Gulf of Mexico Offshore Well Data — BOEM & BSEE Guide

February 12, 2026 • 7 min read

The Gulf of Mexico is one of the most prolific offshore oil and gas provinces in the world. With over 55,000 wells drilled across thousands of federal lease blocks, GOM data is managed by two primary federal agencies: BOEM (Bureau of Ocean Energy Management) and BSEE (Bureau of Safety and Environmental Enforcement). Navigating these data sources is different from working with state-level data like the Texas RRC.

BOEM vs. BSEE — Who Does What?

• BOEM — Manages the leasing and planning side. BOEM handles lease sales, manages lease records, and oversees resource assessments. If you need lease information (who holds the lease, lease terms, blocks, areas), BOEM is your source.
• BSEE — Manages the operational and safety side. BSEE handles well permits, drilling activity, production data, and inspection records. If you need well-level data (wellbore records, completions, production), BSEE is your source.

Key GOM Data Sources

BOEM Lease Data

BOEM maintains the official record of all federal OCS (Outer Continental Shelf) leases. Available data includes:

• Active leases — Current leaseholders, block numbers, area names, effective dates
• Lease sale results — Historical high bids for every block offered at auction
• Lease owner transfers — Assignment records showing when leases change hands
• Geological and geophysical permits — Seismic survey activity

BOEM data is accessible through their website at boem.gov. The data downloads are in delimited text format and require some processing to be useful.

BSEE Well Data

BSEE maintains well-level records through their data portal. Key datasets include:

• Wellbore data — API numbers, well classifications, spud dates, total depths
• Completion data — Perforation intervals, completion type, status
• Production data — Monthly production by lease and well (oil, gas, water)
• Platform and structure data — Information on fixed platforms, floating facilities, and subsea systems
• Inspection data — Inspection results and incident reports

GOM Geography

The GOM is organized into planning areas and protraction areas:

• Central GOM — Off the coast of Louisiana. Includes major areas like Mississippi Canyon (where Thunder Horse and Mad Dog operate), Green Canyon (Tahiti, Perdido), and Garden Banks.
• Western GOM — Off the coast of Texas. Includes areas like Alaminos Canyon, East Breaks, and Garden Banks (western portion).
• Eastern GOM — Off the coast of Florida and Alabama. Largely under drilling moratorium except for certain areas.

Within each protraction area, the seabed is divided into 3-mile by 3-mile blocks, each identified by an area name and block number (e.g., "Mississippi Canyon Block 778" — Thunder Horse).

Using MineralSearch for GOM Data

MineralSearch tracks 55,000+ Gulf of Mexico wells with data sourced from BOEM and BSEE. The platform lets you search GOM wells by operator, area, block, or API number. Well status, lease information, and production data are integrated into a single searchable interface — saving you from navigating multiple federal websites.

Key GOM Operators

The largest GOM operators by production include:

• Shell — Perdido, Stones, Appomattox
• BP — Thunder Horse, Atlantis, Mad Dog
• Chevron — Jack/St. Malo, Tahiti, Big Foot