The US Department of the Interior announced a substantial increase in the oil reserves found in the Gulf of America, formerly known as the Gulf of Mexico.
The latest announcement comes after a comprehensive review by the Bureau of Ocean Energy Management.
BOEM conducted a comprehensive review of the Gulf of America Oil Reserves. The review includes an evaluation of over 140 oil and gas fields, along with an analysis of over 37,000 reservoirs across 1,336 fields in the Gulf, and 18 newly identified discoveries.
In total, the comprehensive review added 4.39 billion barrels of oil equivalent to original reserves. Key highlights from the review include:
- The findings show an additional 1.30 billion barrels of oil equivalent since 2021
- Total reserve estimate: 7.04 billion barrels of oil equivalent
- The reserve includes 5.77 billion barrels of oil and 7.15 trillion cubic feet of natural gas
- The new figures represent a 22.6% increase in remaining recoverable reserves
Commenting on the reserve increase in the Gulf of America, Doug Burgum, the secretary of the interior, stated:
“This new data confirms what we’ve known all along — America is sitting on a treasure trove of energy, and under President Trump’s leadership, we’re unlocking it. The Gulf of America is a powerhouse, and by streamlining permitting and expanding access, we’re not just powering our economy — we’re strengthening our national security and putting thousands of Americans back to work.”
While the BOEM Gulf of America Regional Director James Kendall further added:
“The Gulf of America is delivering 14% of the nation’s oil. These updated estimates reaffirm the Gulf’s vital role in ensuring a reliable, affordable domestic energy supply.”
Will the risk of more oil spills rise with the determination of these new figures? Only time will tell.
