Title 42, The Public Health and WelfareRelease 119-110

§15912 Comprehensive Inventory of Ocs Oil and Natural Gas Resources

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

Last updated Sep 22, 2026|Official source

Summary

The Secretary must make a full inventory and analysis of oil and gas under all waters of the U.S. Outer Continental Shelf. The work must use available data from offshore areas of Mexico and Canada to spot trends, use any non-drilling technology (including 3–D seismic) to estimate resources, study how estimates changed over time (including deepwater and subsalt Gulf areas), measure how low inventories affect U.S. energy investments, and find laws, rules, approvals, or local zoning that limit development or lower supply. Within six months of August 8, 2005, the Secretary must send a report of the inventory, the analysis of restrictions, and any recommendations to Congress. The report must be public and updated at least every five years.

Full Legal Text

Title 42, §15912

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

(a)In general

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)Reports

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

Sep 22, 2026

Release point: 119-110