The BLM is Moving Quicker on Leasing and Why You Should Too

You’ve probably seen the headlines: the Department of the Interior just announced it will streamline the federal oil and gas leasing process, with BLM now committing to review nominated parcels in six months or less.

We’ll summarize the key points below—but the real value of this short article is what comes after: how to adjust your strategy to stay ahead. At Efficient Markets, we’ve hosted BLM oil and gas lease sales for nearly a decade. When it comes to lease sales, we have insight into what actually moves the needle—and how companies can better position themselves under this new policy.

What the BLM Said

On May 13, 2025, the BLM outlined a shift in internal policy intended to speed up the lease nomination and review process. The agency now plans to complete parcel-level reviews—including environmental assessments—within six months of submission.

The BLM’s goal is to reduce review time, increase the throughput of lease sales, and bring more predictability to the nomination process across its state offices. This change could materially increase the size and frequency of lease sales over the next 12 to 18 months.

How to Nominate Parcels

If you want a parcel to appear in a federal oil and gas lease sale, it has to be nominated. That’s done by submitting an Expression of Interest (EOI) through the National Fluids Lease Sale System (NFLSS): nflss.blm.gov.

Here’s how it works:

1. Submit via NFLSS: Log in and provide legal descriptions of the lands you want considered.
2. Pay the $5/acre Fee: This nonrefundable filing fee must be submitted to the appropriate BLM state office. Until payment is received, your nomination will not be processed.
3. Timing: Nominations are reviewed on a rolling basis. If you want the best chance of having your parcels included in a lease sale by early 2026, now is the time to submit nominations.

Takeaway: Control What Enters the Sale Before Everyone Else Does

This is the part that’s often overlooked.

Every parcel that appears in a lease sale was originally nominated by a party. After BLM clears it, any qualified bidder can show up and compete. But only the nominator drives what makes it into the sale in the first place.

If you’re hoping someone else will nominate acreage you care about, you’re already behind.

BLM’s six-month review target gives you a clear window to influence what’s available in upcoming sales—and time to plan accordingly. Waiting means you’re reacting to what others put in play, often with less time to analyze geology, infrastructure, development fit, and most importantly, bid amount.

Remember: The companies that move first are the ones who shape what gets offered.

If you have any questions about the sales process or how to nominate parcels, contact Efficient Markets. We’ve been hosting BLM oil and gas lease sales since 2016 and can guide you through nomination, bidder registration, and participation.

Several BLM lease sales are already live, including offerings from BLM New Mexico, Wyoming, Montana-Dakotas, and Utah. Visit www.efficientmarkets.com for full details.