Scoping opens on forfeited Wyoming leases
The Bureau of Land Management opened a 30-day public scoping period this week on seven oil and gas leases in Wyoming that could return to the market in a proposed January 2027 lease sale. The tracts cover 2,508 acres combined, and the comment window closes August 16, 2026.
These parcels did not reach the sale list the usual way. In a regular BLM quarterly sale, operators nominate the parcels they want by filing an expression of interest. This batch is different: the seven leases were returned to federal ownership after their original holders forfeited them. All seven areas were already approved for lease once, and BLM is now offering them to other operators able to meet the lease terms and potentially develop the acreage.
What happens before drilling starts
A lease is only the first step toward a well. Before any development work can begin, an operator has to file an application for permit to drill, a filing that spells out the planned well design and operations. BLM reviews each application, posts it for public review, completes an environmental analysis and coordinates with state partners and other stakeholders before a permit can be issued. Every parcel included in a federal lease sale also carries stipulations meant to protect important natural resources.
The scoping period gives the public a chance to weigh in on the seven tracts before BLM finalizes what goes to sale.
Where to comment
Maps of the parcels and instructions for submitting comments are posted on BLM's ePlanning site under the 2027 January Oil and Gas Lease Sale listing. BLM lease sales run online through the Efficient Markets platform, and information on current and upcoming sales is tracked through the National Fluid Lease Sale System.
The sale is a small slice of BLM's overall footprint. The agency manages about 245 million acres of public land, mostly across 12 western states including Alaska, and separately administers 700 million acres of federal subsurface mineral estate nationwide.
