Trump Administration Moves to Reunify Offshore Regulators Split After Deepwater Horizon Disaster

Reunification marks major shift in offshore oversight model built after Deepwater Horizon

The U.S. Department of the Interior has begun a phased effort to consolidate offshore energy oversight under a newly created Marine Minerals Administration, signaling a significant structural shift in how the United States regulates offshore oil, gas, and emerging mineral development.

The plan will merge the functions of the Bureau of Ocean Energy Management and the Bureau of Safety and Environmental Enforcement, bringing leasing, permitting, inspections, and environmental oversight under a single organizational umbrella.

Interior officials say the move is designed to improve coordination and efficiency while maintaining existing safety and environmental protections.

“This