | WC 154-157, 160-162, 287 |
| West Delta Area | WD 20-31, 32, 43-50, 56-61 |
Gulf of Mexico Lease Blocks with Significant Sediment Resources
- Shapefile
- Metadata
- MMIS Vector ArcGIS REST Services
- MMIS Image ArcGIS REST Services
- Significant Sediment Resources in the Gulf of Mexico
Gulf of Mexico Lease Blocks with Priority Pipelines in Significant Sediment Resource Areas
Specific Requirements for Marine Mineral Lessees in the Gulf of Mexico
BOEM may require operational setbacks from existing oil and gas infrastructure during dredging operations to avoid direct or indirect impacts to infrastructure. Setbacks will be determined on a case-by-case basis, using guidance provided in A Study to Address the Issue of Seafloor Stability and the Impact of Sand Dredging Activities on Oil and Gas Infrastructure in the Gulf of Mexico (OCS Study MMS 2005-043).
Related Information
Information to Lessees (ITL) Notice
Leasing Activities Information regarding potential sand dredging activities in the Gulf of Mexico is available on the Information to Lessees (ITL) page with the latest oil and gas lease sale information.
Notice to Lessees
- NTL No. 2009-G04 - Significant OCS Sediment Resources in the Gulf of Mexico
Marine Minerals Program Infrastructure-Related Environmental Studies
The following studies provide information regarding the potential impacts of dredging operations on existing infrastructure and inform BOEM requirements concerning the identification and protection of existing infrastructure:
- OCS Study MMS 2004-019 - Preliminary Infrastructure Stability Study, Offshore Louisiana
- OCS Study MMS 2005-043 - Study to Address the Issue of Seafloor Stability and the Impact of Sand Dredging Activities on Oil and Gas Infrastructure in the Gulf of Mexico
- OCS Study MMS 2007-048 - Examination of the Physical and Biological Implications of Using Buried Channel Deposits and Other Non-Topographic Offshore Features as Beach Nourishment Material