Proposed Ocs Lease Sale 200, Western Gulf of Mexico

The GOM constitutes one of the world's major oil- and gas-producing areas and has proved to be a steady and reliable source of crude oil and natural gas for more than 50 years. Oil from the GOM would help reduce the Nation's need for oil imports and reduce the environmental risks associated with tankering of imported oil. Natural gas is generally considered to be an environmentally preferable alternative to oil in terms of both production and consumption.