Oil and Gas

The Mineral Leasing Act of 1920, as amended, and the Mineral Leasing Act for Acquired Lands of 1947, as amended, give the Bureau of Land Management (BLM) responsibility for oil and gas leasing on BLM, National Forest, and other Federal lands, as well as private lands where mineral rights have been retained by the Federal Government.

Oil Mining Operation

The U.S. Geological Survey has estimated as much as one trillion cubic feet of oil and gas occurs in the Columbia Basin of south-central Washington and north-central Oregon. They have also estimated that there are numerous small gas fields throughout the Pacific Northwest, such as the Mist Gas Field in northwestern Oregon.

Thick basalt flows overlay the potential reservoirs, making exploration and development costly. With rising gas prices, advances in technology, and the lack of previous development, there has been a dramatic interest in oil and gas leases in Oregon and Washington in the past few years. Half of the revenue derived from leasing and royalties is returned to the state where the leases are located. Currently there are about 140 federal leases representing about 226,000 acres in Oregon and Washington. There are currently no active oil and gas drilling or exploration sites in Oregon or Washington.

Note: September 13, 2012 and December 13, 2012 Oil and Gas Lease Sales Postponed more>>
Note: June 14, 2012 Oil and Gas Lease Sale Postponed more>>
Note: March 10, 2012 Oil and Gas Lease Sale Postponed more>>
Show Archived Cancellations

Competitive Oil & Gas Lease Sale Notices

Below are the latest Oil & Gas Lease Sale Notice and Sale Results:

Competitive Oil and Gas Lease Sale Results - 06/17/10 (PDF)
Competitive Oil and Gas Lease Sale Notice - 06/17/10 (PDF)
Competitive Oil and Gas Lease Sale Results - 3/11/10 (PDF)
Competitive Oil and Gas Lease Sale Notice - 03/11/10 (PDF)
Show Archived Notices and Results

Ruby Pipeline Project

Ruby Pipeline Project

On November 16, 2007, Ruby Pipeline, L.L.C. submitted an application to the BLM Oregon State Office for the construction of a buried natural gas pipeline between locations known as the Opal Hub in Lincoln County, Wyoming, and the Malin Hub near Malin, Oregon; crossing through the States of Utah, Idaho and Nevada. The proposed pipeline will consist of 680 miles of 42-inch high pressure pipeline capable of transporting natural gas. There will be approximately nine metering stations/interconnects. Approximately 65% of the project is located on public land (BLM, State and National Forest); two National Forests will be crossed -- Caribou-Targhee in Idaho and the Fremont-Winema in Oregon.

• Ruby Pipeline Project Page
• Ruby Pipeline Map
• Ruby Pipeline Final EIS News Release

Pacific Connector Gas Pipeline

The BLM is a Cooperating Agency on FERC's EIS for the Pacific Connector Gas Pipeline.

• Pacific Connector Gas Pipeline webpage

For More Information

For more information regarding oil and gas leasing click here.

If you would like to research Oregon and Washington Plats and Land Records to locate lands available for leasing click here. You are required to provide the surface owners' name(s) and address(es) when requesting split estate lands (private surface/Federal minerals) to be offered for sale.

For more information on nominating land for leasing, click here.