Us Code § 15912 - Comprehensive inventory of OCS oil and natural gas resources
Full text of Us Code United States Code § 15912 — Comprehensive inventory of OCS oil and natural gas resources, with citation guidance and answers to common questions.
§ 15912. Comprehensive inventory of OCS oil and natural gas resources
(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.
(Pub. L. 109–58, title III, §357, Aug. 8, 2005, 119 Stat. 720.)
Part B—Access to Federal Lands
About This Section
42 U.S.C. § 15912 is part of Title 42 of the United States Code. The United States Code is the official codification of federal statutes maintained by the Office of the Law Revision Counsel of the U.S. House of Representatives. Congress amends the Code through new public laws, which are eventually incorporated into the relevant title.
This section may be cited in legal writing as 42 U.S.C. § 15912. For the most current official text, including any recent amendments, use the official source links below. Do not rely on this page as the sole authority for legal citation or litigation.
How to Read This Statute
Statutes are organized by title, chapter, section, and subsection. Pay attention to words like "shall," "may," "and," and "or," because they determine whether a requirement is mandatory or permissive and whether multiple conditions must all be met. Historical notes and amendments often appear at the end of a section.
Using This Page
This page is intended for research and educational use. Lawyers, students, journalists, and compliance professionals can use it as a starting point, but should always verify the current text through an official government source before relying on it for legal advice, filings, or compliance decisions.