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Oil and Gas Resource Potential 2021

Published by Bureau of Ocean Energy Management | Department of the Interior | Metadata Last Checked: February 21, 2026 | Last Modified: 2026-02-20T20:52:51.33Z
MetadataThis national data layer shows the extent of the probable oil and/or gas geologic structures (plays) identified within the US Outer Continental Shelf located in the waters near The United States of America in 2021. Plays are groups of known and/or postulated sub-seafloor pools (hydrocarbon accumulations) that share common geologic, geographic, and temporal properties, such as history of hydrocarbon generation, mitigation, migration, reservoir development, and entrapment. The analysis of the plays and their Unrecovered Technically Recoverable Resource (UTRR) characteristics represented herein was based on seismic surveys analyzed by BOEM geologists. Plays are represented in horizontal space but may overlap vertically allowing for multiple plays in the same horizontal space. Area calculations were completed in World Mercator. Data is displayed in the same projection.These data are not an OFFICIAL record of exact boundaries and should be used for cartographic purposes only. These data should not be used to calculate areas.

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