The Bureau of Land Management will hold an oil and gas lease sale on December 9, 2026, offering 172 parcels covering about 249,573 acres in Wyoming.
The agency completed scoping on the parcels in May 2026 and closed a public comment period on the parcels and the related environmental analysis in August 2026. A 30-day public protest period on the same parcels is open and will close October 28, 2026.
After the lease sale
Winning a lease does not clear the way to drill. Under federal leasing policy, an operator must first submit an application for a permit to drill that details its development plans. BLM reviews each application, posts it for public review, conducts an environmental analysis and coordinates with state partners and other stakeholders before granting approval. Every parcel offered in the sale carries stipulations meant to protect natural resources on the land.
Where to find the parcels
Maps of the 172 parcels, along with instructions for filing a protest, are posted on BLM's ePlanning website under the Q4 Competitive Lease Sale listing. The sale will run online through the Efficient Markets platform, and general information on current and upcoming BLM lease sales is available through the National Fluid Lease Sale System.
BLM manages about 245 million acres of public land, largely across 12 western states including Alaska, and administers 700 million acres of subsurface mineral estate nationwide.
