Oil and gas companies collect G&G data on the OCS as a primary means to enable the regional and targeted search for hydrocarbons. BOEM regulates the collection of G&G data through issuance of Permits and administration of Plans. BOEM retains the right to acquire all industry-collected G&G data permitted on the OCS and uses the information to support BOEM resource assessment efforts.
Regulation of Pre-Lease Data
Forms:
- Application for Permit to Conduct Geological or Geophysical Exploration (Form BOEM-0327) for Mineral Resources or Scientific Research in the Outer Continental
- Permit for Geophysical Exploration (Form BOEM-0328) for Minerals Resources or Scientific Research on the Outer Continental Shelf
- Permit for Geological Exploration (Form BOEM-0329) for Minerals Resources or Scientific Research on the Outer Continental Shelf
Regional Contact Information for G&G Permit Applications:
Alaska OCS Region
Resource Evaluation Supervisor
3801 Centerpoint Dr Ste 500
Anchorage, AK 99503-5820
Gulf of America OCS Region
Resource Evaluation Supervisor
1201 Elmwood Park Blvd
New Orleans, LA 70123-2394
Atlantic OCS Region
Resource Evaluation Supervisor
1201 Elmwood Park Blvd
New Orleans, LA 70123-2394
Pacific OCS Region
Office of Strategic Resources
760 Paseo Camarillo, Suite 102 (CM 102)
Camarillo, CA 93010
Pay.Gov allows applicants to pay electronically for the non-refundable filing fees on various applications and permits in accordance with regulations governing oil and gas activities on the OCS.
Seismic Data Inventory
The RED Bluebook is an annual publication that provides an inventory of BOEM’s total OCS data purchases, expenditures, and permits issued. This publication tracks the data by region (Alaska, Atlantic, Gulf of America, and Pacific) and by year.
The National Archive of Marine Seismic Surveys (NAMSS) is a collaborative effort of BOEM and the U.S. Geological Survey (USGS) that provides a public interface for the release of seismic data on the OCS. As of July 2023, the Archive contains 550 3D surveys covering 569,729 square kilometers, and 593 2D seismic surveys with 34,058 tracklines covering 1,669,720 line kilometers.
The National Archive of Marine Seismic Surveys (NAMSS) Web Portal Provides Public Access to US Exclusive Economic Zone Marine Seismic Surveys is a paper, authored by USGS employees, that informs the public of USGS’s NAMSS portal that shares legally available seismic data within the US exclusive economic zone. This project is a collaboration between the USGS and BOEM, with BOEM supplying a portion of the seismic data as well as partial funding. Data can be downloaded for free directly from the portal.