Title 42 — The Public Health and WelfareRelease 119-73

§15912 Comprehensive inventory of OCS oil and natural gas resources

Title 42 › Chapter CHAPTER 149— - NATIONAL ENERGY POLICY AND PROGRAMS › Subchapter SUBCHAPTER III— - OIL AND GAS › Part Part A— - Production Incentives › § 15912

Last updated Apr 6, 2026|Official source

Summary

The Secretary must make an inventory and analysis of oil and gas under all waters of the U.S. Outer Continental Shelf (OCS). The work must use available data from areas offshore of Mexico and Canada and any technology except drilling, including 3‑D seismic. It must show how resource estimates have changed over time (including deepwater and subsalt Gulf of Mexico areas), estimate how low inventories affect domestic energy investments, and identify laws, rules, and practices that limit development and reduce U.S. supply (for example moratoria, lease terms, operational rules, approval delays, and local zoning). The Secretary must send a report with the inventory, analysis, and any recommendations to Congress within 6 months of August 8, 2005. The report must be public and updated at least every 5 years.

Full Legal Text

Title 42, §15912

The Public Health and Welfare — Source: USLM XML via OLRC

(a)The Secretary shall conduct an inventory and analysis of oil and natural gas resources beneath all of the waters of the United States Outer Continental Shelf (“OCS”). The inventory and analysis shall—

(1)use available data on oil and gas resources in areas offshore of Mexico and Canada that will provide information on trends of oil and gas accumulation in areas of the OCS;

(2)use any available technology, except drilling, but including 3–D seismic technology to obtain accurate resource estimates;

(3)analyze how resource estimates in OCS areas have changed over time in regards to gathering geological and geophysical data, initial exploration, or full field development, including areas such as the deepwater and subsalt areas in the Gulf of Mexico;

(4)estimate the effect that understated oil and gas resource inventories have on domestic energy investments; and

(5)identify and explain how legislative, regulatory, and administrative programs or processes restrict or impede the development of identified resources and the extent that they affect domestic supply, such as moratoria, lease terms and conditions, operational stipulations and requirements, approval delays by the Federal Government and coastal States, and local zoning restrictions for onshore processing facilities and pipeline landings.

(b)The Secretary shall submit a report to Congress on the inventory of estimates and the analysis of restrictions or impediments, together with any recommendations, within 6 months of August 8, 2005. The report shall be publicly available and updated at least every 5 years.

Reference

Citations & Metadata

Citation

42 U.S.C. § 15912

Title 42 — The Public Health and Welfare

Last Updated

Apr 6, 2026

Release point: 119-73